Budapest Fellowship Program Call for Applications

Application Deadline: June 1, 2021

Expected decision: Mid-June, 2021

The Hungary Foundation together with Mathias Corvinus Collegium (Budapest, Hungary)  is now accepting applications to the 2021/2022 Budapest Fellowship Program.

This full-time, fully-funded transatlantic fellowship opportunity in Budapest, Hungary, for young American scholars and professionals will run from September 2021 through July 2022.

The goal of the 10-month program is to cultivate the next generation of American policy professionals and academics and equip them with a thorough understanding of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Hungary.  The fellows will have an opportunity to conduct research on the topic of their choosing while also gaining practical experience researching or working at a Hungarian host institution that matches their professional interests.

The program’s structure is designed to nurture an understanding of Central and Eastern European, and specifically, Hungarian history and culture. The program will offer extensive professional and personal networking opportunities and fellows will be matched with local mentors to guide them throughout their fellowship journey.

The scholarship provides: 

• A monthly stipend to cover living expenses in Budapest ($2,300/month for Junior Fellows, $2,500/month for Senior Fellows, $3,000/month for Senior Fellows with a family),
• Assistance with housing in Budapest (option of upgraded college dorms downtown for Junior Fellows, private apartments for Senior Fellows),
• Roundtrip air travel to Hungary,
• Health insurance assistance for the fellow’s visa application process,
• Assistance in obtaining a Hungarian temporary residence permit,
• Hungarian language classes,
• Book stipend and research support,
• Organized field trips to neighboring countries and the Hungarian countryside.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Research, Teach, Learn and Network in Hungary 

RESEARCH. Fellows will conduct independent research guided by a mentor and gain practical experience during the 10-month fellowship experience at a Budapest-based host institution (Hungarian think tank, NGO, academic research institution, government agency, parliamentary office, etc.) corresponding with the participant’s own academic or professional fields.

TEACH. Fellows will have an opportunity to develop teaching plans for lectures, courses, and workshops for BA students of the six Schools in Mathias Corvinus Collegium (Law, International Relations, Social Sciences, Econ, Media, and Psychology) and for participants of MCC’s postgraduate programs (e.g. Women Public Leadership Program, Transylvanian Political School, Transcarpathian Public Leadership Program).

LEARN. The program also features thematic seminars on the history of Hungary, Hungarian democratic traditions, the post-communist legacy in CEE, Hungary’s foreign policy orientations, Hungarian cultural geography, US-Hungary and EU-Hungary relations, and current human rights issues. The program will include monthly organized field trips to neighboring countries in the Carpathian Basin and cities in the countryside of Hungary. These trips will help foster a better understanding of the regional differences and dynamics within Hungary, the Visegrád countries, and the Carpathian basin. Fellows will also be enrolled in a basic Hungarian language course to support their cultural immersion process.

NETWORK. The program will hold regular discussions with practitioners, area experts, scholars, and business leaders allowing the fellows to refine their leadership skills, advance their professional development, and deepen their economic, political, historical, and cultural understanding of Central and Eastern Europe. Continuous mentoring is provided for fellows to help set realistic personal goals, research, and/or teaching plans, and ways to develop strong personal connections with key individuals in their respective profession or field of study. Upon completion of the program, participants are integrated into HIF’s alumni activities in Washington and Budapest and will be invited back to Hungary to participate in MCC-organized events.

Eligibility and Application Information

The Budapest Fellowship Program is open for two categories of applicants:

•       Junior Fellows: graduate students in their senior year or recent graduates
•       Senior Fellows: advanced doctoral students (i.e. pre-doctoral fellows), post-doctoral researchers, and early career professionals

The Program will host four Junior and four Senior Fellows in 2021/2022. The program requirements are generally shared among all fellows but are custom-tailored to each fellowship category.   

All applicants must: 

• Be a US citizen,
• Have a research interest in Central and Eastern Europe,
• Have excellent writing skills along with outstanding research, and academic credentials,
• Have demonstrated leadership potential,
• Present or develop a research plan specifically tailored to Hungary focusing on one of the following areas: EU-Hungary relations, US-Hungary bilateral relations, and transatlantic relations, the history and legacy of communism in Hungary, contemporary Hungarian society and the neighboring countries, Visegrad cooperation, economic development, energy security, foreign and defense policy, migration, national sovereignty, freedom of speech on social media platforms, public diplomacy, environmental conservation, and human rights.
• Pre-doctoral applicants are required to have already made substantial progress towards a Ph.D. degree and should have a dissertation topic that generally fits within the research areas listed above. The program’s modified research requirement is to make significant progress towards a dissertation, through research or writing, assisted by an appropriate mentor institute from Ludovika – University of Public Service (for example, if US-Hungary/transatlantic relations focused, then the American Studies Research Institute).

Questions regarding the program or the application process may be directed to hf@hungaryfoundation.org.

Junior Application Form

Senior Application Form

PhD Candidate Application Form