Sure! So, I am from Uzbekistan, and I have studied in the Faculty of Informatics, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE). Overall, the quality of the education is good, since in my department we work with technology primarily, the focus is mostly on practical knowledge. First thing to mention is that the most professors have excellent English skills, but of course there are exceptions where the communication was quite difficult though. Now that I am in my last semester, I can see clearly how every subject, theory and lab classes, have shaped and prepared me, from my personal point of view, as a qualified Software engineer. Moreover, one very notable part of the curriculum, which is also a requirement for successful graduation, is a mandatory internship. Computer Science students at ELTE need to enroll and complete a mandatory internship in the related field, this way they can experience what is like to work as a programmer in the team. This, of course, gives a boost in confidence when landing post-graduation jobs. So, this is why I think the quality of the education here is quite decent and well-structured.

Scholarship Programs:

Are there any scholarship programs available?

Yes, I studied with a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, which fully covers tuition fees and provides a monthly stipend of around 200 EUR (as of August 2024). It’s been really helpful in covering my living expenses, and it even includes free or subsidized accommodation and health insurance.

However, the stipend doesn’t always cover everything, especially if you prefer to live outside the dorms or in a more expensive city. Also for the first year some of the students can have the chance to stay in the dorm for one year. But the next year they usually need to find a rental apartment. Most of the time students will need to find a job to cover their expenses.

City Advantages and Events:

• What are the advantages of living in your city?
• Are there many events happening in the city?

If you asked to say the first thing that comes to my mind about Budapest, I would say "Comfortable." The city’s public transport is reliable and punctual, making it easy to navigate. As a student, you get significant discounts on transport passes, which really helps with budgeting. There are also student discounts at many cafes, stores, and even banks, which aim to minimize expenses.

Budapest is full of events and holidays that students will find interesting. The city also hosts events like the Sziget Festival, National Day celebrations and Szent Istvan's Day which is full of fireworks, offering plenty of opportunities to experience local culture and have fun. All in all, Budapest provides a comfortable and affordable environment for students.

Duration of Stay and Living Arrangements:

• How long have you been living in Hungary?
• Do you live in an apartment or a dorm?
• What are the pros and cons of living in an apartment vs. a dorm?

I have been living here for the third year now, in Budapest, Hungary. I have been living in the apartment with 3 other friends the second year now since I left the dorm after first year.

If I compare living in Dorm and in Apartment, each has its pros and cons, of course. Dorm is a great place to make connections with new people, make friends and network with others, in short it is a place for Social life. Moreover, it is truly a international experience since I, personally met a lot of new friends from other cultures and countries. I can say this expanded some of my views about other countries. But more social life comes at a price of having less privacy, so you would need to share the room and bathroom with one or more people in dorm. Also in the dorm that I have been, even though we were the first to move there after renovation, we were sharing kitchen for the whole floor, meaning sometimes you would find the kitchen either busy  or untidy.

Nevertheless, the friends that I made there have become integral part of my experience as an International student for much longer than I stayed in the dorm.

Now that I live in the flat, I have to pay around 2-3 times more money, but I have more privacy and time to do things that I want to focus on, whenever I want to do them. Overall, I have had a very good experience living in the apartment, but it might be biased because I only shared the apartment with my close friends and from my country mostly and we all understand each other very well. But I heard that some of the guys had a bad experience with flat mates and landlords, however I cannot elaborate on that since I had no such experience neither with flat mates nor with landlord.

Cultural Shock and Adaptation:

• Did you experience any cultural shock when you first arrived?
• How did you adapt to the new culture?

I didn't experience any cultural shock as I remember, or don't remember. I think this is because I didn't really integrate with the local culture much, or maybe even because, coming to Budapest to study wasn't my first time moving to another country to live. Since the time I have come to Budapest, I was mostly hanging out with my acquaintances from my country and later with English-speaking dormmates. So there was little that I could got to know about Hungary that could bring a cultural shock, after Hungary has its own that I didn't understand, so not much of new information, pretty much all that I expected. 

As for adapting, it wasn't so difficult, probably I had some issue understanding local currency's value but then it got better in a month. I didn't learn language much, only the essentials to survive, even though we had a 1 year compulsory Hungarian language course. A good thing about Hungary is that the young people almost all know English here, so it also helped to adapt.

Weather:

• How is the weather in your city?

I would say the weather here in Budapest was a bit hotter than I expected it to be in Summer and warmer than I expected in Winter. As a person coming from a double-locked, central country of Central Asia, Uzbekistan, which is quite hot and dry, I found the weather quite similar to that of Uzbekistan's.   So not much difference, it is quite hot and humid in summer, and quite warm in winter as well, I have only seen snowing around 3-4 times since the time I arrived here.

Recommendation of Hungary, Budapest for Education:

• Would you recommend Hungary, specifically Budapest, for education?
• Why would you recommend or not recommend it?

Yes, I would recommend Hungary, specifically Budapest, for education. The quality of education, especially in fields like Computer Science at ELTE, is strong, with a practical focus and mandatory internships that prepare you for the job market.

Budapest is a comfortable and affordable city with reliable public transport, student discounts, and plenty of cultural events. It’s a great place for international students. The main downside is that salaries in Hungary are lower compared to other European countries like Germany or Switzerland, but overall, it’s a rewarding place to study and live.

Bakhtiyor Bayjanov

BSc Computer Science,

Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE),

Budapest, Hungary