Professional training - MATE Directorate of Education
Professional training
Professional training
Last modified: 15. September 2026
Section 61 of the Regulations for Studies and Examinations (hereinafter SER) and Annex 1 to the SER: Internship Regulation contain the provisions on internship.
The internship is the part of the program that takes place, within the timeframe specified in the Training and Output requirements of the higher education vocational training program, the bachelor’s program, and master’s programs, at a workplace and in a position corresponding to the professional qualification, providing an opportunity to apply acquired knowledge and practical skills together, to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge, to become familiar with the workplace and work processes, and to practice professional competencies.
The recommended semester for the internship is specified in the model curriculum for each relevant program.
The internship can generally be completed at the following types of locations:
- at internship sites offered by the university (institutes/cumpuses);
- at a placement site proposed by the student and approved by the University;
- at a professional internship site abroad.
Duration of the Internship
The duration of internships is specified in the model curriculum based on the the Training and Output requirements for higher education vocational training, bachelor’s and master’s programs, and undivided programs, as well as the provisions set forth therein.
In higher vocational education, at least one semester of professional practice must be organized at an internship site. Internship must be a continuous period of training; it may be organized in multiple segments only if the Training and Output requirements of the higher vocational education program so provide.
The internship in the field of teacher’s education is a training activity jointly defined by the University or by the University and the training site, which is planned, organized, and evaluated in accordance with the program curriculum, as specified in the Training and Output requirements. Practical training varies by programs and work schedule and takes place at the locations and for the number of hours specified in the model curriculum.
The duration and timing of the internships are determined by the academic calendar and the model curriculum. Internships should be scheduled during the regular academic term whenever possible, except for those that, due to their nature, must be completed during a different period as specified in the curriculum.
Successful completion of the internship is a requirement for the final certificate; therefore, students are required to complete the full duration of the internship as specified in the curriculum. Exemptions from this requirement may be granted solely on the grounds specified below, in accordance with applicable laws:
- in cases where prior work experience is taken into account, Section 38(4) of the SER,
- an advanced vocational qualification as defined in the National Training Register, or a vocational qualification obtainable under Act LXXX of 2019 on Vocational Training, as well as the recognition of vocational qualifications in higher education studies pursuant to Section 38(5) of the SER, and
- may be granted in connection with benefits available to students with special needs.
Selection of internship sites and administration of the selection process
Students may complete their professional internships only at domestic or international internship sites that are consistent with their program of study and course requirements. With regard to international professional internships organized by the University, the provisions of the Partial Studies Regulations shall apply in addition to the Internship Regulations.
Students may choose an internship placement from the list published by the program’s host institution (internship placements offered by the University) or through individual applications. An application form must be submitted for all internship programs; applications are managed in the NEPTUN system. The application form is available in the NEPTUN system under the “Administration” menu item, in the “Requests” submenu.
A list of professional internship partners for the training programs hosted by each institute is available on the institutes’ websites:
Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics
Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety
Institute of Food Science and Technology
Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology
Institute of Horticultural Science
Institute of Environmental Sciences
Institute of Landscape Architechture, Urban Plannig and Garden Art
Institute for Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation
Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy
If a student independently selects an internship site that is not included in the list published by the program’s host institution or in the University’s registry of internship sites, it is the student’s duty and responsibility to contact the internship site of their choice, to obtain a letter of acceptance confirming the site’s willingness to host them, and to handle the administrative procedures related to the application form to be completed in the NEPTUN system (completion, submission). Before seeking an individual internship site, the student is required to request prior approval via email from the program leader or, in the case of a specialized program, from the person responsible for the specialization. Students must submit the application form via the NEPTUN system; if choosing an individual internship site, they must attach a scanned copy of the acceptance letter completed by the internship site to the application form. The application form must be submitted no later than two months before the start of the internship period.
The acceptance form to be completed by the host company (for students selecting an individual internship placement):
Choosing an individual internship placement may be justified if the student finds a site that is more suitable for them than the recommended options, taking into account their interests, professional expectations, and the geographical location of the internship site.
Students wishing to complete their internships earlier than specified in the curriculum must submit a request through the NEPTUN system using the template for requesting early completion of an internship (Request for completion of professional practice in earlier semester than in curriculum). The request must include the name of the host organization, and the student must provide a detailed justification for the request. Applications for internships to be started in the fall semester must be submitted by 31 May, and for internships to be started in the spring semester, by 30 November.
