Congratulations on your successful application to the program Budapest ...
probably talked to friends and looked up references about traveling and living
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Important Information for Budapest Semester Participants Congratulations on your successful application to the program Budapest Semesters in Mathematics. By now, you have probably talked to friends and looked up references about traveling and living abroad. You may even have looked up information about Hungary. Below are some items of information for your trip.
Things to Do in Advance It is possible to take the GRE at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. It is, however, difficult to apply to graduate schools and NSF graduate fellowships when you are away from your home college. Try to get it done early. Fall semester participants are encouraged to take the Putnam exam while in Budapest. The North American BSM office will contact the Putnam advisor at your home institution, but your home institution must list you on your home school Putnam list to be eligible for participation.
Visa In order to enter Hungary, you need a valid passport. If you are a non-North American citizen, please check with your home country consulate and the Hungarian Consulate General's Office about special documentation requirements before departure.
Currency ATM machines are readily available in Budapest and accept most major credit and bank cards. They also give a very good exchange rate. You can exchange dollars or travelers checks to forints (the Hungarian currency) at the airport, rail station, or any of the hotels or banks in Budapest. There remains a currency black market in Hungary, but there is also a good deal of counterfeit currency in circulation; don't trade currency with strangers! It is not a good idea to exchange all your money at once. The bank will convert only part of your surplus forints back to dollars and will again charge you for the privilege. Personal checks, cashier checks, money orders, etc., cannot be readily exchanged. International banking is quite slow. Although you may deposit a personal check at some banks, it may take several months until the check clears. It is a good idea to bring some personal checks along in case you have to mail away for something like a GRE registration. If you'd like, you may exchange up to $200.00 into Hungarian forints before departure.
Prohibitions Do not take any weapons or illegal drugs to Hungary.
Medical Insurance You will be offered Hungarian student insurance (about30,000 HUF per semester) for your stay. This insurance covers emergency medical benefits (including hospitalization) during your stay in Hungary but will not pay for treatment done outside Hungary. Again, for long term benefits and coverage outside Hungary, make sure you are covered by an insurance in the U.S. or Canada.
Climate Similar to Pennsylvania. It can be quite windy near the river Danube (next to the campus). Note that in Europe,
temperature is measured in centigrade.
Things to Take Along Don't forget your passport, airline ticket, a major credit or debit card, and a sufficient amount of money in cash and travelers checks to cover immediate expenses upon arrival. A dozen extra passport-type photos may come in handy. The attached sheets contain important names and telephone numbers; we recommend that you carry these sheets with you in your carry-on luggage. It is important that you bring an ample supply of any medicine you frequently use. Take shoes and clothes appropriate for all seasons. Apartments come completely furnished with such things as furniture, sheets, towels, kitchenware, etc. Clothes dryers do not exit. Thick items, such as sweatshirts, take two to three days to air dry. While traveling, keep your passport, cash, and a week's supply of any vital medication in your carry-on luggage. Although unlikely, it may happen that checked baggage is put on the wrong plane. At check in time, make certain your baggage is labeled inside and out with your final destination: Budapest Semesters in Mathematics; College International; Bethlen Gabor ter 2 in District VII.
Electricity The voltage used in continental Europe is 220. This renders most American appliances useless unless they are convertible, battery-operated, or you have an adapter. Note that the outlet geometry is also different. For batteryoperated devices, it may be advisable to take a set of spare batteries along for the trip. Sometimes, it may be difficult to get the right size battery.
Schedule Two semesters are offered each year; each semester comprises fourteen weeks of teaching and one week of comprehensive examinations. There is a brief orientation program at the beginning of each term. A student may participate in either semester or in two consecutive semesters. The academic program always begins on a Monday; the Welcome Party for new students is held on Friday afternoon of the week preceding classes; and the Farewell Party is held on Thursday afternoon during final exam week. The Spring semester includes a one-week break usually before the Easter weekend. There are no classes on March 15, May 1, Whit (or Pentacost) Monday, August 20, October 23, November 1, and Thanksgiving. The office in Budapest will be closed on these holidays. The Babilon Language School offers a 2-week intensive language course in Hungarian about two weeks prior to the beginning of each semester. This is an optional choice, not included in the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Program fees. The cost of the optional intensive language class is approximately 80,000 HUF US and is payable to the Babilon Language School upon arrival in Budapest. Babilon School of Languages 1075 Budapest Karoly krt 3/a IV em Hungary telephone: (011) (361) 269-5531 fax: (011) (361) 322-6023 email:
[email protected] www.babilon-nyelvstudio.hu
Travel You may make travel arrangements through any experienced travel agent. Each of the agencies listed below has had experience arranging travel to Hungary for BSM students. Be sure to tell them that you are a participant in the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Program. http://www.statravel.com, http://www.northfieldvip.com, www.studentuniverse.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.raileurope.com.
You should be aware that the cost of a flight to Budapest can vary as much as several hundreds of dollars from one travel agency to another or "on-line". Shopping around to compare prices is a good idea.
