Budapest Semesters in Mathematics

Location
Budapest, a city of two million, is situated on both sides of the river Duna (Danube). Eight graceful bridges link the charming hills of Buda on the river's west bank to cosmopolitan Pest on the east. The construction of the Royal Palace on Buda's Castle Hill was begun over 700 years ago. Actually, the history of this district dates even earlier; a thousand years before the Hungarian kings, Roman warriors maintained a military settlement there to guard the "limes" of the Empire. Buda and Pest were united in 1872 and the union grew into the friendly metropolis we see now in modern Budapest with its elegant boulevards, coffeehouses, and concert halls.

The architecture of Budapest displays the influence of many other cultures---from Turkish baths reminiscent of the country's 150 years of struggle with the Ottoman Empire, to the modern Hyatt Hotel on Roosevelt square which in turn faces the 140-year-old edifice of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

The city dominates the cultural, economic, and political life of the nation. Budapest hosts eleven universities, two opera and ballet theaters, scores of theaters, museums, art collections, and parks plus many cinemas, discos, and sports arenas.

Learning English has been quite fashionable in the country for many years. In the University virtually all faculty speak English, as do many students, to a reasonable degree. The visitor will have no difficulty finding helpful people speaking English all around Budapest. Another foreign language spoken by many Hungarians is German.

Courses
Classes are held on the College International campus of the Technical University Budapest which is near the historic city center.  Courses comprise 14 weeks of teaching plus one week of exams. Each course usually meets three to four times per week for a total of 56 contact hours per semester. Normally, one Budapest Semesters in Mathematics course transfers either as 3 or 4 semester hours depending on an evaluation of course material done by the home institution. Classes are taught in English by eminent Hungarian professors, most of whom have had teaching experience in North American universities. In keeping with Hungarian tradition, teachers closely monitor each individual student's progress. Considerable time is devoted to problem solving and encouraging student creativity. Emphasis is on depth of understanding rather than on the quantity of material.

Read more on the homepage link, above.

Petitionable programs are available to students in the event that any of our 200+ affiliated partner programs do not seem sufficient for your academic needs. Fewer than 10% of petitions are granted. The decision is based on a number of factors that include, but are not limited to: the quality of the petition, the rationale of why an affiliated program can not fit your needs, and why the petitionable program is an exceptional fit for your academic studies. Due to the low probability of receiving a petition, we recommend applying for an affiliated program backup in the event that your petition is denied.