One of the most prominent universities in Hungary focuses on Indian students
Apr 11: Europe’s higher education landscape is being quietly but decisively reshaped. As traditional study destinations face growing saturation and rising costs, an increasing number of Indian students are turning their attention towards Central Europe as a region offering strong academic ecosystems, internationally recognised qualifications, and expanding research opportunities. Within this evolving map of global student mobility, Hungary has begun to stand out with particular clarity, especially in engineering, applied sciences, and technology-driven disciplines.
The numbers reflect this momentum. Across Europe, around 90,000 Indian students are currently enrolled in higher education, a figure that has grown by nearly 80 per cent over the past five years. Hungary’s position within this broader trend is becoming increasingly visible: in 2023–24, approximately 1,127 Indian students were studying in Hungarian universities, placing India among the country’s top ten source nations for international enrolment. With English-taught programmes, EU-accredited degrees, comparatively moderate living costs, and a stable, secure environment, Hungary is emerging as a compelling destination for Indian families seeking both quality and value.
At the heart of this shift stands Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Hungary’s leading institution for engineering and technology. The university continues to consolidate its standing internationally: BME came in 246th, improving its position by one place compared to the previous list, while maintaining its 12th place in the Eastern European region in the widely acknowledged latest QS European rankings, compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a global university ranking organisation.
The growth of the Indian student community at BME has been particularly striking. In the 2015/16 academic year, the university enrolled only 15 students from India; by 2024/25, this number had risen to 89 full-time Indian students – a nearly six-fold increase in less than a decade. The demographic profile mirrors global STEM patterns, with 77 per cent male and 23 per cent female students. Crucially, the expansion has been matched by strong academic outcomes: since 2016, 96 Indian students have graduated successfully from BME, including eight PhD recipients, underscoring the university’s ability not only to attract talent but also to support students through to high-level degree completion.
“My BME degree has given me a strong technical foundation, international exposure, and research experience, preparing me to work in global engineering environments and tackle sustainability, structural and infrastructure challenges,” says recent BME graduate Salman Ali.
BME’s appeal lies in its distinctive integration of education, research, and innovation. The university’s mission extends beyond classroom teaching into the full innovation chain, encompassing fundamental and applied research, technological development, and the real-world application of scientific results. Its academic strengths align closely with strategic global priorities shared by Europe and Asia alike: digital transformation, sustainable energy systems, industrial innovation, and the engineering foundations of the green transition. For Indian students, this translates into an environment where theoretical excellence is inseparable from hands-on research engagement and industry relevance.
As Vice Rector for Internationalisation András Nemeslaki notes, “Indian students contribute significantly to the academic and cultural life of our university. Their strong presence in engineering and technology programmes reflects BME’s strengths and the global relevance of our degrees.” This relevance is reinforced by the university’s expanding international profile: BME currently offers 13 bachelor’s, 24 master’s and 11 doctoral programmes in English, supported by Budapest’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and reputation as one of Europe’s safest capitals.
Among the programmes drawing the strongest interest from Indian applicants, the BSc and MSc in Computer Science Engineering stand out as particularly strategic choices. At undergraduate level, the Computer Science Engineer BSc is designed to train engineers capable of developing solutions across a wide spectrum – from advanced web services and artificial intelligence-based applications to high-reliability industrial software systems. With a rigorous theoretical foundation and early opportunities for specialisation in Software Engineering or Infocommunication, students graduate prepared for both high-impact employment and advanced academic pathways.
The MSc in Computer Engineering deepens this trajectory further. Structured around independent work, research and development projects, and a mandatory industrial or faculty-based placement, the programme reflects the expectations of a global technology labour market increasingly shaped by AI, data infrastructure, and complex software ecosystems. Graduates are positioned either to enter competitive international careers or to continue into doctoral research – a route already taken by a growing number of Indian alumni at BME.
Hungary’s strengthening ties with India provide an additional layer of strategic context. Economic cooperation has intensified, with bilateral trade exceeding one billion euros in 2023 and major Indian companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Motherson, and Apollo establishing significant operations in Hungary. More than fifty Indian firms now employ over ten thousand people in the country, creating an industrial environment in which internationally trained engineers are in rising demand. Student interest is accelerating accordingly: in 2023, a record 2,400 Indian applicants competed for 200 Hungarian scholarships.
Against this backdrop, Hungary – and BME in particular – is increasingly recognised as a serious European hub for Indian talent: academically rigorous, research-driven, internationally connected, and positioned at the intersection of education and innovation. As Europe and India move toward deeper cooperation in trade, technology, and mobility, institutions such as BME are becoming platforms for long-term global engineering careers.
