Practical information for incoming students
When you plan your mobility to Budapest, please feel free to contact us. The Erasmus coordinator and other staff members involved in mobility can be reached via email: mobility@or-zse.hu.
Housing
OR-ZSE – a small institution with a low number of full-time students from outside Budapest – does not operate a dormitory of its own. Therefore, we regularly help our students in finding accommodation, such as in dormitories of fellow institutions, or by renting a room. Please contact us ahead of time.
Insurance information
EU citizens are insured on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card, whereas non-EU citizens must have a health insurance. For further information, please refer to official sites such as studyinhungary.hu.
Visa information
EU and EEA citizens do not need a visa to enter, or a resident permit to stay and study in Hungary. Third country nationals, however, are required to have a visa. Please plan ahead of time, and do not hesitate to contact us, should you have any question! For further information, please visit these sites:
Keeping shabbat and kashrut in Budapest
While Budapest is the home of a sizeable observant Jewish community, living in Budapest is certainly different from living in major Jewish centres. In case you keep shabbat and kashrut, please inform us about your “stringency level” before leaving, so that we can advise you accordingly. Some (not always up to date) information can also be found here.
Students and staff with disabilities
Being an institution based on a 3000-year-old religious tradition of social justice, our top values include caring for those encountering difficulties in life, including temporary challenges, underprivileged members of our society, and those with physical or mental health conditions. A small and homey university such as ours can provide personalised support. Please feel free to contact us prior to your arrival to Budapest, so that we can discuss your needs and make the necessary preparations.
ECTS credit information and grading system
By Hungarian law, 1 ECTS credit corresponds to an average of 30 hours of workload. Courses differ greatly in their credit value, ranging from 2-3 credits (for some BA courses) to 6 credits (typical for PhD courses). A semester corresponds to 30 credits on average; that is, a 3-year-long BA programme consists of 180 credits, and a 2-year-long MA programme involves 120 credits. Grades in Hungary are on a five-point range, covering: fail (1), satisfactory (2), fair (3), good (4) and excellent (5).
The ECTS Users’ Guide 2015 can be downloaded from the EU website.
Language courses
The Foreign Language Centre of OR-ZSE offers Modern Hebrew and Biblical Hebrew courses for credit. You are welcome to join the Hungarian students! These course units are required in our degree programmes, and so they can be taken by Erasmus students as any other regular university course. Please contact the Foreign Language Centre before the semester begins to ensure your placement in a group matching your language skills.
Further languages are also offered as electives in various programmes, such as Yiddish, Aramaic, and occasionally Greek, Latin or Ladino, as well as academic English reading skills. We do not offer Hungarian courses or “plain” language courses in modern European languages, but we can assist you with finding one in town. If you wish to start learning Hungarian before leaving, you can do so with projects such as Duolingo. Last but not least, feel free to make use of the Online Linguistic Support provided by the Erasmus programme.
Further information
– Study in Hungary website: all about Hungary for incoming students
– Information about Erasmus (for incoming students)
– Course catalogue
– Local information about Budapest