The Faculty of Informatics at Eötvös Loránd University will launch an independent, English-language, full-time master's program in artificial intelligence for the fall semester of the 2026/2027 academic year.
The program and the related official information are expected to be available from January 31, 2026 on the felvi.hu platform. Accordingly, applications for the new master's program can be submitted as part of the ongoing admission process. Hungarian resident applicants can submit their applications for the new master's program until February 15, 2026.
The program is delivered in English, spans four semesters, and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The curriculum includes foundational courses in mathematics and natural sciences (10–20 ECTS), core courses in computer science and artificial intelligence (20–30 ECTS), AI competency development modules (40–50 ECTS), a 30-ECTS Master's thesis, and elective courses.
The program covers the core scientific and application domains of artificial intelligence, including machine and deep learning, computational intelligence, natural language processing, computer and 3D vision, reinforcement learning, multi-agent and collective intelligence methods, and other key AI technologies. Furthermore, the curriculum integrates the legal, ethical, and societal aspects of artificial intelligence, leveraging ELTE's multidisciplinary expertise and fostering the development of responsible, regulated, and socially embedded AI systems.
The program's structure supports continuous professional renewal: its content will regularly align with the latest state-of-the-art results from international research and the rapidly evolving application areas of artificial intelligence. This ensures that the program not only reflects the current technological level but can also flexibly follow new methodological directions and application paradigms. The developmental trajectory of AI and its widespread industrial application has clarified that it is not merely a temporary technological trend but a lasting and defining area of digital transformation, requiring a targeted master's-level education.
The program applies a strongly practice-oriented approach, ensuring that students gain experience in real projects alongside theoretical knowledge. This approach is reinforced by a minimum 240-hour, at least six-week professional internship, which is an integral part of the program and supports application in industrial and research environments.
The program's professional foundation is ensured by Hungary's first industrial department in artificial intelligence, established in 2020 through a collaboration between ELTE and Bosch Group in Hungary. The industrial and research experience accumulated at the ELTE IK Department of Artificial Intelligence contributes to providing a curriculum that offers up-to-date, application-oriented knowledge, enabling students to acquire competencies directly applicable in the rapidly changing job market. The active involvement of industry participants also creates opportunities for students to engage in solving practical, real-world problems during their studies.
There is significant demand in the job market for graduates in the field of artificial intelligence; with the launch of the new master's program, ELTE not only strengthens its own domestic and international competitiveness but also contributes to ensuring that Hungarian higher education provides master's level AI education at an international standard for both domestic and foreign students. The launching of this program simultaneously enhances Hungary's role in the European higher education and research space, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies. Training AI specialists is not only a technological issue but a long-term strategic investment in Hungary's future, a fundamental condition for economic growth and international competitiveness.
The launch of the independent master's program in artificial intelligence directly contributes to the flagship objectives outlined in ELTE's 2025–2030 competitiveness renewal program, aiming to make the university “a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary knowledge center for artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies.”