Intensive Hungarian

Hungarian as a foreign language

If your time is limited, or you would like to study within a short period, we recommend that you take an intentensive course. These are usually in the mornings, 4 or 5 lessons daily, 4 or 5 times a week.

We provide 10% discount if you register 3 days before the course starts.

Once you’ve completed our free placement test, we’ll let you know your level and provide details about courses you can join.

One-to-one lessons

Hungarian as a foreign language

One-to-one lessons adapted 100% to your needs, with a flexible schedule, at the school or your location of choice (or online if you prefer).

Fees are based on the requirements for the course. (From 6,800HUF/45 minutes) You can sign up by doing the online placement test, contacting us by telephone or e-mail, or in person at the school.

Once you’ve completed our free placement test, we’ll let you know your level.

Business Hungarian

Business Hungarian and Hungarian for professional purposes, tailored to your professional area and schedule, for groups or individuals (online also possible). Following written and oral placement testing, all participants in our business courses are placed in a group appropriate to their level.

Fees are based on the requirements for the course. You can sign up by doing the online placement test, or by contacting us by telephone or e-mail.

Once you’ve completed our registration form and free placement test.

Preparation course for Hungarian Language Test

If you are preparing for a Hungarian language exam or the Hungarian citizneship test, and want to pass with confidence, choose one of our tailor-made preparation courses for the state accredited ITK Origó and ECL exams. You’ll get all the help you need to develop the skills required to successfully negotiate the tasks for the relevant exam.

Fees are based on the requirements for the course. You can sign up by doing the online placement test, or by contacting us by telephone or e-mail.

Once you’ve completed our free placement test, we’ll let you know your level and provide details about courses you can join.

Survival Hungarian

Survival Hungarian

This course has been designed for English speaking university students who have come to Hungary to attend a semester at a Hungarian university. Babilon Language School holds an intensive course in conversational Hungarian during the two-week period immediately preceding Fall and Spring semesters both at Budapest Semesters in Mathematics, Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education and at AIT-Budapest. We are confident that, like many previous course participants, you will find it a highly rewarding professional and cross-cultural experience.

This language course is not part of the BSM or AIT-Budapest program; it should not be confused with the slower-paced Hungarian language course offered for credit by those schools during the term. However, our course has been designed specifically for BSM and AIT participants and has been tested and improved for over two decades.

WHAT WE OFFER

Would you like to learn the basic Hungarian phrases essential for surviving everyday situations in Budapest?

Would you like to get a glimpse into the Hungarian culture?

Are you interested in films, good food and discovering the hidden corners of Budapest?

If yes, the Survival Hungarian course is made for you.

Enroll on an 11-day long immersion course in Hungarian with Babilon Language School. Apart from your in-class language lessons with professional teachers, you will have the opportunity to use your knowledge in real life and acquire a better understanding of the most important components of Hungarian culture. The course also includes outdoor trips and activities where you will be able to practice some of the language elements from the course. The program includes an opening and closing session, cultural insights and a culinary evening on the first day of the course, language lessons at Babilon Language School, a guided tour of the downtown and a screening of a Hungarian movie introduced by a film critic. In addition, the school will also be offering optional events in the afternoons and at weekends, focusing on different aspects of history, art and design and Jewish heritage, and there will be trips to other cities outside Budapest. Please note that these are extracurricular events and additional charges will apply.

IMPORTANT

If you decide to participate in the language course, we recommend that you arrive in Budapest a few days earlier to reduce your jet-lag before classes start. Please let us know in advance if you do not expect to arrive in time for the first day of classes.

FEE

If you enroll through your university the fee is $485 (summer semester’s fee is $305 as it is a shorter course). Late application fee (if you apply less than two weeks before the beginning of the course) is $605 (for summer semester: $380) paid in Hungarian currency in cash at Babilon.

The fee includes the textbooks. It does not include the dictionaries.

HOW TO GET HERE

The Babilon Language School is located in the heart of downtown Budapest, and is easy to reach by subway (called METRO in Budapest): Take the red subway line (indicated by large red “M” signs) to “ASTORIA” station. The school is on the corner of K aroly boulevard (Károly krt) and Dohany street (Dohány utca), across from the Main Synagogue, an architectural and cultural landmark.
The school is on the 3rd floor of the “Belvárosi Színház / Downtown Theatre” building (take the elevator).

