Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Hungary, central educational governance or supervision is primarily exercised by two ministries: the Ministry of Interior, responsible for public education, and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, which oversees higher education, vocational education and training (VET), and adult education. The structure of educational governance in Hungary is vertically divided across central (national), territorial, and, to a lesser extent, institutional levels, particularly in the VET and public education sectors.
Central government authorities predominantly manage the financing of education. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (which succeeded the Ministry of Human Capacities in certain functions) are the key actors in allocating and supervising educational budgets. While the system allows for a blend of central and local involvement, this varies across educational levels. Primary and secondary education have been semi-centrally managed since 2013, when the state assumed direct control over municipal schools.
Centralisation was undertaken with the intent of equalising spending between districts of varying socio-economic status. It was operationalised through the establishment of a nationwide network of decentralized school district centres—60 as of 2023—coordinated by the Klebelsberg Centre. These centres are funded directly from the state budget and are responsible for all major areas of school finance and maintenance. They oversee expenditures for teaching and non-teaching staff salaries, daily operational needs such as utilities and materials, and capital investments including infrastructure.
The flow of funding follows a clear pathway: central ministries allocate funds to the school district centres, which then distribute resources to the schools under their jurisdiction. While local municipalities no longer maintain direct responsibility for primary a
1. Education resources to subnational governments
In Hungary, education funding has become highly centralized over the past decade. While local governments used to manage and finance schools, most responsibilities for primary and secondary education now lie with the central government through the Klebelsberg Centre. Local governments are mainly responsible for kindergartens, school meals and a few other local services.
Funding to municipalities still exists but focuses on areas they manage, like kindergartens and basic public services. This support comes through grants and equalization transfers. Normative grants are based on factors such as the number of children and type of institution, but they often do not fully cover costs, so local governments must add their own funds.
The main equity-focused funding tools are normative and equalization grants, which aim to reduce gaps between rich and poor areas by considering local tax income, population size, and the number of children or elderly. While the exact funding formulas are not always published, they generally combine a base amount per person with extra support for areas with greater needs.
2. Education resources to schools
The Ministry of Finance allocates the education budget to the Klebelsberg Centre, which distributes it through 60 school district centres. These centres fund schools directly, covering staff salaries, operational costs, and infrastructure. Schools do not manage their budgets; instead, they request resources from their district centre based on needs like student numbers and facility conditions. Additional project-based funding may come from national or EU sources.
Access for Roma Programme
Launched in 2003, the Ministry of Human Capacities (now the Ministry of Culture and Innovation) created the Integrated Pedagogical System (IPR) as its main equity programme. The "Integration Programme" (Integrációs Pedagógiai Rendszer – IPR), introduced in the early 2000s, is a major policy initiative designed to promote educational inclusion, particularly for Roma children, students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those with special educational needs. The IPR provides financial incentives and professional development to schools implementing inclusive education strategies. The programme provides extra per-pupil funding to kindergartens and schools with many disadvantaged or Roma children through annual application-based tenders. Participating schools receive per capita additional normative funding to support personalised learning, remedial education, after-school programmes, and cooperation with families. The programme also includes training for teachers in inclusive pedagogy and classroom management techniques. The funding is conditional on schools adopting pedagogical practices aligned with the goals of the programme. IPR is primarily funded by a combination of national government resources and European Union funds. The Hungarian government, through its Ministry of Human Capacities (EMMI, now Ministry of Culture and Innovation), traditionally provides support and coordinates the application and disbursement of funds to participating schools. In 2025, the IPR is still active, now managed by the Klebelsberg Centre, and remains the primary way the Ministry directs education resources to its most vulnerable students.
The Special Needs Education (SNE) Framework
This framework integrates students with special educational needs into mainstream schools whenever possible. Support is provided through remedial teaching, developmental pedagogical services, and the deployment of special education professionals. Resource allocation is not formula-based but is determined by individual assessments, with institutions receiving state support based on the diagnosed needs of the students. This system is intended to reduce exclusion and support academic progress through inclusive, personalised instruction.
Let’s Teach for Hungary (Tanítsunk Magyarországért)
The "Let’s Teach for Hungary" (Tanítsunk Magyarországért) programme was launched on December 5, 2018. It was initiated in cooperation with the then Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the Ministry of Human Resources, and other key educational institutions. The programme aims to support primary schoolers—especially those from small settlements and disadvantaged backgrounds—in career guidance, learning about the world of work, and spending free time meaningfully. University students, trained as mentors, engage with these children to open their horizons and motivate them to pursue further education or vocational training. The programme has been expanded and is now managed nationwide through the National Talent Centre (as of March 2023) in partnership with the Teach for Hungary Foundation.
