Foreign School Certificates in Hungary: Recognition, Translations and Points

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

To study for a bachelor's degree in Hungary you need a school-leaving certificate that gives access to university. Who checks it depends on where it comes from and on whether you apply through the national system on felvi.hu or directly to an English-taught programme. In most cases you do not need a separate recognition certificate before applying. This guide reflects the rules published by the Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal) and felvi.hu as of October 2026.

Equivalent by law or treaty

Some certificates count as equal to the Hungarian school-leaving certificate (érettségi) without any procedure, because Hungarian law or an international agreement says so. The Educational Authority lists in this group:

certificates from EU countries, and from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland;
the International Baccalaureate diploma;
the European Baccalaureate from the European Schools;
certificates from the German schools abroad (Deutsche Schule).

With one of these you apply like a Hungarian applicant, but your certificate must still show the subjects your programme asks for.

Recognition for further study by the university

If your certificate is not in that group, the university you apply to decides whether it gives access to its programmes. This is called recognition for further study (továbbtanulási célú elismerés). The university may ask the Educational Authority for an opinion. Recognition lets you apply; it does not guarantee a place.

For English-taught programmes, the university checks your certificate as part of the application. Some publish lists of accepted foreign qualifications, such as the University of Pécs.

Points for Hungarian-taught programmes

In the national system, the Educational Authority converts foreign school results into Hungarian admission points. Foreign results generally count as medium-level érettségi exams, and a foreign advanced-level exam is not automatically accepted as a Hungarian advanced exam. If a required subject is missing, you must sit that exam in Hungary. You also need the end-of-year school reports from the years you completed. See how to get into a university in Hungary.

Formal recognition by the Equivalence Centre

The Hungarian Equivalence and Information Centre (MEIK) at the Educational Authority is Hungary's ENIC-NARIC centre. It issues a formal decision that a foreign certificate is equal to the érettségi. This is not needed to apply to a university; it matters mainly for jobs that require a secondary qualification.

If you need it anyway:

the fee is HUF 15,000 (about €40), paid online;
the decision is due within 45 days;
the certificate must cover at least twelve years of schooling, give access to higher education in its country and include at least four subjects with separate final exams;
an appeal costs HUF 10,000 (about €28) and must be lodged within 15 days.

Translations

For the national application on felvi.hu:

Documents in English, French, German or Hungarian, or bilingual in these languages, need no translation.
Documents in any other language need a certified Hungarian translation of the original. It can be made by the National Office for Translation and Attestation (OFFI), certified by a Hungarian consulate or notary, or certified under the law of another EU country.

For English-taught programmes, the university sets the rule. ELTE, for example, asks for an official English translation if the certificate is not in English, and accepts one made by the school. Check each programme's document list. See sworn translations.

Apostille and legalisation

Neither the Educational Authority nor felvi.hu asks for an apostille on school certificates in its published rules. Universities decide, and they differ. The University of Szeged states on its programme pages that no apostille is required. The University of Pécs, for example, asks for an apostilled and notarised copy from applicants to its humanities faculty with certificates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana and Pakistan, and may ask for legalisation from other countries. Read the instructions for your country as early as possible. See apostille and legalisation.

Originals at enrolment

You usually upload scans when you apply. Expect to show the original documents when you enrol. The University of Szeged, for example, accepts only original paper documents at registration, not scans or photocopies.

A realistic order of steps

Check whether your certificate is in the equivalent group or on the university's list.
Read each programme's document list and order translations and an apostille, if needed.
Upload everything with the application, then bring the originals to enrolment.
With the admission letter, apply for your residence permit. See student visa for Hungary.

Where to look next

Official sources

Educational Authority: recognition of foreign school certificates (in Hungarian)
Educational Authority: ENIC-NARIC Hungary
Felvi.hu: foreign qualifications (in Hungarian)
Felvi.hu: documents proving foreign qualifications (in Hungarian)
University of Pécs: admission requirements for undergraduate programmes

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.