The University of Debrecen invites applications for the mobility of doctoral students abroad within the framework of the Excellence Programme of the Pannonia Scholarship Programme for the period 15 May 2025 - 31 July 2026.
1. Aim of the application
The aim of the Excellence Programme is to encourage high-quality mobility activities for doctoral students with outstanding performance in specific fields of study (mainly STEM+ and related disciplines) and in cooperation with a specific range of institutions (foreign universities with a high international ranking), thereby contributing to the improvement of the educational and scientific excellence of the participating institutions in Hungary. Mobilities supported under the Excellence scheme will be to the top 250 higher education institutions in the Quacquarelli Symonds and/or Times Higher Education rankings. The foreign host institution must be one of the top 250 universities in at least one of these two lists.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking
https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings
Partnerships of the University of Debrecen with the world leading universities
2. Eligible applicants
Full-time doctoral students enrolled in the Hungarian-language doctoral programme of the University of Debrecen who are active full-time students. At the time of application, doctoral students must have completed at least 3 semesters of doctoral studies at the University of Debrecen.
3. Eligible activities
Activities eligible under this call for applications:
- International study mobility for doctoral students to study for 1-6 months in one of the world's 250 leading higher education institutions.
- The period of study abroad must be part of the doctoral student's programme of study towards a degree. The process of credit acquisition and recognition should be laid down in the mobility agreement of the mobility student and the credits acquired or the learning activities undertaken and completed during the mobility should be matched by the sending institution to its own curricular network and training structure.
- Mobility must take place between 15 May 2025 and 31 July 2026.
4. Countries participating in the programme
Mobilities can take place in the countries of the ranked higher education institutions, but the level of scholarships varies depending on the cost of living in the host country.
Country group I.
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Macao, Singapore, Taiwan, Israel, South Korea
Country group II.
Spain, Italy, China, Russia,
Country group III.
India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil
5. Amount of support
The following grants may be awarded to students who have been awarded the Excellence Scholarship, up to a maximum total budget of HUF 10 000 000 per student:
- a scholarship of 500 000 HUF/month (Country group I)
475 000 HUF/month (Country group II)
450 000 HUF/month (Country group III)
- tuition fee support (based on actual costs incurred);
- travel support (based on actual costs incurred);
- accommodation support (based on actual costs incurred).
There is no upper limit on the amount of tuition fees, travel and accommodation allowances that can be granted to students, but a maximum of HUF 10 000 000 of the above may be awarded to a student on an Excellence Scholarship, provided that the scholarship is always provided to the student on mobility for the duration of the physical mobility. The travel support may only cover the costs of one return journey between the home or place of residence of the sending institution or the place of residence of the outgoing student and the city of the host institution.
6. Eligibility criteria
General conditions of participation
- The student is an active doctoral student at the University of Debrecen, i.e. he/she is studying for a degree on a full-time basis.
- At the time of application, the student must have completed at least 3 semesters of doctoral studies at the University of Debrecen.
- The student must be a Hungarian citizen or have a valid residence permit for the duration of the application and the stay.
- The host institution of the Excellence Programme abroad is one of the 250 leading universities in the world (at least in one of the QS, Times Higher Education rankings)
- The student passed the institutional assessment.
- The student has the necessary language skills min. B2 level (language of study at the partner university) and can provide evidence of this at the time of application.
- Under the Pannonia Scholarship Programme, a student can receive up to 12 months of support per training cycle. Shorter grants from all mobility categories used during a training cycle are cumulative.
- A written learning agreement with agreed content must be signed before the start of studying abroad. The activity during the mobility must fit in with the student's study plan.
- At the end of the period of study, the host institution abroad must issue a certificate of completion of the study programme and the results obtained.
- It is the sending institution's responsibility to fully accept the activities undertaken, completed and certified in the study contract.
- Students are enrolled as full students at their home institution during their period abroad and are entitled to study grants, social benefits or other loans, but they must also pay tuition fees and other fees at their home institution.
- The student must be an active student at the sending institution until the end of the mobility.
7. Documents required to submit an application
Attention! Documents must be submitted online in electronic format only (original documents scanned in pdf format).
- Submitted online application form: the application platform will be open from 20 January 2025.
- A Transcript of Records for the semesters completed during the course (at least 3 semesters). The certificate must include the subjects completed and the scholarship index.
- Proof of language proficiency of at least level B2 (language certificate for the language of study);
- A photo CV or resume, including the student's academic achievements and list of publications;
- Study/research plan signed by the supervisor and the head of the doctoral school;
- A letter of invitation/letter of acceptance signed by the host institution and a declaration that the student's study/research plan has been acknowledged and supported;
- A motivation letter, which describes how the planned mobility will contribute to the student's professional goals and the development of the University of Debrecen's scientific cooperation;
- Budget plan of the expected costs of the mobility (travel, accommodation, tuition fees, other fees indicated by the host institution)
- Proof of student civic engagement (optional);
8. Evaluation of applications
Applications submitted by the deadline will be assessed by an ad hoc committee convened by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the University of Debrecen and composed of representatives of the faculties and doctoral schools concerned.
Evaluation criteria:
- Relevance of the study/research plan (50%)
- Scientific activities and publication record to date (40%)
- Motivation letter (10%)
- During the evaluation of the applications, the ad hoc committee may make use of the possibility of conducting interviews.
9. Conditions for departure:
- The University of Debrecen's positive decision to support the application.
- Proof of active student status for the semester of the trip.
- The hosting capacity of the applicant foreign institution.
- A study contract with agreed content must be concluded before you start studying abroad. The study contract signed by all three parties (student, sending university, host university) contains the list of courses to be taken at the partner university and the courses to be accepted as equivalent at the University of Debrecen, and the credit values assigned to them.
- European Union health insurance card or health and accident insurance valid in the host country.
- If required by the country, a valid student visa issued to the student.
10. Deadlines
Application deadline: 13 April 2025 (midnight)
Deadline of the evaluation of the application: 09 May 2025
More information about the Pannonia Scholarship Programme
https://pannoniaosztondij.hu/about-the-pannonia-scholarship-programme
Pannonia Scholarship Programme information in English: pannonia_osztondij_leporello.pdf
English summary of the Pannonia Excellence Scholarship: Pannónia Scholarship Excellence Programme (EN)_0.pdf