Starting university in a new country is about much more than attending classes. It is about meeting people from different backgrounds, discovering a new city, experiencing a different culture, and finding your place in a new community. With students from over 100 countries, BGE is a truly international university – and our recent BGE Welcome Event was the perfect opportunity for our newest students to experience this community first-hand.
Welcome to BGE: Your New International Community Starts Here
Held on 29 August in Markó Aula at the City Campus, the event brought together around 300 participants, including almost 250 newly arrived international students. Among them were 123 Erasmus+ students, 25 Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders, and more than 100 fee-paying freshmen. With students representing a wide range of countries and cultures, the afternoon was a great introduction to the diverse international community that makes BGE such an exciting place to study.
The programme was all about getting to know BGE and each other. During the interactive BGE Welcome Quiz, students could test their knowledge and discover new facts about the university, as well as about BGE’s international student community. The top three participants had the opportunity to take home some BGE goodie bags to commemorate their victories.
During speed friending, students moved from one conversation to the next, meeting someone new in every round. Each round came, with a new question or topic to help break the ice, making it easy to start conversations even with people they had never met before.
Music also played a big part in bringing everyone together. We created a shared Spotify playlist especially for the event, and students were invited to add one song from their home country. The link to the complete playlist will be shared with participants, so they can enjoy the music during their time in Hungary and keep it as a memory of their BGE Welcome experience.
And, of course, there was plenty to enjoy between the activities. Students could grab traditional chimney cake (kürtőskalács), snacks and drinks, giving them the chance to try some Hungarian flavours while enjoying some familiar favourites as well. The atmosphere was made even more lively by music, conversations and a Hungarian folk-dance performance followed by a shared dance session, where everyone was welcome to join in.
Our BEE Mentors and Head Mentors , together with university colleagues, faculty representatives and student representatives, were also there throughout the event to answer questions and help newcomers find their way around their new university.
But the Welcome Event was only the beginning. Students were introduced to the #BGE Bingo and the #BGEStartsHere26 social media challenge, inviting them to explore Budapest, discover new places, and make memories throughout their first semester. We also highlighted the importance of completing their in-person registration, while providing an opportunity to ask university staff any practical questions they might have.
The energy and enthusiasm throughout the afternoon showed that our new students were ready to make the most of their time at BGE. From meeting classmates from around the world to discovering Hungarian culture and exploring Budapest, there is plenty waiting beyond the classroom.
At BGE, you do not just come to study. You come to meet the world, find your community, and create your own Budapest story.
Welcome to BGE – #BGEStartsHere26.
Event Photos