Corvinus University of Budapest: Admission, Programmes and Fees

Corvinus University of Budapest (Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem) is Hungary's leading university for economics, business and the social sciences. It has about 8,000 students, around 2,000 of them international, and more than 250 partner universities worldwide, and, according to the university, it is the only Hungarian university holding both AACSB and AMBA accreditation. English-taught bachelor's degrees cost applicants from outside the European Economic Area $7,490–7,950 (€6,600–7,000) a year, and that fee stays the same for the whole degree. Admission is rolling: the application platform for 2027/28 opens in October 2026, and the application fee is $110 (€100).

Who Corvinus suits

Corvinus is for applicants heading into economics, finance, business, data analysis or international relations who want to study in English in Budapest. Every programme is in these fields — there is no medicine, engineering or natural science — but the economics degrees carry international accreditation, and master's programmes marked CEMS are embedded in the global CEMS business-school alliance. Because the fee for self-funded international students is fixed for the whole degree, you can budget three years in advance.

Selection is transparent: there is no minimum school grade average, and the decision rests on a score out of 100 from the maths test, the interview, or documents that exempt you from them.

Look elsewhere if:

• you want engineering or IT with a strong technical core — that is the Budapest University of Technology and Economics;
• you want the humanities or natural sciences — see ELTE;
• your budget is tighter: the business bachelor's at Szeged costs $3,070 (€2,700) a semester, and Budapest Metropolitan University runs private programmes in business, communication and design.

English-taught bachelor's programmes

Fees are taken from the university's fee page as checked on 30 September 2026; EEA applicants pay a lower fee set in forints. If you are applying for 2027/28, confirm the fee when the platform opens.

Master's and MBA

Master's applicants do not need an English certificate, except for Management and Leadership, which is integrated with CEMS. You need a bachelor's degree or transcripts covering at least four completed semesters, plus the minimum subject credits for your programme. Online written entrance exams for self-funded applicants run every month at no extra cost, and the university offers a free master's preparatory course beforehand.

Applying for a bachelor's degree

Documents

• passport;
• school certificate and transcripts with English translation; if you are still at school, in-progress grades for at least two years, with the final certificate uploaded as soon as it is issued;
• English certificate, by 1 August at the latest;
• the $110 (€100) application fee.

There is no minimum grade average. Corvinus accepts a national secondary qualification equivalent to the Hungarian Matura, as well as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (the IB organisation is designated undesirable in Russia), British A-levels and the GED.

English

Accepted proof includes Cambridge First, IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition) 72, Duolingo English Test 100, TOEIC 785, IB English (Standard Level 5 or Higher Level 4), A-level English at grade B, and recognised preparatory programmes certifying B2. A note that you were taught in English is not enough: you must show official documents proving that all exams, including final school exams, were taken in English. Most graduates of ordinary schools in Russia and the CIS will need a certificate.

Mathematics

Applied Economics, Business Informatics, Business and Management, Data Science in Business, International Business and PPE require proof of maths. The university accepts IB, A-level, AP, ACT and school-leaving certificates from a list of European countries with a minimum maths grade; Russian and Kazakh certificates are not on that list. Graduates of schools in Russia or the CIS should therefore expect to take the Corvinus online test.

The test. 26 questions in 60 minutes: problem solving and data sufficiency covering arithmetic, elementary algebra and geometry, with a calculator allowed. Self-funded applicants can take it monthly at no extra charge, and invitations are sent automatically. Sample questions and a one-attempt practice test in the real test environment are available online.

Interview

Communication and Media Science, International Relations and PPE use a 10–15-minute online interview on Teams assessing subject knowledge, skills and motivation. Invitations arrive at least five days ahead. PPE applicants must pass the maths test before they are invited to interview.

Decision and payment

The result is a score out of 100. Each programme's threshold is set by the Dean and changes from year to year. Self-funded applicants usually see results on the portal within 2–3 weeks of the exam period, after which the university checks your education documents and makes an offer.

You then prepay the first semester — or, for some nationalities, the full year if the university judges this helps with the visa; you are told before you apply. $570 (€500) of the prepayment is a non-refundable registration fee. The Admission Decision document, which you need for the consulate, is issued only after payment. Final certificates must be uploaded by 1 August.

If your visa is refused. You can request a refund through a form in DreamApply, attaching the refusal letter; requests are reviewed individually under the refund policy and take about 2–3 weeks. The admissions rules call $570 (€500) of the prepayment a non-refundable registration fee, yet the prepayment section also says tuition is fully refunded when a visa is refused for reasons beyond your control. The admissions office decides which rule applies when it reviews your refund request.

Deadlines

In the 2026 cycle applications ran from 1 October 2025 to 25 May 2026, with oral exams from February to June. Those who applied by 26 January could complete the written part by 8 February and sit the oral in mid-February. For 2027/28 the platform opens in October 2026, and the new cycle's exam dates appear on the Application Information page.

Discounts and scholarships

• Early bird. In the last cycle, applicants who applied by 26 January, passed the exams in February and paid the first semester by 31 March received 10% off their first-year tuition.
• Unsuccessful scholarship applicants. If you were not nominated for Stipendium Hungaricum or the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship and continue as a self-funded student, your first year is 20% cheaper.
• Corvinus alumni receive 30% off their first year.
• Corvinus Scholarship. For the September 2026 intake the university offered up to 20 full-tuition scholarships on each of the MSc Management and Leadership (CEMS), MSc Finance and International MBA programmes, requiring at least 75 points (90 for the MBA) out of 100. Check the scholarships page for the 2027 terms.
• Stipendium Hungaricum. In the 2026/27 round Russia was a sending partner for all levels and fields, with applications routed through Interobrazovanie; Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other CIS states are also partners. Scholarship applicants usually take Corvinus exams in April–May and receive results through the Tempus Foundation platform by the end of May.