In the agricultural study programs, in certain cases, an additional requirement for beginning the required professional internships is a certificate of medical fitness (occupational health or company physician) and proof of a negative lung screening result no older than one year (health record). The host institution will inform the student of these specific requirements.
Assessment of the internship application
When evaluating applications, consideration must be given to the alignment of the training site’s primary activities with the training objectives, as well as the size, capacity, and personnel and infrastructure conditions of the internship site.
If the student’s internship application is rejected or the host organization withdraws from the internship placement, the student may apply for one of the internship placements originally offered by the institute responsible for the program. The institution responsible for the training program contacts potential internship sites to arrange placements.
The details of the approved internship site are recorded in NEPTUN system by the Educational Directorate’s Dual Training and Internship Coordination Department (hereinafter: Internship Dept.); in the case of an internship site offered by the University (institute), this is done following the signing of Annex 1 to the cooperation agreement; in the case of an individual practical training placement, within 10 working days of the signing of the cooperation agreement and its Annex 1.
Contractual obligations related to the internship
For internships recommended by the University that last longer than 6 weeks, the preparation of Annex 1 to the cooperation agreement and its signing by the internship site shall be handled by the program hosting institute. In the case of individual internship placements, the student is responsible for preparing the cooperation agreement and its Annex 1 and having them signed by the internship site.
In the case of an individual professional internship, the student must submit the cooperation agreement and its Annex 1 to the organizational unit of the program-hosting institution located at the training site, or to the program leader, for review of the professional content, by the internal deadline set by the institution.
After review, the institute responsible for the training program shall submit the contractual documents to the Internship Dept. office on campus no later than one month before the start of the internship. The Internship Dept. is responsible for reviewing the documents and preparing them for signature. On behalf of the University, the cooperation agreements and their Annex 1 are signed by the head of Internship Dept.
For internships lasting less than six weeks, it is not necessary to enter into a cooperation agreement.
Internship agreement templates
Cooperation Agreement
Template of the Cooperation Agreement between the University and the internship host organization – Hungarian/English bilingual version (docx) (published: 15 September 2026)
Student Employment Contract
Template for student employment contract for an internship (Hungarian/English version) (docx) (published: February 2025)
Student Agreement
Template for Student Agreement for Internship Placement within a University Organisational Unit – for MATE students (Hungarian/English version) (docx) (published: 14 September 2026) (Conclusion of the agreement is mandatory for internships carried out at the University)
Template for Student Agreement for Internship Placement within a University Organisational Unit – for students of other higher education institutions (Hungarian/English version) (docx) (published: 14 September 2026)
Conducting the internship
The internship may only begin once the student has submitted all required documents for the internship application in accordance with the regulations, the internship site and period have been approved, and the student has met all academic prerequisites for starting the internship. The student must register for the internship course in the NEPTUN system during the course registration period for the semester.
Students required to complete an internship may perform work under a student employment contract with the host organization, except as provided in paragraphs (9), (12), and (13) of Section 2 of the Internship Regulations.
Students’ enrollment status may not be suspended during the internship period. According to the Regulations on Student Fees and Benefits, students receiving state scholarships are eligible for their scholarships, while self-supporting students must pay the full tuition fee for the duration of the internship.
During the internship period, students are subject to the laws governing student rights and obligations, the university’s internal regulations, and the host organization’s guidelines.
During the internship, the student carries out the internship under the supervision and guidance of a practicing professional designated by the host organization who, whenever possible, holds a higher education degree in the relevant field or has relevant professional experience (hereinafter: internship supervisor). The internship supervisor is responsible for evaluating the student’s work and certifying the student’s performance. When assigning tasks, the internship supervisor must also take into account the academic requirements of the specific internship course.
Students are required to complete their internship at their approved internship site(s). During the internship, a designated and authorized staff member from the institute hosting the program/specialization may monitor the student’s progress. In justified cases, students may be absent from the internship with a doctor’s note. Justified absences may not exceed 25% of the total internship duration. Students must make up for any absences.
During the internship, students are required to comply with the applicable accident prevention and occupational safety regulations of the company or internship site.
The student is required to complete the internship in accordance with the instructions of the internship supervisor.
