The University of Debrecen is announcing a call for applications for doctoral students to participate in foreign mobility programs under the Pannonia Scholarship Program Excellence Program for the period from September 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026.
1. Aim of the programme
The aim of the excellence program is to encourage outstanding doctoral students to engage in high-quality mobility activities that are carried out in cooperation with specific training areas (primarily STEM+ and related disciplines) and in cooperation with specific institutions (foreign universities with a prominent position in international rankings), thereby contributing to the improvement of the educational and scientific excellence of the participating domestic institutions. Mobility supported under the Excellence Program can be carried out at the 250 best higher education institutions in the Quacquarelli Symonds and/or Times Higher Education higher education rankings. The foreign host institution must be listed among the top 250 universities in at least one of the two lists mentioned above.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking
https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings
The University of Debrecen's connections with leading universities around the world
2. Eligible applicants
Doctoral students enrolled in Hungarian-language doctoral programs at the University of Debrecen who are active full-time students. At the time of application, doctoral students must have completed at least three semesters in the doctoral program at the University of Debrecen.
3. Eligible activities
Activities eligible for support under this call for proposals:
- Doctoral students can participate in international mobility for study purposes for a period of 1-6 months at one of the world's 250 leading higher education institutions in order to earn credits.
- The period of study abroad must form part of the doctoral student's study program leading to a degree. The process of credit acquisition and recognition must be recorded by the sending institution in the mobility agreement of the student participating in the mobility program, and the credits acquired, or the study activities completed during the mobility program, must be matched by the sending institution to its own curriculum and training structure.
- Mobility must be completed between May 15 2025, and July 31 2026.
4. Countries participating in the program
Mobility can take place in countries where higher education institutions are ranked, but the amount of scholarships varies depending on the cost of living in the host country.
1. Country group
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Israel,
2. Country group
Spain, Italy, China, Russia,
3. Country group
India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil,
5. Amount of support
Students who have been awarded the Excellence Scholarship are eligible for the following support, up to a total budget of HUF 10,000,000 per student:
- scholarship amounting to HUF 500,000 per 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 allowance (based on actual costs incurred);
- housing allowance (based on actual costs incurred).
There is no upper limit on tuition fees, travel and accommodation allowances are not subject to any upper limit, but a maximum of HUF 10,000,000 may be allocated to a student receiving an excellence scholarship from the above support items, with the proviso that the scholarship must in all cases be provided to the student participating in the mobility program for the duration of the physical mobility. Within the framework of travel support, only the costs of a return trip between the seat of the sending institution or the place of residence/stay of the outgoing student and the city of the host institution are eligible for support.
6. Application requirements
General conditions of participation:
- The student is a doctoral student with active student status at the University of Debrecen, i.e., he or she is pursuing full-time studies leading to a degree.
- When submitting their application, students must have completed at least three semesters of doctoral studies at the University of Debrecen.
- The student is a Hungarian citizen or has a valid residence permit for the duration of the application and the trip.
- The host institution for the excellence program is one of the world's top 250 universities (according to at least one of the QS or Times Higher Education higher education rankings).
- The student passed the institutional assessment.
- The student has the necessary language skills at a minimum of level B2 (the language of study at the partner university) and can provide credible proof of this when the application is assessed.
- Under the Pannonia Scholarship Program, a student may receive a maximum of 12 months of support during a training cycle. Shorter periods of support taken during a training cycle are added together from all mobility categories.
- Before commencing studies abroad, a written study agreement with agreed content must be concluded. Activities undertaken during mobility must fit in with the student's training plan.
- At the end of the study period, the host institution abroad must issue a certificate confirming the study program completed and the results achieved.
- The sending institution is obliged to accept all activities undertaken, completed and certified in the learning agreement.
- During their period abroad, students remain enrolled as full-time students at their home institution and are entitled to the study grants, social benefits, or other loans to which they are entitled. At the same time, they must also fulfill their tuition and other payment obligations at their home institution.
- The student must have active student status at the sending institution until the end of the mobility period.
7. Documents required for submitting an application
Please note! Documents must be submitted exclusively in electronic form (scanned originals in PDF format) via the online system!
- Submit online application: .
- Credit certificate for the semesters completed during the course of study (at least 3 semesters). The certificate must include the courses completed and the scholarship index.
- Proof of language proficiency at least at level B2 (language exam certificate demonstrating knowledge of the language of study);
- Professional CV with photo, including the student's academic achievements to date and list of publications;
- Study/research plan signed by the supervisor and the head of the doctoral school;
- A letter of invitation/host statement signed by the host institution, or a statement confirming that the host institution has reviewed and supports the student's study/research plan;
- A letter of motivation explaining how the planned mobility will contribute to the student's professional goals and to the development of scientific cooperation at the University of Debrecen;
- Cost estimate of the expected costs of mobility (travel, accommodation costs, tuition fees, other fees indicated by the host institution)
- Proof of student public life activities (not mandatory);
8. Evaluation of applications
Applications submitted by the deadline will be evaluated by an ad hoc committee convened by the Vice-Rector for Science at the University of Debrecen, consisting of representatives from the relevant faculties and doctoral schools.
Evaluation criteria:
- Relevance of study/research plan (50%)
- Academic achievements to date, publication record (40%)
- Motivation letter (10%)
- During the evaluation of applications, the ad hoc committee may make use of the possibility of oral hearings.
9. Conditions for departure:
- Positive decision by the University of Debrecen to support the application.
- Document certifying active student status for the semester of travel.
- Willingness of the foreign institution to accept the student.
- A study agreement with agreed content must be concluded before the start of studies abroad. The learning agreement signed by all three parties (student, sending university, host university) contains a list of courses to be taken at the partner university and courses accepted as equivalent at the University of Debrecen, as well as the credit values assigned to them.
- European Union health insurance card or health and accident insurance valid in the host country.
- If required in the given country, a valid student visa issued to students.
10. Deadlines
Application deadline: October 15, 2025 (midnight)
Application evaluation deadline: November 14, 2025.
Further information about the Pannonia Scholarship Program
Pannonia Scholarship Program information in English: pannonia_osztondij_leporello.pdf
Summary in English about the Pannonia Excellence Scholarship: Pannónia Scholarship Excellence Programme (EN)_v2.pdf