Hungarian universities to rejoin Erasmus, minister says

Hungarian universities suspended from the EU's Erasmus youth mobility programme can return to the scheme, Education and Child Affairs Minister Judit Lannert said on Friday.

“Erasmus is returning to all Hungarian universities!” Lannert wrote on Facebook, saying the government had taken the steps needed to ensure participation. She said the 21 universities affected by the restrictions already have valid Erasmus mobility applications for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Almost two dozen higher education institutions, including some of Hungary's top universities, were excluded from Erasmus in 2022 after they were moved into foundation ownership under former leader Viktor Orban.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated Orban in April elections, had promised to resolve the issue as part of efforts to unlock EU funds frozen over rule-of-law concerns. His government passed legislation in June ordering public interest asset management foundations, known as KEKVAs, to be dissolved, with universities returning to state control next year.

Brussels had suspended Erasmus funding over conflict of interest, rule-of-law and transparency concerns. Critics of the earlier ownership changes accused Orban of trying to preserve his party's influence in education, while his government said the changes were meant to modernise universities.