In Hungary, students can opt to apply to four- or six-year secondary schools. Just like most other countries in the world, the elementary and secondary education combined takes 12 years.
In the United States, where most of our readers are from, a student can choose to either take only a GED, which only certifies that they have a high school-level education, or take the SAT as a college admission test. In Hungary, these two exams are merged into one ‘érettségi’ (meaning ‘maturity’) exam. Each student has to pass the érettségi exam to get a high school diploma. However, the passing grade is set extremely low, at 25 per cent. Evidently, universities require a much better score for admission.
Universities use a point system to grant or deny admission. 400 points can be acquired through the érettségi exam results. Alternatively, students can opt to carry 200 points from their graduation exam, while another 200 points from their relevant year-end grades from 11th and 12th grade. The university can allocate an additional 100 points based on its own criteria. These can be things such as state-accredited foreign language examinations, outstanding results in national academic competitions, or the hard socio-economic background of the student’s family.
Each student has to take an érettségi exam in five subjects. Three of them are required: Hungarian language and literature, history, and mathematics. In addition, they will have to take an exam in a foreign language of their choice, as well as a fifth subject of their choice, such as biology, physics, geography, or even PE.
Students can opt to take an exam on a subject at either an intermediate or an advanced level. Their score in an advanced-level exam will yield them more points. Universities can require an advanced exam in a certain subject for admission. For example, if you are looking to get into a med school, you will surely have to take an advanced érettségi exam in biology, chemistry, or physics as your fifth subject.
Each year, the students who score in the top percentile on their érettségi will receive a state-sponsored, tuition-free university education. The exact percentage of high school graduates who receive this is determined annually based on the number of applications to universities. The point thresholds for acceptance into respective colleges and the point threshold for tuition-free spots are announced in July of each year.
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