In September 2020, the Hungary Foundation together with Mathias Corvinus Collegium (Budapest, Hungary) established the Budapest Fellowship Program, a full-time, fully-funded transatlantic fellowship opportunity in Budapest, Hungary, for young American scholars and professionals.
The goal of the 10-month program is to cultivate the next generation of American policy professionals and equip them with a thorough understanding of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Hungary. The fellows will have an opportunity to conduct independent research on the topic fellows choose independently while gaining practical experience 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 during 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),
- housing in Budapest (upgraded college dorms downtown for Junior Fellows, private apartment for Senior Fellows),
- roundtrip air travel to Hungary,
- health insurance assistance for the fellow’s visa application process,
- Hungarian language classes,
- book stipend and research support,
- organized field trips to neighboring countries and the Hungarian countryside.
Research, Teach, Learn and Network in Hungary
RESEARCH. Fellows conduct their own independent research guided by a mentor and gain practical experience during the 10-month internship/fellowship experience at a Budapest-based host institution (Hungarian think tank, NGO, academic institution, government agency, parliamentary office, etc.) corresponding with their own participants academic or professional fields.
TEACH. Fellows have an opportunity to work out teaching plans for lectures, courses and workshops for BA students of specialized training programs in Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), and for MA students of the MCC Leadership Academy as well as for the participants of the postgraduate programs (e.g. MCC Women Public Leadership Program, Transylvanian Political School, Subcarpathian Public Leadership 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 also includes monthly organized field trips to neighboring countries in the Carpathian Basin and cities in the countryside of Hungary to better understand the regional differences and dynamics within Hungary, the Visegrád countries, and the Carpathian basin. Fellows also are enrolled in a basic Hungarian language course to support their cultural immersion process.
NETWORK. The program holds 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, as well as to develop strong personal connections with key individuals in their respective profession 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 for two categories of applicants:
– Junior Fellows: senior graduate students
– Senior Fellows: post-doctoral researchers and early career professionals
All applicants must:
- Be US citizens,
- Have a research interest in Central and Eastern Europe,
- Have outstanding research and academic credentials,
- Have demonstrated leadership potential,
- Develop a research plan specifically tailored to Hungary focusing on one of the following areas: economic development, human rights, foreign and defense policy, energy security, public diplomacy, EU-Hungary relations, US-Hungary relations, the history and legacy of communism in Hungary, contemporary Hungarian society and the neighboring countries.
Questions regarding the program or the application process may be directed to hf@hungaryfoundation.org
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PROGRAM STAFF
Noémi Pálfalvi
Director of International Relations at MCC
palfalvi.noemi@mcc.hu
Zita Boriska Polet
International Relations Coordinator at MCC
polet.zita@mcc.hu
Krisztián László
Senior International Relations Coordinator at MCC
laszlo.krisztian@mcc.hu
Júlia Hajas-Janka
Budapest Fellowship Program Associate
julia@budapestfellowship.org
Publications by 2024/25 Budapest Fellowship Program Participants
Evelyn Whitehead
The Music of Budapest – Substack.com
On Gratitude, Chandeliers, and Other Things That Glitter – Substack.com
December and its Delights – Substack.com
Review: Family First documentary shows why it is important to honour families – Christian Network Europe
JD Vance and the Next Chapter for ProLife America – Hungarian Conservative
Good Hunting – Substack.com
Publications by 2023/24 Budapest Fellowship Program Participants
Meg Hansen
Central Europe turns postliberal – American Thinker
Hungary May Side With China Instead of the West – The American Spectator
Brussels Shows Budapest Who’s Boss – Taki’s Magazine
Cultivating a New Generation of ‘Aristo-Populist’ Statesmen — An Interview with John Burtka – Hungarian Conservative
Who’s Afraid of National Conservatism in Europe? – Hungarian Conservative
“Utopian Quests v. Shoals of Reality” – Danube Institute
Europe’s EV Obsession Plays Right into China’s Hands – National Review
Thomas Paul Moran
Israel and Hungary: Two Nations United – Hungarian Conservative
The Impact of Crises on Youth – Youth and Generation Studies
The Door: Friendship or Toxic Relationship? – The European Conservative
Anna Édes: A Case Study of Mental Illness from the Past and for the Present – Hungarian Conservative
James Carrabino
Publications by 2022/23 Budapest Fellowship Program Participants
Luke Larson
What Hungary Can Teach Post-Roe America – The American Conservative
TV interview: insights on the upcoming Danish elections.- M1 Híradó
Hungary on the Cutting Edge – The American Mind
Hungary and the Nordic Countries: Five Ways the Darlings of the American Right and Left Might Not Be So Different After All – The American Spectator
Bence Szechenyi
A conversation with myself – Hungarian Review
