Budapest Summer Program in Mathematics, Hungary
This program is currently not accepting applications and will be paused through Fall 2023. If you would like to discuss your study abroad options, please contact the CWIL office at abroad@saintmarys.edu.
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.
Location:
Located on the Danube river, the city of Budapest offers opera, ballet, art museums and much more. BSM students can travel and sightsee, enjoy a sporting event or simply get immersed in Hungarian culture. Please see the BSM website (
https://www.budapestsemesters.com/program-specifics/) for more information.
Program of Study:
Founded in 1985, Budapest Semesters in Mathematics (BSM) is an academically rigorous program for motivated undergraduates who wish to study math in the beautiful city of Budapest. BSM classes are taught in English by eminent Hungarian professors. The program is devoted to problem-solving and student creativity. Courses such as “Combinatorics” and “Conjecture and Proof,” strongholds of Hungarian mathematics, are just two of the many classes offered each term.
Students can attend BSM during the fall or spring semesters or during the 8-week summer term. Students are expected to take 3-4 mathematics courses during the semester program (2 during the summer), which are all taught in English by faculty affiliated with universities in Budapest. All mathematics courses taken through BSM will transfer to Saint Mary’s, but your course selection must be approved by your academic advisor.
Before mathematics classes begin, students are expected to enroll in a 2-week intensive course in Hungarian offered through BSM (1 week for the summer program).
Eligibility and Requirements:
Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or better to apply to the program and must have completed one semester of Abstract Algebra (MATH 353) or Analysis (MATH 341) by the time the program begins. Applications for semester programs should first be made to Saint Mary’s College by the March 1st deadline; once approved you will be instructed on when and how to apply to BSM. Application for the summer program should be made through Saint Mary’s College by February 15th.
Housing:
Classes are held on the College International campus of the Technical University Budapest, which is near the historic city center. Students are offered housing in BSM-approved furnished apartments nearby. They can share an apartment with other BSM students or stay with a host family. Budapest is an easy city to navigate with excellent and inexpensive public transportation.
Dates:
The summer program runs from about the first week of June to the first week of August. The fall semester runs from approximately the third week of August to the third week of December while the spring semester begins the third week of January and finishes at the end of May. All dates listed include the intensive Hungarian language course prior to the beginning of mathematics classes.
Transportation, Expenses and Financial Aid:
Accepted students will pay one semester’s tuition, room, and board to Saint Mary’s College for the BSM program. Students provide their own round-trip transportation to Budapest. Financial aid from Saint Mary’s, scholarships, and grants can be applied to the semester, but not to the summer program.
For more information, contact:
Rebecca Méndez
Assistant Director of International Programs
Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership
574-284-4740
rmendez@saintmarys.edu
