Budapest Fellowship Program

In September 2020, the  Hungary Initiatives 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 ($1500/month for Junior Fellows, $2000/month for Senior Fellows, $2500/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.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

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 in 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 HIF’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

The Program will host two Junior and two Senior Fellows starting September 2020.

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 hif@hungaryfoundation.org

PROGRAM STAFF

Zsombor Zeöld

Program Director

zsombor@budapestfellowship.org

About the Organizers 

The Hungary Initiatives Foundation (HIF) – Washington, DC

HIF 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 HIF’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, HIF 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.