Extended Application Deadline: April 25, 2023
Expected decision: June/July 2023
Hungary Foundation together with Mathias Corvinus Collegium Alapítvány (Budapest, Hungary) is now accepting applications to the 2023/2024 Budapest Fellowship Program.
This full-time, fully-funded transatlantic fellowship opportunity in Budapest, Hungary, for young American scholars and professionals will run from September 18, 2023, through July 12, 2024.
The goal of the 10-month program is to cultivate the next generation of American policy professionals and academics and equip them with a thorough understanding of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Hungary. The fellows will have an opportunity to conduct research on the topic of their choosing while also gaining practical experience researching or working at a Hungarian host institution that matches their professional interests.
The program’s structure is designed to nurture an understanding of Central and Eastern European, and specifically, Hungarian history and culture. The program will offer extensive professional and personal networking opportunities and fellows will be matched with local mentors to guide them throughout their fellowship journey.
The scholarship provides:
- A monthly stipend to cover living expenses in Budapest ($3,000/month for Junior Fellows, $4,000/month for Senior Fellows, $4,500/month for Senior Fellows with a family),
- Assistance with housing in Budapest (option of upgraded college dorms downtown for Junior Fellows, private apartments for Senior Fellows),
- Roundtrip air travel to Hungary,
- Health insurance assistance for the fellow’s visa application process,
- Assistance in obtaining a Hungarian temporary residence permit,
- Hungarian language classes,
- Book stipend and research support,
- Organized field trips to neighboring countries and the Hungarian countryside.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Research, Teach, Learn, and Network in Hungary
RESEARCH. Fellows will conduct independent research guided by a mentor and gain practical experience during the 10-month fellowship experience at a Budapest-based host institution (Hungarian think tank, NGO, academic research institution, government agency, parliamentary office, etc.) corresponding with the participant’s own academic or professional fields.
TEACH. Fellows will have an opportunity to develop teaching plans for lectures and workshops for BA students of the Schools in Mathias Corvinus Collegium (Law, International Relations, Social Sciences and History, Economics, Media, and Psychology) and for participants of MCC’s other programs, like the Women’s Public Leadership Academy, Transylvanian School of Politics, Secondary School Program.
LEARN. The program also features thematic seminars on the history of Hungary, Hungarian democratic traditions, the post-communist legacy in CEE, Hungary’s foreign policy orientations, Hungarian cultural geography, US-Hungary and EU-Hungary relations, and current human rights issues. The program will include monthly organized field trips to neighboring countries in the Carpathian Basin and cities in the countryside of Hungary. These trips will help foster a better understanding of the regional differences and dynamics within Hungary, the Visegrád countries, and the Carpathian basin. Fellows will also be enrolled in a basic Hungarian language course to support their cultural immersion process.
NETWORK. The program will hold regular discussions with practitioners, area experts, scholars, and business leaders allowing the fellows to refine their leadership skills, advance their professional development, and deepen their economic, political, historical, and cultural understanding of Central and Eastern Europe. Continuous mentoring is provided for fellows to help set realistic personal goals, research, and/or teaching plans, and ways to develop strong personal connections with key individuals in their respective professions or field of study. Upon completion of the program, participants are integrated into HF’s alumni activities in Washington and Budapest and will be invited back to Hungary to participate in MCC-organized events.
Eligibility and Application Information
The Budapest Fellowship Program is open to two categories of applicants:
The Junior Fellowship is aimed at students currently pursuing or recently graduated from a Master’s program
The Senior Fellowship is for advanced doctoral students (i.e. pre-doctoral fellows), post-doctoral researchers, and early career professionals
The Program will host two Junior and two Senior Fellows in 2023/2024. The program requirements are generally shared among all fellows but are custom-tailored to each fellowship category.
All applicants must:
- Be a US citizen,
- Have a research interest in Central and Eastern Europe,
- Have excellent writing skills along with outstanding research, and academic credentials,
- Have demonstrated leadership potential,
- Present or develop a research plan specifically tailored to Hungary focusing on one of the following areas: EU-Hungary relations, US-Hungary bilateral relations, and transatlantic relations, the history and legacy of communism in Hungary, contemporary Hungarian society and the neighboring countries, Visegrad cooperation, economic development, energy security, foreign and defense policy, migration, national sovereignty, freedom of speech on social media platforms, public diplomacy, environmental conservation, and human rights.
- Pre-doctoral applicants are required to have already made substantial progress towards a Ph.D. degree and should have a dissertation topic that generally fits within the research areas listed above. The program’s modified research requirement is to make significant progress towards a dissertation, through research or writing, assisted by an appropriate mentor institute from Ludovika – University of Public Service (for example, if US-Hungary/transatlantic relations focused, then the American Studies Research Institute)
Questions regarding the program or the application process may be directed to hf@hungaryfoundation.org.
Junior Application
About the Organizers
Hungary Foundation – Washington, DC
Hungary Foundation is an independent, US-based non-partisan and non-profit organization committed to strengthening the understanding and cooperation between Hungary and the United States of America. This program is part of Hungary Foundation’s Liberty Bridge Program, launched in 2020, with the goal of reinvigorating the US-Hungary relationship through programs that will bolster the professional, academic, public, and people-to-people dialogue between the two countries. The idea behind the program is the core conviction that the US and Hungary share value-driven bonds built on the concept of Liberty. As part of this program, the Hungary Foundation invests in scholars and fellows who have demonstrated leadership skills and will serve as future bridge-builders between the two countries.
Mathias Corvinus Collegium Alapítvány (MCC) – Budapest, Hungary
Mathias Corvinus Collegium Alapítvány (MCC) is the largest multidisciplinary educational institution in Central Europe, offering extracurricular training opportunities and a platform for exchanging ideas across the Carpathian Basin. We assist our competitively selected students to reach their potential regardless of their socio-economic background and encourage them to take responsible actions for the benefit of their local and wider community alike. Over the past 25 years, MCC has become a trusted international partner for distinguished scholars, universities, and research centers, and a synonym for talent management in Hungary and beyond.
In Partnership with
Ludovika – University of Public Service – Budapest, Hungary
Ludovika is a specialized higher educational institution, the principal aim of which is to educate highly qualified personnel for the civil service, the military as well as the different branches of law enforcement. Besides the faculties, the Ludovika research institutions focus on topical international questions as well as the theory of the state. In the autumn, new programs like the College of Visegrád and the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy will be launched. The beautifully restored old Royal Ludovika Academy symbolizes the important heritage of the university, while the newly built educational facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to help the educational activities. The campus in Orczy Park is easy to reach by public transport and home to sports facilities, like a swimming pool, a sports hall as well as horse riding stables. The dorms for visiting fellows are self-contained units. Erasmus as well as Stipendium Hungaricum students ensure vibrant international student life.