Primary and Secondary Schools in Hungary

Primary and secondary schools in Hungary form one national public-education system, set by the 2011 Act on National Public Education. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16. Most schools are run by the state, but churches, foundations, private companies and other bodies may also run schools, and foreign states may maintain schools in Hungary under their own education law. Teaching in state schools is in Hungarian, with bilingual and minority-language programmes in some schools.

How it works

According to Eurydice, the EU's network on education systems, children attend an 8-grade basic school: grades 1 to 4 are primary education and grades 5 to 8 lower secondary. After grade 8, students choose between several types of upper secondary school, usually starting in grade 9 at age 14 or 15:

• gimnázium (upper secondary general school): four years, or six or eight years when it starts earlier, with an extra preparatory year in bilingual programmes; it prepares for the school-leaving exam and higher education
• technikum: five years (sometimes six), leading to both the school-leaving certificate and a technician-level vocational qualification
• szakgimnázium: five years of vocational training in the arts, pedagogy and cultural sciences
• szakképző iskola (vocational school): three years (sometimes four), leading to a vocational certificate

The secondary school-leaving exam (érettségi) is a state exam and also counts as part of the entrance exam to higher education. In a technikum, students choose a specific occupation at the end of grade 10 and, where possible, continue in dual training with an employer. The school year generally runs from 1 September, or the first working day of September, to mid-June. Hungarian Central Statistical Office data for 2024/25 count 880 schools offering general secondary education, and schools may also run dormitories (kollégium) for pupils who live too far away.

The one school in our directory, the BGSZC II. Rákóczi Ferenc Technikum, is a state technikum at Wesselényi utca 38 in central Budapest and part of the Budapest Economic Vocational Training Centre (Budapesti Gazdasági SZC). It was founded in 1916. Its two main profiles are tourism and hospitality, and economics and management; both are five-year programmes that end with the érettségi and a technician qualification, with the fifth year in dual training. From grade 9, students add a second foreign language: German, Italian or Russian.

Admission

Admission to upper secondary school is centrally organised. Most general secondary schools require a standardised written exam in Hungarian and mathematics, run by the Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal), and applications go through its central online system. Students can apply to any number of schools and programmes and rank them in order of preference. For entry in September 2027, the Rákóczi Technikum lists the central written exam on 23 January 2027 and an application deadline of 22 February 2027.

The procedure is designed for pupils in the Hungarian system and requires Hungarian. Families moving to Hungary from abroad should ask the school or the Educational Authority how a child's previous schooling is recognised and which grade the child can join.

Costs and funding

From the pupils' perspective, kindergarten and public education are free for everyone, according to Eurydice. Under the Fundamental Law, primary education is free and compulsory. Textbooks have been free for all pupils in grades 1 to 9 since the 2020/21 school year. In vocational education, the state pays for a student's first two vocations, and a universal VET scholarship has been phased in since 2020/21. Church and private schools that sign a public-education contract with the state are also free for pupils and follow the same admission rules as state schools. Schools maintained by foreign states depend on bilateral agreements and may issue mutually recognised diplomas.

How to choose

• Goal after school: a gimnázium leads mainly to university; a technikum gives both the érettségi and a technician qualification; a vocational school leads straight to work
• Language: state schools teach in Hungarian; bilingual programmes and schools maintained by foreign states are the main alternatives for non-Hungarian speakers
• Field: technikums specialise by sector, for example tourism and hospitality or economics and management
• Practical training: ask whether the school offers dual training with employers and from which grade
• Location and accommodation: check travel time and whether the school offers a dormitory place

Frequently asked questions

At what age does school start and end in Hungary?

Compulsory schooling runs from age 6 to 16. Most students then complete an upper secondary programme that ends with the school-leaving exam at around 18 or 19.

Are state schools in Hungary free?

Yes. According to Eurydice, public education is free for all pupils, and textbooks are free in grades 1 to 9. Church and private schools with a public-education contract are also free.

What is a technikum?

A technikum is a five-year (sometimes six-year) upper secondary school that leads to both the school-leaving certificate (érettségi) and a technician-level vocational qualification, often with dual training in the final years.

How do pupils apply to a Hungarian secondary school?

Through a central online system run by the Educational Authority. Most schools also require a central written exam in Hungarian and mathematics, held in January, and some add an interview.