Juliet Adongo Omondi, a Kenyan student at Széchenyi István University, has been awarded the Stipendium Hungaricum Award of Excellence in recognition of her outstanding academic achievements and her contributions to the community. The award ceremony was recently held at the Festetics Palace in Budapest, where young recipients from 32 different countries were welcomed.
Stipendium Hungaricum is one of Hungary’s most significant international scholarship programmes, launched by the government in 2013 with the aim of providing high-quality higher education opportunities at Hungarian institutions for talented overseas students. The programme is supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, while its professional and administrative management is carried out by the Tempus Public Foundation. As a result, young people from more than 90 countries now come to Hungary to earn degrees, strengthen cultural ties, and build professional networks.
Each year, the programme’s most outstanding members are recognised: the Stipendium Hungaricum Award of Excellence is granted to those who achieve exceptional academic results and actively contribute to community life. This year, the recipient from Széchenyi István University was Juliet Adongo Omondi, who came from Kenya to Győr and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Marketing.
Juliet Adongo Omondi received the award from Dr Ádám Imre Szűcs, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Richárd Bodrogi, Director General of the Tempus Public Foundation
She stated that she had long aspired to continue her studies abroad and had been searching for an institution offering modern infrastructure, an international environment and practice-oriented education to support her development. “With its strong research background and corporate partnerships, Széchenyi University offers a competitive environment and long-term prospects even in an international comparison, while the safe and liveable city of Győr and the region’s robust economic background provide further opportunities for students. From the very first moment, I felt this was a friendly and inspiring place. Coming from Kenya, I arrived in a completely different world, yet I quickly found a home here,” said Ms Adongo Omondi.
In addition to her excellent academic performance, her active involvement in university community and cultural programmes, her support for newly arrived international students, and her important role in building the Stipendium Hungaricum community all contributed to her receiving the award. “I am very grateful to all the lecturers and staff at Széchenyi University, as I have received tremendous support from them. This award is a great honour for me and a lifelong motivation,” she added.
The Master’s student emphasised that, based on the knowledge she has gained, she is also considering the possibility of pursuing doctoral studies at the institution and envisions a future in a field where both an international perspective and practical experience are valued. The call for applications for the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year is now available, and Széchenyi István University is welcoming talented international applicants.
