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1. Programmes specific for vulnerable young people

2. Funding

3. Quality assurance

Programmes specific for vulnerable young people

In Hungary, several scholarships and other types of programmes are available for disadvantaged young people. The four most widespread programmes are the 'Útravaló' Scholarship Programme ('Útravaló' literally means 'provisions for the journey', referring to support that helps individuals progress in their educational or life path); catch-up and support initiatives such as the Arany János Talent Programme and the Tanoda (the word means a community-based, after-school learning centre) Programme; and, more broadly, the National Talent Programme, which promotes talent development. These programmes aim to prevent school dropout and improve access to education.

'Útravaló' Scholarship Programme

'Útravaló' Scholarship Programme (Útravaló Ösztöndíjprogram) started in 2005; its aim is to help create opportunities for disadvantaged students by providing personalised support and bursaries and prevent school drop-out and support further learning. Its main provisions are to increase young people's opportunities for continuing their studies and learning a profession, gaining a school-leaving certificate or a degree, and supporting talents among students who are interested in science.

There are currently four sub-programmes associated with these scholarships:

• 'Road to Secondary School' ('Út a középiskolába'),
• 'Road to the Secondary School Leaving Exam' ('Út az érettségihez'),
• 'Road to Degree' ('Út a diplomához') and
• 'Road to Profession' ('Út a szakmához').

Each of them supports different target groups based on age and career choices. The programme provides mentoring and financial support. These programmes are financed from the domestic budget from the 2019–2020 school year. Currently, the Directorate-General for Creating Social Opportunities (Társadalmi Esélyteremtési Főigazgatóság) under the Ministry of the Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is responsible for implementing the application.

The Tanoda Programme

The Tanoda Programme (Tanoda program) aims to prevent early school leaving providing community space for children and youngsters in need (up to 18 years old). The Tanodas provide complex services to students, such as learning support, catching up, and personal development. The schools are usually established by foundations, public benefit organisations and other non-governmental organisations, and they are mainly run by volunteer staff. 

The practical activities of the schools are diverse; for example, the Csepp Tanoda School of Csobánka (Csobánkai Csepp Tanoda) helps Roma children in learning, acquiring the curriculum through common learning. The Kompánia Tanoda (Kompánia Tanoda) also organises afternoon training where they provide individual development, rehearsal, computer use and English language training. 

The Toldi Tanoda, created by the Real Pearl Foundation (Igazgyöngy Alapítvány), aims to develop reading motivation, reading comprehension, mathematics, foreign language and social competencies, prepares children in kindergarten for school, and organises recreational development programs. They held 1 045 individual activities for 72 children with 33 voluntary teachers, and they organized four camps in the 2021–2022 academic year.

Arany János Programmes

The Arany János Talent Programme (Arany János Tehetséggondozó Program, AJTP) started in 2000. The Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is responsible for the calls for applications.

The aim of AJTP is to support disadvantaged students in entering secondary education. The awarded students - during a preparatory year - receive support to gain the missing knowledge in different fields necessary to catch up and continue their studies at one of the highest-standard secondary schools or boarding schools. The target group of the programme are youngsters who hold a student status; have a disadvantaged background and are about to start grade 9 of secondary school during the year of the application.

The aim of the Arany János College Program (Arany János Kollégiumi Program, AJCP) is to improve the qualification level of vulnerable groups of students, prevent them from drop-out, to receive higher educational qualifications, pass the final examination at secondary schools and learn a profession by providing complex support (pedagogical, social, health-related and cultural).

Students have individual development plans signed by them and their parents. Students undergo regular assessments; their results are integrated into their individual development plans. Around 2 000 students participate in the programme each year. The programme is implemented in 22 locations across the country, in pairs of high schools and secondary school colleges.

Preventing Roma girls from early school leaving

The Action Plan 2021-2024 for the Implementation of the NSIS 2030 states that it is especially important to reduce the number of 10–17-year-old Roma girls who live in poor families and leave school without qualifications. Furthermore, it is essential to establish their employability; to support their further education opportunities, and to continue and expand the programmes that serve these purposes.

The Human Resources Development Operational Programmes (Emberi Erőforrás Fejlesztési Operatív Program, EFOP program) for the 2021–2027 budget cycle include an application for 'Preventing Roma girls from leaving school without a qualification' ('Roma lányok végzettség nélküli iskolaelhagyásának megelőzése'). The timeframe of the application is April–August 2026.

National Talent Programme

The National Talent Programme (Nemzeti Tehetség Program) is not specifically aimed at the integration of youth or vulnerable groups of young people. Still, it reaches disadvantaged students successfully. Its goal is to provide talent support in Hungary and in regions abroad with a Hungarian minority population. The National Cultural Grant Management Office (Nemzeti Kulturális Támogatáskezelő) is responsible for the implementation of the application and for grant management process.

