A story by Nina Begesh, a communications and administration professional and a holder of the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship. Nina is of Hungarian origin on her father’s side and she has been living in Hungary since 2023. She strongly identifies with Hungarian culture, traditions, and values, and supports the mission of Hungarian communities across borders to preserve cultural identity and build meaningful connections within the global Hungarian network.

I met him during one of the cultural trips organized within the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship program. We visited the beautiful town of Vác together with other scholarship holders. It was one of those relaxed days when students from different universities have time to talk, walk around the city, and share their stories.

During that trip I met Mark from Canada, a student who was already studying in Hungary at the master’s level. His academic path was a little different from many others in the program. While many students come to Hungary for their first degree, Mark had already decided to build a longer academic journey here.

He was studying linguistics and focusing on two languages: Hungarian and Romanian. Languages had always been his main interest, and he was fascinated by how they reflect history, culture, and connections between different regions. For him, learning Hungarian was not only about communication, but also about understanding Central Europe more deeply.

Mark told me that he chose Hungary because it offers strong academic programs in linguistics and a unique environment for studying regional languages. Living in Hungary allowed him to practice Hungarian every day while also continuing his research in language studies.

What impressed me most was that he was already thinking about the next step — applying for a PhD program in the future. His goal was to continue researching languages of the region and possibly work in academia, teaching and studying linguistic connections between cultures.

Listening to his story, I realized how valuable programs like the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship can be. They do not only support one short period of study. For some students, they open the door to a much longer and deeper educational path.

For Mark, Hungary was not just a place to study for a few years. It had become the center of his academic journey.

And it was inspiring to see how the program can help students build not only a degree, but a whole future around their interests, research, and connection to Hungary.

by Nina Begesh