Hungary is running out of time to secure its students' participation in the European Union’s Erasmus+ exchange programme, despite earlier assurances from Prime Minister Péter Magyar and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the process would be completed on schedule. Following the election victory of Prime Minister Magyar in April, both the new Hungarian government and the European Commission signaled their willingness to readmit Hungarian students to the scheme starting from the next academic year in September.
However, without immediate administrative action from Budapest, the Commission will not be able to lift the suspension in time for the start of the term.
The suspension of the Erasmus+ programme is linked to the EU's Conditionality Mechanism, a tool designed to suspend payments over rule-of-law concerns. After taking office, the government of Prime Minister Magyar decided to renationalize public interest trusts, a move intended to meet the EU's demands for greater transparency in their governing boards and decision-making processes. According to diplomatic sources, Hungary has already fulfilled this specific set of "super milestones" required by the EU.
However, the government will not submit them to Brussels until the end of August as part of a broader package of 27 super milestones. This timeline means the Commission will almost certainly be unable to overturn the ban before September, as the file currently sits with the Commission's Directorate-General for Budget.
The Hungarian Ministry of Education and Children informed that the universities concerned have already submitted their Erasmus+ mobility applications for 2026 and therefore hold valid applications. The ministry stated that the grant amounts assigned to them conditionally are available, but they can only be utilized after the Council's restriction is officially lifted.
Should Hungary choose to submit the relevant milestones sooner than the end of August, Brussels could potentially unblock the Erasmus+ file over the summer period. During his first visit to Brussels in late April following his election, Prime Minister Magyar struck a confident tone regarding the issue while acknowledging the inherent difficulties.
He stated that the government would find a solution so that Hungarian students could take advantage of Erasmus scholarship opportunities from September onwards. He acknowledged that the program would not be operating in full, as standard application deadlines have already passed, but emphasized that the government would find a way for students to study at top European universities through additional applications.
Experts remain cautious about the feasibility of this timeline. Dr. Loretta Huszák, a lecturer at Corvinus University, noted that securing EU financing for student exchanges under the Erasmus+ framework for the 2026-27 academic year is now practically impossible. She explained that universities must organize the return to Erasmus in the autumn, and the conditions and funding for the next round of international mobility calls are derived from the Erasmus fund, which could realistically affect the 2027-28 academic year at the earliest.
In the meantime, Hungary has launched its own national Pannónia programme, financed from the national budget, to serve as a substitute. The Ministry of Education and Children confirmed that funds for international student, faculty, and staff mobility are currently available to the higher education institutions concerned under the Pannónia Scholarship Programme.
The ministry added that technical and administrative preparations for grant agreements can begin during the restriction, though the signing of agreements and the provision of funds can only occur after the Council of the European Union lifts the restriction. The Ministry of Education maintains that it is working closely with the EU to ensure the return to the Erasmus+ programme and that the use of EU funds can be implemented as quickly as possible once the necessary decisions are finalized.
