An increasing number of young people from Hungary are starting their university studies outside the country, Romania becoming an increasingly attractive destination.
According to a study by the Engame Academy, more than 18,000 young Hungarians attended courses abroad in the academic year 2024–2025, which means that approximately one in nine young people choose this option.
Sociologist Andrea Szabó explained, in a show broadcast by InfoRádió, the reasons behind this phenomenon, according to Infostart.hu.
“Actually, there are very few statistics available on how many young Hungarians study abroad, and although there is an information flow within the EU, as far as the UK, US, Canada or other countries are concerned, only speculation is possible; the situation is complicated by the fact that many young, high school students no longer study at home, so they disappear from the radar as going to university abroad.” said Szabó, according to tion.
The cited source claims that before Brexit, the United Kingdom was the main destination. Later, the pandemic and Britain’s exit from the EU led young people to look for alternatives in Europe, where tuition fees are lower or non-existent.
Austria and Romania (especially Cluj-Napoca and Transylvania) have become preferred options, due to proximity and programs in Hungarian, which eliminate language barriers.
However, the sociologist draws attention to the long-term effects of long stays abroad:
“If a student is abroad for more than three or six months, then he is more likely to make friends there, develop romantic relationships there… and it is easy to imagine that these day-to-day relationships will keep him there and he will distance himself more and more from his environment in Hungary“, explained Andrea Szabó.
Data from Hungary’s Central Statistical Office show that the country has returned to emigration since 2021, with more departures than returns, and this phenomenon also includes students who choose to stay abroad after completing their studies.
