Debrecen4U July 21, 2026

Nearly 100 Students from 31 Countries Attend Debrecen Summer School This Year

Participants in the 99-year-old programme will not only attend the Hungarian language, culture and history classes, but will also take part in folk nights, guided city walks and excursions organised for them. This year’s students are from the United States, Poland and Mexico, among other countries.

Ingrid Taschel came to Debrecen from Belgium and began learning Hungarian 25 years ago. Her father was a Hungarian from Burgenland. Trini Széll lives in the United States and also has Hungarian roots. She wants to learn Hungarian not only so that she can speak with her relatives living in Hungary, but also because she is fond of Hungarian culture and gastronomy.

Founded in 1927, the Debrecen Summer School welcomed students aged 15 to 80 from a total of thirty-one countries this year. Some wish to master the Hungarian language because of their family background, while others need it for work. The organisers of the course also ensure that students become acquainted with the values of both the city and the country. “Classes are always held in the mornings, while every afternoon there is some kind of cultural activity, such as excursions on Saturdays, folklore events on Mondays, culinary events on Fridays, and a variety of others,” highlighted Péter Szaffkó, Director of the Debrecen Summer School.

There are students attending the course on scholarships provided by the city. At the opening ceremony, Deputy Mayor István Puskás said that over the past almost one hundred years, the Summer School has lived and evolved alongside Debrecen. “Over the past years and decades, it has become a very important element of the city’s international relations. Every year, dozens of foreigners come here and become acquainted not only with the Hungarian language, but also with the city of Debrecen, before taking the city’s good reputation with them across the world,” he emphasised.

The Summer School course runs until 4 August. In the coming weeks, students will take part in guided walks around the city, learn about the Jewish Quarter, and discover the treasures of the Great Forest.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu