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 

PROGRAM STAFF

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

Tate Sanders

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.