Housing

Dormitory places are allocated with priority for first-year students and specified programmes; upper-year students get a place only if any remain. A university dormitory place costs self-funded students $110–230 (€100–200) a month, paid in the same currency as tuition. The university also lists vetted private operators: student residences with private rooms, kitchens and study areas at $360–1,140 (€320–1,000) a month, usually including utilities. You contract with the operator directly, and the university does not manage availability. According to Study in Hungary, a room in a shared flat in Budapest averages $430 (HUF 140,000) a month and a private flat $700 (HUF 225,000).

What a year at Corvinus costs

Add food, transport and insurance, which tuition does not cover. For a national budget, see the cost of studying in Hungary.

Visa and residence permit

Citizens of Russia and most CIS countries need a residence permit for study, applied for at a Hungarian consulate before entry. Corvinus issues the admission decision after prepayment, and the immigration authority has up to 60 days to decide, so spring exams work better than summer ones. See the Hungary student visa guide for details.

Governance and degree recognition

Corvinus is maintained by the Maecenas Universitatis Corvini Foundation, whose founder's rights are exercised by Hungary's Ministry of Education and Children's Affairs. The foundation model for universities was introduced in 2019, and from 1 September 2026 to 1 August 2027 the foundation's board has a ministry mandate to prepare its revision. The university publishes updates on the foundation page, which is worth reading before you apply.

Corvinus is accredited by the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB), and its degrees follow the European qualifications framework. A Russian–Hungarian agreement of 22 November 2018 covers mutual recognition of education and qualifications.

Planning a 2027/28 application

Mistakes to avoid

• Relying on your school certificate to cover maths. Russian and Kazakh certificates are not on the exemption list.
• Submitting a "taught in English" letter. It is not enough without a certificate or proof that all exams were in English.
• Confusing the fixed fee with discounts. The fee is fixed for the whole degree, but the 10–30% discounts apply only to year one.
• Forgetting the non-refundable $570 (€500). It is part of the prepayment and is kept if you change your mind; after a visa refusal, refunds are decided case by case.
• Expecting a dorm place in later years. First-year students have priority; others get what remains.

Corvinus compared with other Budapest universities

See the overview of universities in Hungary and the guide to applying to Hungarian universities.

Where StudyU helps

Choosing a programme that fits your maths profile, preparing for the test and interview formats, checking documents, submitting in DreamApply and building a timeline around the visa are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university decides on admission based on your score and the Dean's threshold, and the Hungarian immigration authority decides on the residence permit.

FAQ

How much does Corvinus cost?

Bachelor's programmes for non-EEA applicants cost $7,950 (€7,000) a year in economics and business and $7,490 (€6,600) in communication, international relations and PPE, fixed for the whole degree. Master's programmes cost $7,950–13,630 (€7,000–12,000) a year.

Do I have to take a maths exam?

Economics and business programmes and PPE require proof of maths. Russian and Kazakh school certificates are not among the exempting qualifications, so graduates of schools in Russia and the CIS usually take the Corvinus online test: 26 questions in 60 minutes.

What English level does Corvinus require?

Bachelor's programmes require B2: IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72, Duolingo English Test 100 or Cambridge First, uploaded by 1 August. Master's programmes do not require a certificate, except Management and Leadership (CEMS).

When should I apply for 2027/28?

DreamApply opens in October 2026 and admission is rolling. In the last cycle applications closed on 25 May, and those who applied by 26 January could sit the exams earlier and qualify for a 10% first-year discount.

Are there scholarships for international students?

Yes. For the 2026 intake Corvinus offered up to 20 full-tuition scholarships on each of the CEMS Management and Leadership, Finance and International MBA programmes. There are also early-bird and unsuccessful-scholarship-applicant discounts, and the government's Stipendium Hungaricum.

Can I get a refund if my visa is refused?

You can request one through a DreamApply form with the refusal letter attached; each case is reviewed individually, usually within 2–3 weeks. The admissions rules treat $570 (€500) of the prepayment as a non-refundable registration fee, although the university also allows a full refund after a visa refusal beyond your control; each outcome is decided individually.

Sources

• Corvinus University of Budapest, fees and costs: uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/application/fees-and-costs/
• Admission requirements (English, maths, interview, master's): uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/application/admissions-requirements/
• Deadlines and application steps: uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/application/application-information/; scholarships and discounts: uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/application/scholarships-and-discounts/
• About Corvinus and accreditations: uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/about-corvinus-university-of-budapest/; maintaining foundation: uni-corvinus.hu/main-page/about-the-university/maecenas-universitatis-corvini-foundation/
• Housing: uni-corvinus.hu/post/landing-page/application/accommodation/; Study in Hungary living costs: studyinhungary.hu/living-in-hungary/menu/your-costs-of-living.html
• Stipendium Hungaricum sending partners: stipendiumhungaricum.hu/partners; OIF rules on the student residence permit: oif.gov.hu/tajekoztatok/a-hallgato-tanulo-tartozkodasa
• Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, list of recognition treaties: minobrnauki.gov.ru/action/foreign_scientists/contracts/

Euro and forint figures are converted to dollars at the ECB reference rates of 29 September 2026 (EUR 1 = USD 1.1355 = HUF 366.38). Information checked on 30 September 2026. More options in Budapest and beyond are on studying in Hungary.

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