Erasmus+ returns to model-change universities

After a long exclusion, opportunities for studying and professional experience abroad may once again open up for Hungarian university students whose institutions were transferred to foundation management. According to the 13 October 2026 statement by the Tempus Public Foundation, the exclusions from Erasmus+ mobility have been lifted. Below, we summarise what led to the decision, which programme elements are available again, and what students planning to apply should now consider.

What happened: the conditionality procedure has ended

In September, the European Commission published a proposal for a decision in which it initiated the lifting of the conditionality protective measures applied against Hungary. According to the Commission's statement, the proposal also involves the release of €4.2 billion.

The final decision was taken by the Council of the European Union. According to a report by the Serbian outlet Magyar Szó, the member states decided by consensus to close the procedure. The official closure of the procedure was announced on 13 October 2026, as also reported in an update from Europe Direct Hajdú-Bihar.

Who is affected by the decision?

The restriction primarily affected the so-called model-change universities maintained by public-interest asset management foundations (KEKVA). Students and staff at these institutions previously could not access new funding under the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes, which disrupted many students' plans to go abroad.

According to the Tempus Public Foundation, the Council repealed Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, fully reopening the way for students and staff at KEKVA-run universities to take part in the Erasmus+ programme. According to an analysis by Privátbankár, the decision fully restored the legal status of students at model-change universities and their access to EU exchange programmes.

Which Erasmus+ opportunities are reopening?

The Tempus Public Foundation, which serves as Hungary's national Erasmus+ office, said that all legal obstacles have been removed to signing contracts for two important types of funding awarded under the 2026 call for applications. According to the foundation, the signing of contracts has already begun.

• Mobility applications for higher education institutions (KA131): this is the "classic" part of Erasmus+, supporting student and staff mobility between European programme countries.
• International credit mobility (KA171): this covers exchanges with institutions in so-called partner countries outside the programme.

According to a report by Budaörsi Infó, the restart once again makes it possible not only to spend a university semester abroad, but also to fund traineeships abroad and staff mobility. The outlet also highlighted the reopening of Horizon Europe research and development projects, which may be particularly important for doctoral students and research groups.

The financial background and the conditions

According to the European Commission's statement, the body found that Hungary had met the previously required rule-of-law and conflict-of-interest conditions. These included public procurement reforms, the anti-corruption framework, strengthening the Integrity Authority, and closer cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO).

According to Europe Direct Hajdú-Bihar, the released amount is €4.2 billion in previously frozen cohesion funds, which 74nullanulla.hu put at around HUF 1,500 billion. Some analyses also point out that the amount originally frozen was larger than this, and that part of it may have been permanently lost because of delays in previous years. The official statements focus on the amount that has now been released.

Interpretations of the decision are not uniform either. Government statements tend to emphasise the implementation of anti-corruption measures and the removal of legal obstacles, while Hírelemző and other analyses instead highlight that the turning point was brought about by the institutional reforms required by the European Union.

Practical steps for students planning to apply

The most important point is this: the next steps are now worth following not at EU level, but at your own university. The decision at EU and national level only creates the framework; the specific opportunities become available through individual universities. Application deadlines, advertised places and scholarship amounts are set out in institutions' own calls for applications, so these may vary by faculty and by university.

• It is worth contacting your university's Erasmus coordinator or international office, because they can provide precise information on specific calls and deadlines.
• It is useful to follow faculty and university announcements regularly, since new or reopened application rounds may begin after the contracts are signed.
• It is worth looking at the list of partner institutions in good time and considering which courses can be recognised within your studies at home.
• A traineeship may also be an option: for those who would not spend a full semester abroad, a placement abroad may be a good entry point.
• It is not worth postponing language preparation, because host institutions often expect a specified level of language proficiency.

Teaching staff should also consult the international office, as reports indicate that staff mobility is once again supported. For detailed application questions, the official information provided by the relevant university is always authoritative.

With the conditionality procedure closed, students at model-change universities may now find themselves in the same position as other Hungarian university students: they can once again apply for a semester abroad and for traineeships, while their lecturers can take part in international exchanges. The pace of the actual restart will now largely be determined by universities' internal application processes, so anyone hoping to study abroad in the next academic year should consider contacting their institution's Erasmus coordinator now.