Arrival Program representatives will meet you upon arrival if they know the time, date, and location of your arrival (airport or rail station). It is therefore vital that the organizers in Budapest are informed about your travel well ahead of time. Please complete your travel forms on-line. The North American Office will keep a copy and send one to Budapest. Under most circumstances, someone from the program will meet you upon your arrival in Budapest and you will be taken to your residence. However, if your arrival in Budapest is scheduled at an odd hour (between 8:00pm and 7:00am, for example), please find lodging at a hostel or hotel for the night and take a taxi to the Budapest Office (Bethlen Gabor ter 2) the next working day. To call a telephone number in Budapest from the United States, you prefix the number with 011-36-1. Dialing 011 summons the international switchboard, 36 is the country code for Hungary, and 1 is the city code for Budapest. Calling cards or Hungarian cell phones to the U.S. are cheapest. Note the difference in time zones. When it is noon in New York and 9 a.m. in San Francisco, it is 6 p.m. in Hungary. At 6 p.m. in New York, it is midnight in Budapest.
Mail Your mailing address in Budapest will be:
Packages or Fed Ex [Student Name] College International Budapest Semesters in Mathematics 1071 Budapest Bethlen Gabor ter 2 HUNGARY
Letters Only [Student Name] College International Budapest Semesters in Mathematics 1406 Budapest 76 P.O. Box 51 HUNGARY
Accommodations If you have indicated that you prefer living with a Hungarian family, I should warn you that most families in Budapest live in small apartments with just one bathroom. Please let me know well before you leave if you have special accommodation needs, e.g., do you have allergies, do you wish to be in a non-smoking environment, etc. A "room match" form was sent to you in your acceptance packet and can also be found here. You can indicate special needs or wants on this form. Please return the form to the North American office so that they may apprise the Budapest office of these. The person who meets your plane or train from the Budapest office should accompany you to your housing and go over the lease with you. They should also give you a mini orientation of your "environment" including your new neighborhood and how it works [i.e., where to catch the public transportation and how to use it; where the food stores in your area are located; and to mark a route on your map of how to get from your location to both the Babilon Language School (if you are taking the optional language course) and College International on Bethlen Gabor ter]. Rents are payable in Budapest usually on a monthly basis. Rent will be payable on the day of your arrival. Often a security deposit equal to approximately one month's rent is also due on the day you arrive. [The refundable housing deposit you paid us is for bills or damage which are not invoiced before you return home.] Please be aware that Hungarian customs and laws governing rental properties varies from apartment to apartment and vary greatly from laws in North America. It is possible that if you are attending the language program and arrive in the middle of the month, you will be charged for the whole month (either August or January). We have no jurisdiction over these issues. Do not sign any lease agreements until you fully understand and are comfortable with the terms. The landlord should be willing to give you a few days grace period in which to do so. The best way to get cash for the monthly rent is to use ATM machines. They are widely available throughout Budapest
and disperse funds in both US dollars (USD) and Hungarian forints (HUF). If any problems or concerns arise, or if you are dissatisfied with your accommodations in any way, I strongly urge you to talk to the Program Manager/s, instructors, or administrators of the program immediately, to resolve the issue. [telephone 413-3038 or cell phone 36-30-474-3924] They will help you sort out the problem and, if necessary, find another place for you to live. Please be patient and flexible, as the process may take some time to resolve; usually a solution can be found. Be prepared to feel pretty tired and disoriented upon arrival, but things usually get progressively better the more you get acclimated to your new environment and get to know your classmates.
Withdrawal from the Program Although the Hungarian program directors try to make your stay in Hungary as educationally exciting and as physically comfortable as possible, there have, on rare occasions, been students wishing to withdraw from the program. If you choose to withdraw from the program within the first five weeks, the program will reimburse a portion of your refundable tuition according to the following schedule: less than 1 week, 90%, less than 2 weeks, 80%, less than 3 weeks, 60%, less than 4 weeks, 40%, less than 5 weeks, 20%.
It is a Different Country Many things are different in Hungary. Be prepared to absorb some things: the difficulties associated with a foreign language, the lack of certain conveniences and consumer goods you are accustomed to, and the disoriented, isolated, and lonely feelings you might experience the first few days, due to "jet-lag". Having accepted this will help you minimize the "culture shock" and enable you to enjoy all the new experiences. You will find that people in Budapest are friendly and helpful, and that Hungarian food is excellent and inexpensive (you may like to eat out a lot —this is a nice way of getting to know the town). There is a lot to see and learn in Hungary. Let me quote from a letter David Wagner, a Canadian participant, sent from Budapest: Budapest is a marvelous city! I am somewhat in awe of the history and culture of this area - Hungary and all of Europe. Living in North America, it is [often] too easy to ignore the rest of the world! For that reason alone this trip is worthwhile, and everything in addition contributes to make this an incredible experience for me.
If you have any questions Email
[email protected] [email protected] (Eileen Shimota, Program Administrator)
Phone 1-507-786-3114 (Eileen) Fax 1-507-786-3116 Best wishes for a rewarding and pleasant stay in Hungary. Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Email:
[email protected] St. Olaf College Phone: 1-507-786-3114 1520 St. Olaf Avenue Fax: 1-507-786-3116 Northfield, MN 55057 © Copyright 2011 Budapest Semesters in Mathematics, All Rights Reserved