3. Education resources to students and families
Equal Access to Digital Education Programme
Hungary's "Equal Access to Digital Education" initiative, one of the largest resource transfer programmes in Hungarian education, started laptop and digital device distributions in 2023. The programme is funded by a budget of HUF 205 billion (around EUR 525 million), which is jointly financed by the Hungarian government and European Union funds. Every hardware allocation is paired with mandatory digital pedagogy training for educators to support use, and the program provides laptops, interactive panels, robotics kits, drones, and other programming tools, with a special focus on disadvantaged schools and students. The initiative is part of Hungary's broader National Digitalisation Strategy and Digital Education Strategy (2016).
Útravaló (Pathfinder) Scholarship Programme
Initiated in 2006, the Pathfinder Scholarship Programme aims to support disadvantaged students, including Roma and adopted children, to continue and complete secondary school or vocational training. In addition to providing EUR 23.5-52.2 per month to students based on academic performance, the programme also provides mentorship for school progression. Eligibility for the programme is means-tested to target disadvantaged and multiply disadvantaged students, and considers family salary, number of people in the household, and the district of residence.
National and Roma Minority Study Scholarships
The National and Roma Minority Study Scholarships were established by law in 2011 to support minority secondary school students from disadvantaged conditions to continue secondary education. It is currently government by Decree number 4 of 2019. Provision is restricted to high-achieving students with a grade point average of 4.0. In the Roma case, both students and schools serving Roma are eligible to apply for funds. Qualified students receive HUF 30,000 every month for two years by the Ministry of the Interior.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Social Inclusion Strategy 2030
The Social Inclusion Strategy 2030, launched officially in 2020, is a government-coordinated initiative running through 2030 that utilises both national and EU funding to support poor, Roma, and socially excluded families. Coordinated mainly by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry for Social Affairs, it builds on previous frameworks like the “Legyen jobb a gyermekeknek!” child poverty strategy and the EU Roma Framework to guide resource allocation. The strategy’s education component provides school start packages, meals, textbooks, and early childhood education support, with a focus on territorially disadvantaged communities, multiply disadvantaged children, and Roma populations. A key part of the implementation is the “Felzárkózó Települések” (Converging Settlements) programme, which combines educational support with local development and family services in over 300 high-risk settlements. Resource distribution considers household income, employment status, settlement type, and ethnic background where relevant.
The Family Allowance Programme
The Family Allowance Programme, also known as the childcare and education allowance, provides financial support to parents, guardians, or foster parents raising children in their own households. This benefit is linked to the child’s educational progress and is paid throughout compulsory education. For children who continue their studies beyond compulsory schooling, the allowance can be extended until the end of the school year in which they turn 20, and for those with special educational needs, it may be continued until they reach 23 years of age.
The Child Raising Support in Hungary, known as GYET (gyermeknevelési támogatás), is a financial benefit aimed at families with three or more minor children. It provides a monthly allowance from the time the youngest child turns three until they reach eight years old, usually the age when compulsory education begins. The purpose of GYET is to enable a parent, often the mother, to stay actively involved in caring for and supporting early learning for young children before they start formal schooling. The benefit is funded by the state and paid directly to eligible families regardless of employment or income status. In 2025, the allowance is HUF 28,500 per month, and recipients pay a 10% pension contribution. GYET is part of Hungary's broader family policy system supporting child-rearing at home and has been in place continuously with updates for several years, being particularly valued in the national social norm to support parental involvement during early childhood.
5. School meal programmes
Hungary’s government-run Institutional Child Catering programme provides lunch as the main meal for pre-school and primary school students universally, while targeting secondary school students more selectively based on parental or guardian requests, combining universal access with optional participation. Students’ families contribute to the school feeding program by paying either the full or partial price for school meals.
Financed by the national budget through the Ministry of Human Capacities, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of the Interior, funds are transferred to local governments which run the programme. The catering strictly adheres to national nutritional guidelines set by Decree 37/2014 (IV. 30.), issued by the Ministry of Human Capacities, which regulates public catering and school meals by mandating food-based standards—such as required servings of fruits and vegetables, limits on fried foods (maximum one day per ten), restrictions on sugary drinks, and age-specific salt and sugar limits—as well as nutrient-based standards focusing on energy, calcium, and sodium, though some micronutrients like iron and vitamin C are not explicitly regulated. Nutritionists and specialists contribute to policy design and monitoring, with biannual assessments conducted by the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition to ensure compliance and update requirements.
This profile was reviewed by Jekatyerina Dunajeva, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy at Corvinus University of Budapest.
