The Government expects students who are accepted to university or college to obtain a degree and declare their intention to work in Hungary in exchange for the full state financing of their education, Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog said on Sunday.

Balog said that he wished to negotiate with national student union HÖOK on Monday, a day earlier than planned, adding that the Government is expected to take a decision on restructuring the Hungary's higher education system on Wednesday. He also said that the Government was “not preparing to introduce any kind of tuition fee.”

The Minister confirmed that the current system of limiting the number of state-financed university places would be scrapped, and that anybody who meets the academic criteria can enter higher education. If those students choose to work in Hungary after getting their diplomas, the state will pay the entire cost of their education, he added.

After consulting with students, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Saturday that anybody who meets the entry criteria for Hungary's higher education and is committed to studying and then working in Hungary should receive their university or college courses free of charge and without becoming indebted.

(Prime Minister's Office)