In a move that is causing reverberations across Hungary's educational and economic spheres, the Hungarian government has announced a substantial reduction in the number of state-funded university places, set to commence in September 2025. This decision, disclosed through the Academic Workers Forum on social media, indicates that with the exception of two institutions, all universities will face a decrease in slots available to students receiving state financial support.

The two exceptions are the National University of Public Service, which will see an 11 percent increase, and Semmelweis University, with a modest 3 percent rise.

However, several leading institutions, including the Budapest Corvinus University, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), and Budapest Business School, are poised to suffer notable cuts, with state-funded places decreasing by 48 percent, 19 percent, and 14 percent, respectively.

A statement from the Academic Workers Forum highlighted concerns that these reductions will disproportionately affect universities whose graduates contribute significantly to Hungary's scientific and technological advancement, as well as the country's overall development.

They underscored that within the 25-34 age bracket, Hungary already ranks second lowest in the European Union for the number of university graduates—a situation likely exacerbated by the planned cuts.

The Forum criticized the government for its retreat from higher education, similar to its withdrawal from health and social services.

They argued that by shifting the financial burden onto students, who may need to resort to costly self-funded courses, many young people could face exclusion from higher education altogether.

This is particularly concerning against a backdrop of high living, housing, and educational costs shouldered by families.

Furthermore, the decrease in university places is expected to have broader ramifications, potentially impacting the future supply of skilled professionals vital for Hungary's economic and scientific sectors.

Concerns have been raised that non-foundation-funded universities may face financial depletion, leading to faculty layoffs and jeopardizing academic programs, as evidenced by recent developments at Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church.

In a response following the publication of these concerns, Budapest Corvinus University clarified that since transitioning to a new operational model in 2020, it no longer offers state-funded places through government support.

Instead, the Maecenas Universitatis Corvini Foundation, which sustains the university, provides tuition-free education via the Corvinus Scholarship.

The university reported that, for the 2024/25 academic year, it enrolled a total of 1,871 students across undergraduate, master's, and integrated programs, with a significant majority benefiting from tuition-free education under the scholarship.

Looking ahead to the 2025/26 academic year, Corvinus aims to maintain these educational opportunities at comparable levels.

This funding shift at Corvinus highlights the ongoing changes within Hungary's higher education landscape, inviting scrutiny and debate over the long-term implications for students, academia, and national development.