Information about the College

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Nearly 151,000 Hungarians live in Transcarpathia, making up 12.1% of the region’s population. There are a total of 107 primary, elementary, and secondary schools in the region where education is conducted (also) in the Hungarian language. The idea of creating a higher education institution for this national minority was born in 1993. Thanks to the efforts of civil organizations, primarily the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association and the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association, as well as the Transcarpathian Reformed Church and the City Council of Beregszász, a foundation was established with the goal of creating a pedagogical higher education institution.

The Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University is a non-state higher education institution brought to life by the Charity Foundation for the Transcarpathian Hungarian College (KMFA). The University has been operating since 1996 with a license from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Initially, it provided teacher training in various pedagogical fields under the name Transcarpathian Hungarian Teacher Training College, and in 2003 it was renamed the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College.

Currently, the institution offers professional junior bachelor, bachelor, and master degrees in full-time and correspondence formats. Additionally, non-accredited training and courses are also conducted, organized in accordance with Ukraine’s Law on Higher Education.

Educational programs

According to the license from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:

  • Advanced vocational training: programs in “Preschool Education,” “Social Work,” “Accounting and Taxation,” “Tourism and Recreation,” and “Applied Mathematics.”
  • Bachelor’s programs: “Preschool Education,” “Primary School Education,” “History,” “International Relations,” “Hungarian Language and World Literature,” “Ukrainian Language and Literature,” “English Language and World Literature,” “German Language and World Literature,” “Biology and Human Health,” “Natural Sciences,” “Geography,” “Chemistry,” “Mathematics,” “Informatics,” “Accounting and Taxation,” “Finance, Banking, Insurance, and Stock Exchange,” and “Tourism and Recreation.” Thirteen of the seventeen programs are accredited.
  • Master’s programs: “Primary School Education,” “Education and Pedagogical Sciences,” “History and Archeology,” “Hungarian Language and Literature,” “Ukrainian Language and Literature,” “English Language and Literature,” “Biology and Biochemistry,” “Geography,” “Mathematics,” and “Accounting and Taxation.” Seven of the ten programs are accredited.

Non-accredited programs in Ukraine are conducted according to agreements with Hungarian institutions, such as the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the University of Debrecen.

Financing and student support

The institution does not receive funding from the Ukrainian state budget. It is maintained by its founder, the Charity Foundation for the Transcarpathian Hungarian College (KMFA). A significant portion of the operating costs is covered by support from Hungary and supplemented by grants.

Education at all levels is free of charge. Full-time students receive academic scholarships according to Ukrainian state regulations. More than 100 students receive social scholarships, demonstrating that the institution provides opportunities for young people from disadvantaged families.

Language of teaching

According to the University’s charter, the languages of teaching are Ukrainian, Hungarian, and English. The subject “Ukrainian Language” is taught to all bachelor’s students for several semesters with a high number of class hours. Students also have the opportunity to learn Ukrainian, English, German, Hungarian, etc., in free courses offered at the institution. Ukrainian-speaking students can optionally learn Hungarian as a foreign language.

Students can choose the language (Ukrainian, Hungarian, or English) for their tests, papers, and theses. They can also take their exams in their native language. To accommodate a significant number of students who graduated from Ukrainian-language schools, the institution organizes separate Ukrainian-language groups for general knowledge subjects.

Main activities and international cooperation

The Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University:

  • Conducts bachelor’s and master’s programs.
  • Organizes various courses, continuing education, and retraining programs.
  • Hosts off-campus programs for Hungarian higher education institutions.
  • Conducts scientific research and organizes academic activities.
  • Promotes national and world culture and develops knowledge of native, state, and foreign languages.
  • Maintains and develops domestic and international relations.
  • Publishes textbooks and methodological literature.

The University has several scientific subdivisions, including the Tivadar Lehoczky Social Sciences Research Centre, the Antal Hodinka Research Centre for Linguistics, and the István Fodor Research Center for Natural Sciences. The University has organized 110 conferences and maintains partnerships with over 100 domestic and foreign institutions.

Student enrollment and graduates

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, the total student population was 1,698. The first graduates received their diplomas in 2001. The majority of graduates remain in their homeland and work as teachers in local educational institutions. As of the 2022/2023 survey, 450 graduates were working in local Hungarian-language schools. More than one hundred former graduates are employed by the University itself.

Overall, the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University plays a key role in the survival of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia, improving their living conditions and standard of living, and replenishing the intellectual and scientific elite.