Budapest

QS Best Student Cities ranking: =43th

Hungary’s capital and largest city, Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and one of its most-visited. Split in two halves (Buda and Pest) either side of the Danube river, the city has everything you’d want in a charming European capital: fairy-tale architecture, fascinating history, great cuisine (known for its use of paprika), and fairly low living costs.

Consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, Budapest offers a great student life, with a large selection of unique ‘ruin pubs’, bohemian cafés, bars, clubs and live music venues, as well as events such as the Sziget music festival, one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Those interested in studying in Budapest will be pleased to learn that the city is ranked as the best in the world for affordability, thanks to the low cost of living. Tuition fees average only US$1,400 per year.

The city is also packed full of museums and galleries, such as the Hungarian National Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery, which boasts more than 100,000 pieces of European art. And if you fancy a break from your studies, you could relax in one of the city’s famous thermal springs.

Budapest is noted for its strengths in the arts, entertainment, fashion, education, finance and sport. The city is home to over 35 higher education institutions, three of which appear in the QS World University Rankings® 2020 – and there are many opportunities for international students to study in English or other popular languages such as French or German.

Internationally ranked universities in Budapest

More about Budapest

• To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.*