PLANNED SCHEDULES

Spring semester:

15 January 2025 – Wednesday (First day of the Hungarian course)

31 January 2026 – Friday (Last day of the Hungarian course)

Summer semester:

02 June 2025 – Monday (First day of the Hungarian course)

06 June 2025 – Friday (Last day of the Hungarian course)

Fall semester:

To be confirmed (First day of the Hungarian course)

To be confirmed – Friday (Last day of the Hungarian course)

Survival Hungarian – Hungarian language course & cultural integration

This programme is designed for English-speaking students who are spending a semester at a university in Hungary. You can take part in a two-week long intensive course based on everyday communication. This course has been refined over nearly 20 years.

10 days (36×45 minute lessons) of intensive language courses and cultural integration workshops organised by Babilon Language School.

During classroom lessons, our highly qualified and experienced teachers ensure that students learn the basics of everyday communication and then put what they have learned into practice in real life situations, while learning about the most important aspects of Hungarian culture.

The course therefore also offers a range of off-site activities, which provide an excellent opportunity to put theoretical knowledge into practice.

The programme includes:

• welcome dinner with insights into Hungarian gastronomy and culinary specialities
• Hungarian language lessons at Babilon Language School
• guided tours around the school&Budapest
• other activities *

*In addition to the above, the school offers other optional programmes for late afternoons and weekends, which regularly attract a large number of visitors with their historical, cultural and artistic themes. These programmes require separate registration and are at an extra cost.

Courses start with a minimum of 5 participants, please contact us for starting dates.

Schedule:

Cultural/outdoor activities:

• Buda Hills Trip:
  • Meeting in the courtyard at Babilon.
  • Taking the metro and tram to Hűvösvölgy in the Buda hills.
  • Guided tour of the Children’s Railway.
  • Train ride from Hűvösvölgy to Normafa.
  • Tasting strudel/rétes and lángos at the food stall. All those with dietary requirements will be provided with suitable alternatives where required.
  • Walk to the Erzsébet Lookout Tower.
  • Taking the chairlift down to Zugliget (if there is no rain).
  • Bus back to the city center.
• Tour of Gellert Hill:
  • Dominating Budapest’s skyline, Gellért hill has a rich and fascinating past. Emese and her group will regale you with all the best stories on this guided tour.
• Visit to Market and preparing Hungarian dishes.:
  • This is an opportunity to visit a real, functioning Hungarian market to sample its wares and practice your Hungarian. You’ll then return to the school to prepare and sample Hungarian dishes. Jó étvágyat!
• Táncház event:
  • Meeting at Babilon where sandwiches, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served. 
  • This táncház event is an informal party, where you can learn the steps to traditional Hungarian dances and then strut your stuff under the stars for the rest of the evening, accompanied by a live band. You can also just chill with your classmates, shoot the breeze and admire the views of the lit up city with a beer or wine.
• Other activities depend on the upcoming Hungarian Holidays (for example: St. Stephen’s Day, Easter etc.)

Optional programmes (extra cost):

• Fully-Guided Day Trip to Nagymaros, Visegrád and Szentendre (ask for price)
  • Departure by train from Budapest Nyugati Railway Station
  • Guided tour of Nagymaros, including visit to the weekly  farmer’s market, and the chance to swim in the Danube (bring your swimming gear).✔ 
  • 3-course lunch at Piknik Manufaktúra in Nagymaros (vegetarian & vegan options provided).✔ 
  • Ferry across the Danube to Visegrád.✔ 
  • Guided tour of the medieval palace of King Mátyás.✔ 
  • Bus* from Visegrád to Szentendre (travel time – 45 minutes)
  • Hour-long guided tour of Szentendre.✔ 
  • Chocolate tasting with a real expert at a chocolate store voted ‘Shop of the Year’ in 2017.✔ 
  • Return to Budapest by HÉV/suburban train/
• Fully-guided day trip to Eger (ask for price)
  • Departure by train from Budapest Keleti Railway Station
  • Guided tour of Eger✔ , taking in the city university, its library, the camera obscura and the Basilica.
  • 3 course lunch ✔  with vegan/vegetarian options.
  • Guided visit to Eger Castle✔ taking in highlights of museum exhibitions.
  • Free time for you to explore for yourselves.
  • Wine tasting with snacks✔ at a cellar at the ‘Valley of Beautiful Women’.
  • Return train

Course fee:

440 EUR/10 days

280 EUR/5 days