Residence permit as a student: the essentials
A student from outside the European Union stays in Hungary on a residence permit for studies. This chapter is the outline; the details and deadlines are on the official site, and your university's international office walks you through it.
- What it costs
- 26,000 HUF online on Enter Hungary, 39,000 HUF in person in Hungary, 110 euros at a consulate; an extension is 26,000 HUF. Holders of a Hungarian state scholarship, such as Stipendium Hungaricum, pay no fee.
- How long it takes
- The authority decides within 60 days. If your country needs a visa for Hungary, the first application is filed at a Hungarian consulate before you travel.
Who needs one
A third-country (non-EU/EEA) citizen studying here for more than 90 days. If your country needs a visa for Hungary, you file the first application at the Hungarian consulate at home, enter on a D visa and collect the permit in Hungary; others may apply in Hungary. OIF, the aliens policing authority, decides. EU/EEA citizens need no permit, but by the 93rd day must request a registration certificate and an address card.
What it takes
Typically: passport, the university's admission or enrolment certificate, proof of means (bank statement or scholarship letter), proof of accommodation (a lease, a dormitory certificate or a paid booking), comprehensive health insurance, a photo, and the completed application. For Stipendium Hungaricum holders the scholarship letter covers the means.
Applications filed in Hungary, and every extension, go through the Enter Hungary online portal; after a first application online you visit an OIF office within 15 days for your photo and fingerprints. What the application needs is the proof of accommodation, not an address registration. An incomplete application gets a request for missing documents.
Working alongside your studies
A study permit allows limited work: at most 30 hours a week during the study period, and full-time for at most 90 days a year outside it (the rule since 2024). Before your first day the employer must check your permit, and then report your employment to the authority. This matters when you look for a student job: a legitimate employer knows this.
Step by step
- Ask your university's international office which route applies to you (consulate or OIF) and the deadlines.
- Get accommodation with a written lease, or a dormitory place: it is the proof of accommodation the application needs.
- Gather the documents and apply, at the consulate or on Enter Hungary; after an online first application, book the OIF visit for your photo and fingerprints within 15 days.
- Apply for the extension at least 30 days before the permit expires; OIF advises starting 45–60 days ahead.
Traps
- Starting late: without accommodation the application does not start, and without the application neither does the bank and much else.
- Expiry: the extension is due at least 30 days before the permit expires, and once it has expired it cannot be extended at all.
- Working off the books: you can lose the permit over it.
Common questions
Do I need health insurance?
Yes, the application requires proof of comprehensive cover; a basic travel policy may not be enough. Stipendium Hungaricum holders are covered through the scholarship, others buy a student policy from an insurer; EU students have the EHIC card for necessary care. See the Arriving chapter.
Can I travel in the EU on the permit?
Short tourist trips within the Schengen area are generally possible on a Hungarian residence permit; the details and exceptions are on the official site.
What if I move during my stay?
Report the new accommodation to OIF within 3 days, online on Enter Hungary; the extension requires your current lease.
Last checked: 2026. 11. 03. Prices and official rules change; always check the official sites before you act.
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