Hungarian ancestry: a shared starting point – MCC Corvinak Blog
Untold Effects of the War in Eastern Slovakia: How Roma Communities Are Left Behind – VSquare
Logan West
A Winter of Discontent: The Coming Cold Season May Trigger a Spring of Political Change in European Elections – European Conservative
The European Union’s Push To Control Hungary May Drive It Away – Hungarian Conservative
Continued Hungarian Aid to Turkey is Sorely Needed, But Dangerous Obstacles Lay Ahead – Hungarian Conservative
Tom Pearson
Publications by 2021 Budapest Fellowship Program Participants
Kelli Buzzard
Boosting Christian Belief – Hungarian Conservative
From Kids to Comrades – The American Mind
Life in the Real World – The American Mind
Hungary and Florida Lead the Way in Protecting Children and Parental Rights – El American
The Return of Hungary’s Holy Crown – Hungarian Conservative
Based Hungarians – The American Mind
Abortion’s Bed of Lies – Crisis Magazine
Why Viktor Orbán is a thorn in the side of the liberal elite – ReMix
Michael van Ginkel
Reconciling the Hungarian-Ukrainian Schism – RealClear Defense
Opioid Smuggling In The Black Sea – Analysis – Eurasian Review
Policy Brief: Black Sea Synergy: Adopting a Holistic Approach to Maritime Security – Europeum
Michael O’Shea
Pope Francis’s Missed Opportunity in Hungary – Hungarian Conservative
The Czech Elections: Implications for Visegrád and the EU – Visegrád Post
Hungarian Friends, Stick with Us! – The European Conservative
Time for the State Department to stop ignoring Hungary – Washington Examiner
‘We are exiting the world where a single superpower calls the shots’ – Interview with Abishur Prakash – Hungarian Conservative
A Foreigner’s Guide to the Hungarian Elections | Opinion – Newsweek
The People Most Willing To Risk Nuclear War With Russia Are Those Least Likely To Fight It – The Federalist
Western Leaders Who Cry ‘Undemocratic’ And ‘Authoritarian’ Should Look In The Mirror – The Federalist
Time to Reset U.S.-Hungary Relations – Newsweek
If The Supreme Court Overturns Roe, The United States Will Still Have Looser Abortion Laws Than Europe – The Federalist
Playgrounds & Parallel Societies:
My Journey to Sweden’s Most Notorious ‘No-Go’ Zone in Malmö – The European Conservative
Tate Sanders
15 March 1848 and 4 July 1776: Reminders of Hungarian and American Desires for Independence – Hungarian Conservative
AUKUS: A Potential Boon for Central and Eastern Europe? – Hungarian Conservative
Publications by 2020 Budapest Fellowship Program Participants
Nicole Nemeth / Senior Fellow
Miért fontos Amerika új legfelsőbb bírójának személye? – Corvinas Blog
Why This Justice Matters – Corvinas Blog
Nationalism and The Core Idea of Americanism – Corvinas Blog
Ryan Brockhaus / Senior Fellow
New Weapons Acquisitions Show Hungary’s Moving Full Speed Ahead with Defence Modernisation Programme – Antall József Knowledge Centre
Supreme Court Nomination Battle in US Sets Up Ideological Paradigm Shift – University of Public Service
The Capitol Protests and the Future of the US – University of Public Service
Megerősítheti-e Biden elnöksége a NATO-t? – Corvinák
Despite low odds of open conflict, forces massed on Ukraine’s border are worrying – Corvinák
Joe Biden’s Department of State and Defense – Antall József Knowledge Centre
Stephen Sholl / Junior Fellow
A hitvalló egyház mártírjai Magyarországon 1945 és 1989 között – Újkor.hu
A Nemzeti Emlékezet Bizottsága 2014–2015-ös évkönyve amerikai szemmel – Újkor.hu
A Communist Christmas Story – National Review
„Király légy bár, jöjj és reszketve nézz!” – Egy amerikai benyomásai a Memento Parkról – Újkor.hu
Koncepciós perek, munkástanácsok – A NEB 2016/2017-es évkönyve – Újkor.hu
The Road to Martyrdom – The European Conservative
What Happened When Hungary Revived Classical Architecture In Budapest – The Federalist
A hódmezővásárhelyi Emlékpont és a kommunista múlt amerikai szemmel – Újkor.hu
Lessons in Critical Race Theory from Behind the Iron Curtain – The American Conservative
Dr. George Bogden / Senior Fellow
What Biden’s Presidency Will Mean For Central and Eastern Europe – Hungarian Conservative
All’s Fair in Vaccine Diplomacy – Danube Institute
Traditions of Early American Treaty Inheritance: Universal Succession as a Means to Achieve Stability and Security – New York University Journal of Law and Liberty
Britain’s strategic failure: Suez Canal 1854–1882 – Wavell Room
Alliances and Misalliances: the Changing Face of the Middle East – Danube Institute
Turkey’s Strategic Culture in the Twenty-First Century – Routledge Handbook on Strategic Studies (Forthcoming)
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 (MCC) – Budapest, Hungary
MCC is an extracurricular educational institution and knowledge center in Hungary with an outstanding reputation for its academic excellence. With more than twenty years of experience in talent promotion, MCC aims to educate well-prepared intellectuals with critical thinking who are also able to responsibly address the challenges of our time. MCC Research is the “university think tank” of the Collegium which aspires to elaborate on relevant yet socially divisive topics while communicating them for the public applying clear and plain language in a thoughtful, logical manner.
In Partnership with
Ludovika – University of Public Service – Budapest, Hungary
Ludovika is a specialised 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 symbolises 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.
For application deadlines please refer to our ‘applications now open’ here, or Call For Applications posts in the news section.