Hungary is running out of time to secure its students' participation in the EU'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 Magyar's election victory in April, both the new Hungarian government and the Commission signalled their willingness to readmit Hungarian students to the scheme from the start of the next academic year in September. But without immediate administrative action from Budapest, the Commission will not be able to lift the suspension in time.
"As early as the next academic year – good news – Hungarian students can also be part of the Erasmus community again," von der Leyen said in May, when striking a political deal with Magyar to unblock €16.4 billion in previously frozen EU funds for Hungary.
A large share of Hungarian universities was excluded from the programme in 2022 after Brussels suspended funding for 21 institutions run by government-linked public interest trusts, citing rule-of-law and transparency concerns.
After coming to power, Magyar's government decided to renationalise those public interest trusts, meeting the EU's demands for greater transparency in their governing boards and decision-making.