The provisions of the Labor Code must be applied to the employment of students participating in internships under a student employment contract (e.g., students are not required to work on public holidays).
Pursuant to Section 17(3) of Government Decree No. 230/2012 (28 August), during the internship:
- overtime may not be ordered;
- uneven work schedules as defined in Section 105(2) and Section 106(3) of the Labor Code may not be applied;
- students must be provided with a daily rest period of at least twelve hours;
- a probationary period may not be imposed.
If a student does not complete their internship according to the standard schedule of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week (e.g., only on specific days of the week or every workday, but for fewer than 8 hours), and as a result can only complete the required number of hours for the internship in a given program over a longer period of time, then the deviation (how many hours per day they work) must be specified in the student’s employment contract and in the appendix to the cooperation agreement. The start and end times of work are governed by the work schedule of the company or institution providing the internship. The student may be assigned to any type of work—including manual labor (taking into account individual skills and abilities, as well as health and physical condition) and is required to perform such work following prior consultation.
During the internship semester, in addition to the internship course, students may only enroll in courses specified in Section 67(4) of the SER.
In accordance with the provisions of the SER and the Professional Internship Regulations, the program leader and the head of Internship Dept. may jointly issue a student guide regarding the preparation for and completion of the professional internship. These guides will be published on this page. Students participating in the internship will be notified of the availability of the guidelines via a Neptun message from the institute hosting the program.
Practical guides for each major
Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics
Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety
Institute of Food Science and Technology
Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology
Institute of Horticultural Science
Institute of Environmental Sciences
Institute of Landscape Architechture, Urban Plannig and Garden Art
Institute for Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation
Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy
The internship provider's payment obligation
During the internship, students may be entitled to remuneration as specified in the student employment contract. In programs requiring an internship, students are entitled to remuneration during the internship period. The monthly remuneration shall be at least 65% of the mandatory minimum gross wage (minimum wage). Unless otherwise agreed, the remuneration shall be paid by the internship provider.
Internships at budgetary agencies or at higher education institutions maintained by public-interest asset management foundations performing public functions may be conducted without remuneration. If a student completes an internship at a budgetary agency or at a higher education institution maintained by a public-interest asset management foundation performing public functions - even in the absence of a student employment contract and remuneration - they are entitled to all the rights guaranteed to employees under Act I of 2012 on the Labor Code.
Completion and evaluation of the internship
In all cases, the entire internship must be completed within ten working days following its conclusion, but no later than the first day of the following semester.
Upon completion of the internship, the student is required to summarize the experience and knowledge gained during the internship in the format and manner specified in Annex 1 for the relevant program. The documentation formats required for the program upon completion of the internship may include the following:
- internship report
- internship logbook (diary)
- a practical training workbook, which may include a classroom observation report and a portfolio (teachers' training program).
Students are required to submit the documentation concluding their internship through the NEPTUN system within 5 business days. The internship site will provide the student with an original copy of the evaluation; the student is required to attach this evaluation to the documentation to be submitted via the NEPTUN system to conclude the internship and to submit the original copy to the Internship Dept. office on campus.
In the field of teacher’s training, the institution hosting the program determines the content of the practical training workbook each academic year for students admitted to bachelor’s degree programs who have established student status; this content remains valid for the entire duration of the program.
Annex 1 of the Internship Regulations may require the preparation of several different types of practical documents for each field of study.
Types of documents related to the completion of the internship:
- content and format requirements for the internship report (PDF)
- internship logbook template (docx)
- host organization evaluation of the internship - online form (docx)
- host organization evaluation of the internship - to be filled out by hand (PDF)
The practice report and the completion of the internship for the respective program are evaluated by the program leader/responsible for specialization or lecturer/subject teacher/internship supervisor, in accordance with the provisions set forth in Annex 1 of the Internship Regulations, and in accordance with the requirements specified in the curriculum for the relevant internship subject. The assessment must also take into account the evaluation provided by the professional mentor or the internship supervisor, as well as the evaluation recorded on the internship site certification. The assessment of the internship is conducted using the assessment method prescribed in the model curriculum, in accordance with the evaluation system specified in the subject requirements.
The lecturer of the internship subject will record the completion and evaluation of the internship in the NEPTUN system within 5 business days of the submission of the internship documentation to the NEPTUN system and the receipt of the evaluation from the internship site.