.

THE SYSTEM OFEDUCATIONIN HUNGARY

2. Public Education Participation in education is mandatory betweenthe ages of 5 and

18. Public education institutions may be establishedand maintained- by the state,- local
governments (public sectorschools)- legal entities (foundations, churches,etc.)- natural persons.

3. The structure of education Kindergarten education and care is availablefor children

aged 3-6 and is compulsory fromage 5. Primary and lower secondary education isprovided in 8grade single structure schools.(General secondary schools are also allowed tooffer single
structure programmes starting fromGrade 5 (8-grade secondary programmes) orGrade 7 (6-grade
secondary programmes)

4. Upper secondary education:In general secondary schools, vocationalsecondary

schools or vocational schools.General secondary schools provide generaleducation and prepare
for the secondary schoolleaving examination (rettsgi) which is theprerequisite for admission to
higher educationSecondary vocational schools provide generaland pre-vocational education in
grades 9-12,prepare for the secondary school leavingexamination

5. Vocational schools provide general andpre-vocational education in grades 9-10and

vocational education in grades 11-12.They do not prepare for the secondaryschool leaving
examination. Higher education programmesare offered by universities and colleges

6. Early childhood education and care Kindergarten (voda) provides education andcare
for children aged 3 to 6 (7) years. Most kindergartens also provide full day carewith meals.
Optional from the age of 3 and is compulsoryfrom the age of 5, when children are obliged
toparticipate 4 hours a day in guided activities.

7. Although mandatory primary school entry age is6 years, children may stay in
kindergarten for anextra year, up to age 7, upon parental request orexpert recommendation.
Children with special education needs mayattend kindergarten up to age 8. Public kindergartens
are free: they can onlycharge for extra services not included in theirbasic tasks, e.g. for meals,
excursions. Private kindergartens may charge a fee.

8. Primary and Lower SecondaryEducation At the primary levels, i.e. in Grades 1-4,the
classroom teacher teaches allsubjects. Subject teaching starts in Grade 5. The maximum
number of students perclass cannot exceed 26 in Grades 1-4,and 30 in Grades 5-8.

9. The school year starts on the first workingday of September and ends in mid-June.
In this period 185 days are teaching days,five days a week from Monday to Friday. There is a
school holiday in the autumn,the winter and in the spring. Lessons typically last for 45 minutes.
The school may also organize longer(maximum 60-minute) or shorter lessons. The school day
typically starts at 8 a.m.and ends between 12:30 and 2 p.m.

10. Upper secondary education secondary general programmes(gimnzium) secondary

vocational programmes(szakkzpiskola) vocational programmes (szakiskola) Special

vocational programmes (specilisszakiskola) are available for students withspecial educational

needs.

11. Higher education There are two types of higher educationinstitutions: nonuniversityinstitutions/colleges (fiskola) anduniversities (egyetem). BA/BSc programmes of 6 to 8
semesterslead to a first degree. Master level programmes (MA/MSc) ofanother 2 to 4 semesters
require a firstdegree as admission criterion. The pre-requisite to entering doctoralprogrammes is
a MA/MSc degree.

GRADING SCALE IN HUNGARY

Mark

Meaning

Official name

Common usage

5
4
3
2
1

excellent
good
fair, average
satisfactory
unsatisfactory

jeles
j
kzepes
elgsges
elgtelen

ts
ngyes
hrmas
kettes
egyes

Evaluation without marks:

Kivlan megfelelt = Pass with credit
Megfelelt = Pass
Nem felelt meg = Fail
Grade Point Average:
4,51 - 5,00 = jeles, kivl (excellent)
3,51 - 4,50 = j (good)
2,51 - 3,50 = kzepes (fair, average)
2,00 - 2,50 = elgsges (satisfactory)
HUNGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
Information and some facts
The Hungarian higher education system consists of universities and colleges.
Higher education institutions provide university education, college education
and (since September 1996) a new type, the higher vocational education.
Universities generally impart high-standard theoretical knowledge, while
colleges offer more practical-oriented and shorter courses.

 In 1996 there were 89 higher education institutions in Hungary: 30 universities

(25 state and 5 church maintained universities) and 59 colleges (31 state, 23
church run colleges and 5 run by foundations). At present the number of
higher education institutions is near 100.
Hungarian higher education institutions are autonomous. The institutions are
professionally independent and the determination of the curriculum is the
exclusive right of the institutions, taking into account the general requirements
issued by the Government. The Rector of a university is mandated by the
President of the Republic and the Director General of a college by the Prime
Minister.
The requirement for admission to university or college education is the
Hungarian Maturity Certificate: a secondary school leaving certificate or an
equivalent. This certificate is awarded after 12 years of study which generally
consists of 8 years primary education and 4 years secondary education. The
division of the twelve years of study may vary.
The decision on admission of students to higher education institutions is made
on the basis of their secondary school results and their entrance exams.
In the Hungarian grading system the top grade is 5 (excellent), while the
lowest grade is 1 (failure).
The degrees received from colleges ("fiskolai oklevl") and universities
("egyetemi oklevl") make students eligible for graduate study both in Hungary
and abroad.
Students graduating from medical/dental/veterinary universities, from faculties
of law receive the qualification of "doktor": dr.med., dr. med.dent., dr. vet., dr.
jur.
Advanced (graduate) degrees before 1993 were: doctor universitatis (dr. univ.),
candidatus scientiarum (C.Sc.) and doctor scientiarum (D.Sc.). C.Sc. and D.Sc.
were given by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. At present Ph.D. studies
are organized in accredited doctorate programs of universities.
In 1995/96 the total number of students studying in higher education
institutions were 197.565 of whom 81.347 were university students and 98.218
were college students. The number of students studying in non-state higher
education was 18.104.
The Higher Education Law prescribes the establishment of a national credit
system by the end of 1998.
Important institutions and bodies of Hungarian higher education: - the Ministry
of Culture and Education; - the Hungarian Accreditation Committee; - the
Higher Education and Research Council; - the Hungarian Rectors' Conference;
- the Conference of College Director Generals; - the Rectors' Board of

Hungarian Art Academies; - the National Admission Office; - the Hungarian

Centre for Equivalence and International Mobility.