Hungary was founded in 895, which makes it one of the oldest countries in Europe, older than France and Germany. It is also one of the oldest wine-producing regions of the world. While the country is landlocked, it is home to Balaton — the largest lake in Central Europe — and Lake Hévíz, which is the largest European thermal lake.

Hungary is famed for its Romanesque architecture, Baroque towns, Renaissance-style theater, good old wines, and profound musical heritage, from Frans Liszt Rhapsodies to Roma music and classical jazz. Once a nomadic people, Hungarians still have the csikós — the country’s very own brand of cowboys, which can be seen patrolling the vast steppes of the region.

Located in the Carpathian Basin, Hungary is a lowland region of steppes and prairies with lots of greenery, forests and rivers. The mighty Danube river, which once served as a frontier for the Roman Empire, divides the country in two almost equal halves.

Thanks to its location, Hungary enjoys four distinct seasons in the course of the year with cold, humid winters, warm to hot summers and mild springs and autumns. The shoulder seasons bring a bit more rain than usual, but are most pleasant overall.

Hungary can boast a Western-standard quality of medical services. Public healthcare is managed by the National Health Insurance Fund and entails no additional costs for employees of Hungarian organizations. The waiting times for the public sector are slightly lower and appointments have to be scheduled in advance.  

The private sector offers less bureaucracy and often better equipment. Most of the expats coming to Hungary opt for private healthcare, and even the locals prefer it when it comes to dental services. 

Kindergartens

Hungary has both state-funded and private kindergartens. Children go to a kindergarten between 3 and 6 years. They spend most of the day playing. Parents can enroll their kid for additional courses, such as music or foreign languages. In their last kindergarten year, children are prepared for attending elementary school.

Most public kindergartens offer tuition in Hungarian. In Budapest, there is a number of international kindergartens offering tuition in English.

Schools

The primary education cycle consists of 4, 6 or 8 years, where 8 years is the most popular option. All children start their primary school at the age of 6 or 7 years. After the first 4 years, they can decide whether to stay or transfer to a grammar school. This same opportunity is offered to them after 6 years of primary education.

Secondary education usually lasts for 4 years. However, it may also last for 6 or 8 years, depending on the age at which the child left primary school.

Foreign students can be assigned either to a same-age class or to a class one or two years below their age. This way, they get an opportunity to learn Hungarian before they have to study new material.

There is a number of international private schools offering tuition in English, German or French languages. Most of them are located in Budapest.