You got to Hungary - now what?
As you prepare for student life in Hungary there are several essential documents you will need to acquire after your arrival. Here’s a guide to help you navigate through the steps and ensure you have everything in order for a smooth start.
Please note that self-funded students and scholarship recipients might have different procedures. We will indicate these differences where applicable.
Residence permit:
Foreign nationals must generally register their stay in Hungary. For up-to-date information visit the website of the Hungarian Immigration Office.
All non-EEA nationals must, at all times during their stay and studies here, have a valid residence permit allowing them to study in Hungary. Please note that you must issue your application within 30 days after arriving in Hungary.
To obtain your residence permit and address card, submit your application on enterhungary.hu. After submitting, you’ll need to show up in person to sign documents and have your photo taken. Expect to receive your documents at your university within a few weeks.
The validity period of a residence permit issued for the purpose of study:
- is at least one year
- corresponds to the duration of training, if its less than one year
- may be extended by at least one or at most by two additional years at a time
The application for a new residence permit can be done anytime, but latest 30 days before the expiry date.
Address card:
Take very good care of it as it is a legal document that can be asked for by the authorities. Whenever you move to another place you must report your new address to the Immigration Office via their website within 3 days.
TAX ID:
Visit the National Tax and Customs Office in Budapest (1097 Vaskapu utca 33.) with your passport to get your tax ID. This is crucial if you plan on getting a student job. See a step by step guide here.
Note: The tax identification is required for all SH and Diaspora students, given that the university cannot transfer scholarships and housing allowances without this. After receiving the tax number, please send your tax id number to your faculty coordinator, who will register it in Neptun and send it to the International Directorate as well.
Student Card:
International students are provided with a student ID card with which they can have the same advantages as Hungarian students. This card will grant you discounts on transportation, restaurants, tickets, and more during your studies. See a step by step guide here.
TAJ card:
This is likely the last document you’ll need to secure because you will need all we just talked about.
With the TAJ card you are publicly ensured and are able to access public healthcare services for free, which does not only cover emergency or urgent cases, but also any other health issues. You should pay attention to managing your TAJ card from the first step (registration) to the last step (receiving the physical card).
After you receive your TAJ card, it is strongly recommended to register with a local district doctor called “háziorvos” in Hungarian.
Note: If you’re a Stipendium Hungaricum or Diaspora student, Tempus will assist you in obtaining your TAJ card. Please see the dedicated guide here.
Bank account:
You must have a Hungarian HUF account in any bank in Hungary in order to get any kind of payment (e.g. scholarship, accommodation money etc.). Corvinus University of Budapest does not endorse or recommend the services of any bank in Hungary. Please find the list of banks in Hungary at www.money.hu/bankok
Note: Scholarship students will receive their stipend to this account!
Phone number:
While a passport might suffice, having a residence permit is recommended. You can choose from three service providers: Vodafone, Telekom, Yettel
The international code for Hungary is +36.
Hungarian cell phones have mobile dialing codes: 20, 30, 70.
Please note that the International Student Recruitment and Admission office is not in charge to assist enrolled students further. If you have any questions during your studies contact Student Services.
See the full survival guide of Corvinus here.
25 Jun 2024