The Department of Talents, under the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People is responsible for the implementation of this programme. The action programme 2023–2024 for the implementation of the National Talent Programme is regulated by the Government Decree 1110/2023. (III. 30.) [1110/2023. (III. 30.) Korm. határozat].

The Deputy State Secretariat for Young People started to renew the programme in 2023. The aim was to adapt to the challenges of the 21^st century. Some changes were that currently the operation of the programme is based on data; their website and image were renewed, and a 'Talent Map' (Tehetségtérkép) was created to find the available talent programmes easily.

Funding

'Útravaló' Scholarship Programme

These programmes are funded from the state budget and the scholarship and mentoring fees increased compared to previous years. In recent years, the amount of financial support in the state budget was around HUF 2.5 billion (EUR 6.2 million) each year. According to the information from the Ministry of Interior from 2024, the available budget in the 2024–2025 school year for all programmes was HUF 2.3 billion (about EUR 5.7 million). The total amount of the programme will be nearly 3 billion HUF in the 2025–2026 academic year.

The Tanoda Programme

As mentioned above, starting from the year 2019, the Tanoda Programme got a place in the central budget of Hungary. The budget allocated was HUF 2.5 billion (about EUR 6.4 million) in support, which was first allocated in 2019. In the last two years this amount was around HUF 3 billion (about EUR 7.5 million).

Arany János Programmes

The Government Decree 204/2020. [204/2020. (V. 14.) Korm. rendelet] determines the funds available and the regulations for the use of the funds for the Arany János Talent Programme. The responsible Minister evaluates the previous year's programme with the involvement of other ministers (the minister responsible for vocational education, the minister responsible for adult education and the minister responsible for agricultural policies) until the 30^th of October and makes proposals for the following year. 

Currently, the schools can receive HUF 315 000/student/year (around EUR 807) support for running the Arany János Talent Programme and HUF 420 000/student/year (around EUR 1 077) support for running the Arany János College Programme. Students can also receive a scholarship of HUF 15 000 per month (around EUR 37) in the preparatory year and a higher amount (between HUF 20 000–40 000, around EUR 50–100 per month) in the 9^th –12^th grades, depending on their academic results.

Preventing Roma girls from early school leaving

The new Human Resources Development Operational Programmes (Emberi Erőforrás Fejlesztési Operatív Program, EFOP program) provides a tender opportunity for HUF 20.2–89 million (about EUR 50 500–222 500).

National Talent Programme

In the framework of the National Talent Programme (Nemzeti Tehetség Program) altogether HUF 45 billion (about EUR 112 million) was spent for 22 000 supported projects during the 17 years of their operation (2009–2025).

Its allocation is regulated by the Government Decree 104/2015. [104/2015. (IV. 23.) Korm. rendelet] on funding of the National Talent Programme. The programme is implemented from the National Talent Fund, and the Finance Act determines the amount to be allocated and the regulations for the use of the funds each year.

In the 2026 Finance Act, HUF 8.5 billion (about EUR 21.2 million) is dedicated to the programme, which is a much higher amount than it was in the previous years.

Quality assurance

'Útravaló' Scholarship Programme

The monitoring of the programme is implemented within the framework of EU projects. Monitoring results from 2023 show that the programme is successful. The number of participants in the programmes was between 9 000–10 000 in the last 3 academic year. In the 2025–2026 academic year, 10 770 students received support from this programme (source is Ministry's information).

The Tanoda Programme

From the 1st of January 2019, according to a ministerial decree, the Tanodas must prepare a detailed report on their activities and on their operations. According to Ministry's information, in 2025, 180 Tanodas were operating nationwide, providing services to 5 600 children. From September 2025, they will accept not only primary school students but also high school students.

According to Ministry information from 2023, Tanoda services have a demonstrable effect on improving students' academic results. An achievement survey was conducted in 2022. According to the data, more girls attended Tanoda than boys. Of the girls who remain in the school system, they prefer to continue their education in high school rather than the boys. Boys prefer to learn a trade because they can find a job more quickly in the labour market. In the 2021–2022 school year, 76% of eighth-graders who attended Tanoda stated that they would continue their education in high school and later choose higher education in Hungary.

Arany János Talent Programme

The results of the Arany János Talent Programme (Arany János Tehetséggondozó Program) show that the programme reaches its specific target group and provides good chances for mobility. According to data of the Educational Authority, 70–75% of students in the AJTP programme continued their studies in higher education. The Government Decree 204/2020. sets the quality assurance of the programme. The schools that run the programmes have to prepare a professional report on the implementation of the programme to the relevant ministries each year.

National Talent Programme

The implementation of the National Talent Programme and the monitoring of programmes for supporting talents are carried out by the National Talent Coordination Forum (Nemzeti Tehetségügyi Koordinációs Fórum). This also contributes to increasing the efficiency of the programme. The Forum members are the leaders of state and non-governmental organisations, including the head of the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács).