“This year’s higher education entry point thresholds were published on Thursday. Three quarters of applicants have gained entry to some kind of course”, the Ministry for Innovation and Technology’s State Secretary for Higher Education, Innovation and Vocational Training József Bódis told reporters at a press conference in Budapest following the publication of the entry limits. In accordance with previous practice, students will receive a direct notice by text message after 8 p.m. today, parallel to which the point thresholds will also be available on the felvi.hu higher education application website.

“The large universities have performed roughly similarly to previous years within the general application procedure. Accordingly, the Eötvös Lóránd University (ELTE) is in first place with relation to the number of first year students allowed entry, followed by the University of Debrecen and the University of Szeged. This year, the Budpaest University of Economics (BGE) achieved a significant step forward, finishing in fourth place”, Mr. Bódis told the press.

“There are ten thousand fewer disappointed students than in previous years, some 23 thousand, with 68,112 applicants out of a total of 91,460 gaining entry to one of the courses they indicated on their application form. Of these, over 55 thousand will be able to begin their studies in some kind of state-financed form”, he continued.

“Some 42 thousand students gained entry to bachelor’s degree courses, over 7,400 to combined bachelor’s and master’s courses, over 12,300 to master’s degree courses, and over 6,100 to PhD courses. Over 49 thousand young people will be attending full-time courses, according to the results of the general application procedure”, he detailed.

“The highest point threshold this year, 445 points, was required by the Hungarian University of Public Service’s Faculty of International Security and Defence Policy”, Mr. Bódis said.

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics’ course in mechatronics engineering came in second with 433 points, while the Semmelweis University’s Nursing and Patient Care (Physiotherapy) course came in third with 430 points. The largest numbers of applicants gained entry to courses in IT engineering, nursing and patient cate, and to full-time teaching courses.

With relation to fields of study, economic sciences are in first place, closely followed by information technology and humanities. Engineering courses were placed fourth.

8 percent more students were accepted to master’s degree courses this year, with ELTE again in first place, followed by the University of Debrecen and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

“The epidemiological situation caused by the coronavirus transformed life, and during the state of emergency students and teachers had to switch from using traditional teaching methods to distance teaching and digital learning”, the State Secretary said. “Both the public education and higher education systems performed excellently in the given situation”, he declared.

“When prospective students submitted their application forms, it was as yet unknown whether the virus would appear in Hungary, and after the applications were submitted it became uncertain whether high school final examinations could be organised at all”, he added, expressing his joy with relation to the fact that final year students and applicants did not lose momentum and the higher education application process was able to continue unhindered.

The Education Authority’s Vice-President for Higher Education Renáta Vanó told the press: “The procedure was conducted solely electronically, and 90 percent of applicants were already able to certify their application using the government public administration portal. The deadline for submitting applications was 15 February”. “During the course of the application procedure some 490 thousand documents were processed, in addition to which the database also includes some 514 thousand final exam results, 121 thousand pieces of language exam data, and 956 thousand point scores”, she added.

“The Education Authority will be sending the classification decision to the felvi.hu website by 5 August, following which the application decision will also be sent to higher education institutions, in addition to which new first-year students will be informed of tasks relating to registration and the beginning of the academic year”, she indicated.

There will also be a second admission procedure this year, and people who have not been accepted or who did not submit an application may still submit an application form.

This year, in contrast to previous years, students may apply for state scholarships with relation to more fields of study within the second admission procedure, the Vice-President explained, citing agrarian studies, economics, IT, engineering, medical and health science courses, as well as teaching courses, social sciences and cross-border courses offered by Hungarian higher education institutions.

“The second admission procedure will also be held electronically, similarly to the general procedure”, she indicated.

Ms. Vanó also spoke about the government measures that were introduced because of the coronavirus epidemic. “Based on the Cabinet’s decision in April, university students who successfully pass their final examinations by 31 August 2020, but have not acquired the compulsory foreign language qualification, will be exempt from having to acquire the language certificate and will receive their diplomas”, she reminded the press.

“The number of diplomas that have been drawn up by higher education institutions is 95,701, while the umber of diplomas that have been officially presented is currently 71,878”, she stated.

(MTI/Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister)