University of Debrecen

Padnos International Center
130 Lake Ontario Hall
Allendale, MI 49401
Phone: 616-331-3898
Fax: 616-331-3899
pic@gvsu.edu

The University of Debrecen was established on January 1, 2000. It reunited formerly independent institutions including the Reformed College of Debrecen (1538). With the inclusion of this college, the University of Debrecen is the oldest institution of higher education in continuous operation in Hungary located in the same city.

Debrecen, the capital of Hungary for a short period of time in 1849, when the government fled from the now capital of Budapest, is the second largest city in Hungary with just over 200,000 inhabitants. It is a 2.5 hour train ride from Budapest and is located in Eastern Hungary, just 30 km from the Romanian border. Debrecen was nearly destroyed during WWII and suffered more damage during the Battle of Debrecen in 1944. It was during this time that Debrecen became the capital of Hungary for another short period of time and reconstruction began. The city is perfect for those who are looking for a smaller town but also looking for restaurants, shopping, cafes, pubs, museums, and more.

For more information, please visit the University of Debrecen's website.

WHEN CAN I GO?

Winter semester in Poland: February—June
Fall semester in Hungary: September—January

WHERE WILL I LIVE?

Students studying at Cracow University of Economics generally live in apartments near the CUE campus. Students studying at the University of Debrecen have the option of living in on-campus residence halls located on or near the UD campus. Additional information is available online through the host university’s website.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?

Students must be degree-seeking, have a declared major or minor in International Relations, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of application. All applicants must have completed at least 1 year at GVSU prior to participation in the program. Additionally, applicants must have completed 1 semester of Polish language prior to participation in the program.

HOW DO I APPLY?

Students interested in applying for this program will be required to complete two separate applications. The first application is the STAIR Exchange Student Application and is due no later than September 30th at noon. This application can be obtained in the Padnos International Center. If your application is approved by the STAIR Academic Board, you will be invited to complete the PIC online application.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS?

Winter Semester in Poland*

GVSU Tuition	$4,302**
Meals	$800
Airfare	$1000
Passport/Visa/Intl ID	$125
Books and Supplies	$100
Housing (off-campus apt)	$1,575
Misc. living expenses	$1000
Health Insurance (if not covered)	$300
Total	$9,202***

Winter Semester in Hungary

GVSU Tuition	$4,302**
Meals	$800
Airfare	$1200
Passport/Visa/Intl ID	$125
Books and Supplies	$250
Housing	$1,200
Misc. living expenses	$1000
Health Insurance (if not covered)	$300
Total	$9,177***

**Based on 2008-2009 in-state, upper-division tuition rate.

***The cost of any study abroad program depends to a large extent on the participant’s personal spending habits and lifestyle. Personal travel, entertainment, gifts, souvenirs, and other types of personal spending are costs not reflected in the above estimates.

IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION:

The Padnos International Center and the STAIR Academic Board will select six students each fiscal year to receive the STAIR Exchange Student Scholarship of $6,000 per semester for two semesters (Winter semester in Poland, Fall semester in Hungary). Recipients of this scholarship must agree to participate in both semesters in order to be eligible for this funding.

FINANCIAL AID

Many types of financial aid, such as loans, grants and scholarships,are available to GVSU students and can be used for meeting the cost of this program. All GVSU students in good academic standing are eligible to apply for loans. Early application for financial aid is strongly recommended.

WHO CAN TELL ME MORE?

Visit the Padnos International Center at 130 Lake Ontario Hall Monday through Friday from 8am - 5pm and Wednesday until 8pm for more information.

Academic questions: Polly Diven, Director of the International Relations Program, divenp@gvsu.edu

Application & financial matters: Rebecca Hambleton, Padnos International Center, hambletr@gvsu.edu

WHAT CREDITS WILL I RECEIVE?

Students interested in this program will be required to secure faculty approval for the courses they wish to take at the University of Debrecen and Cracow University of Economics. For details on the course options available contact the Director of the International Relations Program.

For a list of courses that have been pre-approved, please visit the Study Abroad website. Courses that are not listed on the course equivalency chart will require departmental approval.

The process for securing approval for the courses you wish to take at the host institution is as follows:

1) Carefully review the course options available during the semester you plan to study at the host institution.

2) Print off the description of the course(s) you are interested on taking at the host institution.

2) Arrange to meet with the Director of the International Relations Program.

3) Present the Study Abroad Credit Form and the host institution course description to the Director and ask him/her to complete the Study Abroad Credit Form indicating the GVSU course equivalency.

If you have questions about this process, contact the Padnos International Center.

Courses for University of Debrecen Fall 2009

Regional Policy of the EU
European Monetary Integration
Special Territories and Regional Integration in Europe
Transformation of Central and Eastern European Economies

Last Modified Date: June 29, 2009

Grand Valley State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution