Invitation for grant applications

– non-Hungarian citizens whose native language is other than Hungarian,

– below 35 years of age,

– graduate or undergraduate students of Hungarian studies.

Confirmation of current or former studies by the applicant in the field of Hungarian studies or related subjects, and a working plan for disseminating the Hungarian language and culture are also a prerequisite.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAMME

The programme is a credit-based, partial training programme of the University of Pécs affiliated with the Balassi Bálint Institute for Hungarian Culture. The university verifies the completion of the studies by issuing a certificate.
One of the main objectives of the programme is to ensure that the students will make significant progress in their Hungarian language acquisition, that is why –depending on their initial language level – they will attend 12–28 language classes per week in groups of 8-10. At the end of the language course they will take an international ECL exam (intermediate or advanced level) which is authorized by the Hungarian state. Successful candidates will receive a bilingual (English-Hungarian) certificate from the ECL Centre in Hungary.
The initial language level will determine the intensity and structure of Hungarian studies. The general aim of offering Hungarian studies is to provide the students with points of orientation, knowledge and structural insight that will enable them to understand the cultural, political and social issues going in Hungary and make practical use of their lexical knowledge.
The system of teaching the subjects of Hungarian studies will be similar to a university syllabus, with lectures and seminars. Prior to each end-of-term examination students will have one month to get prepared for the exam.
The subjects taught in the Hungarian language-Hungarian Studies programme are partly compulsory, partly optional. The subjects are listed as:
Lectures: The History of Hungarian Literature; Introduction to the History of Art and Music in Hungary; Introduction to the Ethnography of the Hungarian People; Fundamentals of Hungarian History; Geography and Economy of Hungary.

Seminars: Canonical works of Hungarian Literature – Reading and Reception methods; Methodology of Teaching Hungarian as a Foreign Language; Hungarian Society Today: Political, Sociological and Ethnic Issues; Introduction to the Ethnography of the Hungarian People; Contemporary Literature and Literary Criticism; Descriptive Linguistics; Cultural Life in Hungary Today; Political Progress in Hungary after the Transition; History of Hungary in the 20^th century; Literary Translation Practice, Interpretation of Historical Texts – Alternatives and Methodology; History of Theatre, Reading and Writing Hungarian Texts

STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME

Programme – Alternative “A” (initial language level: beginner)

Semester 1: 28 language classes/week

Semester 2: 14 language classes/week

16 Hungarian studies classes/week

Programme – Alternative “B” (initial language level: elementary)

Semester 1 and 2: 16 language classes/week

16 Hungarian studies classes/week

Programme– Alternative “C” (initial language level: intermediate)

Semester 1 and 2: 12 language classes/week

19 Hungarian studies classes/week

(Please find a detailed description of the programmes on the BBI homepage: www.bbi.hu)

MAX. NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 30

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must fill in the questionnaire and the application form. They can be downloaded from the website of the Balassi Bálint Institute.
Documents to be attached: a copy of the applicant’s diploma or lecture book, a recommendation by an expert in Hungarian Studies or in the applicant’s field of interest and a Study Plan of max. two pages describing the applicant’s field of interest/research.
The application package should be sent to the following address:

Balassi Bálint Institute for Hungarian Culture

Budapest 1519 Pf. 385

(Please put “HUNGAROLÓGIA”on the envelope)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 30. March, 2007.

Scholarship students will receive the following benefits for the duration of studies:

· 16.000 Ft/month stipend

· student card

· health insurance (except for EU and Croatian citizens)

· free accommodation at the student hostel of the Institute.

Students must cover the following costs:

· administrative cost of the student card: 1960 HUF (approx. 8 EUR) to be paid on enrolment.

· language examination fee: 22 000 HUF (approx. 85 EUR);

· cost of board and travel (the grant covers approx. 25 % of these costs)

· deposit for the entrance card: 1500 HUF (approx. 6 EUR)

· deposit for the student hostel: 5000 HUF (approx. 20 EUR)

The Balassi Bálint Institute for Hungarian Culture will inform all applicants on the results until

15. May 2007 at the latest.

If an application is not accepted, the applicant will have the opportunity to participate in the programme in a fee-paying form:

Fees:

· Instruction, teaching materials: 990,000 HUF (approx. 4,000 EUR)

· Accommodation (student hostel): 220,000 HUF (approx. 900 EUR)

Fee-paying students will also be given a legal student status for the duration of their studies, so they will be entitled to the benefits of the student card: discount travel pass, train tickets, discount museum and cinema entrance tickets, discount books in certain bookstores, discount tickets in certain cinemas.

The scholarship can only be granted on one occasion.

We do not accept applications by e-mail or fax.

For further information contact the Study Office of the Balassi Bálint Institute (1016 Budapest, Somlói út 51., Room 243) or visit www.bbi.hu.

– telephone: (+36-1) 381 51 80;

– tel./fax: (+36-1) 381 51 49

– e-mail: adrienn.szentesi@bbi.hu

– Internet: www.bbi.hu