Budapest University of Economics and Business

The aim of the course is to develop students’ foreign language skills in a business and social sciences context. This 3-credit course, comprising lectures and seminars, is available in six languages – English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish –, and is based on current economic and social topics, specialist vocabulary and the analysis of real-life scenarios. The seminar associated with the course serves to deepen understanding of the material heard and read through communication-focused analysis. On certain degree programmes, the completion of the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course in two foreign languages is compulsory. Concerning, please check your own degree programme’s curriculum.

The course provides valuable support for both university studies and future domestic or international careers, and lays a solid foundation for confident professional language use. By completing the course, students acquire advanced business and academic language skills in a foreign language and will also acquire vocabulary for job performance.

Completion of this subject is compulsory.

As you can take the subject in any semester, and it is important that you should enrol only if and when you already have a solid knowledge of the selected foreign language in question. Those who are less confident in their foreign language skills are advised to complete elective language courses first, and then take the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course.

• English
• German
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• Russian
• Hungarian
• Portuguese
• Chinese
  

Courses offered at intensive weeks

You can take part in two intensive weeks each semester and this way complete elective subjects. We also regularly offer specific-purpose and language development courses in several languages at various levels. Look out for courses offered by the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams each semester and feel free to join!

Language Plus – More than just language lessons

Would you like to delve deeper into a business or social topic in a foreign language? You are at the right place! These courses are specifically designed for students who already have solid foundations in the given foreign language and wish to develop their skills in professional or thematic contexts.

Whether you want to focus on the language of a specific field, need more comprehensive and structured support, or are looking for targeted preparation for a language exam, you will find what you need among these courses.

Discover our wide range of courses, including the following topics:

• Language Exam Preparation for Specific Purposes (at B2 and C1 levels, in several languages)
• Say it to achieve your goal: Foreign languages at the workplace
• Vocabulary Development for Specific Purposes
• Overview of Grammar
• Public Speaking Development with TED and Business Presentations
• Technical Language of the Media

 
The courses on offer are not advertised every semester; they vary from semester to semester and are available in different languages. You can find the list of currently available courses in our CoSpace portal and on Neptun when it is time for you to register for courses. When applying, please complete the language placement test and see which course is the right one for you!

Courses fill up quickly, so it is worth registering in good time! ‘Language Plus’ is not an official subject category, so do not look for this term on Neptun.

Specific subjects taught in a foreign language at diverse departments

Our university offers professional subjects taught in a foreign language in several degree programmes thereby supporting our students’ careers.
This provides an excellent opportunity to test yourself in professional situations in a foreign language and gain greater experience in professional communication in a foreign language.

If you need a little extra support, after taking elective business language courses, you can more confidently enrol in these specialised courses.

Ask the relevant departments about the range of courses on offer!

BUEB has been successfully running its Foreign Language Examination Centre for several decades. In our Foreign Language Examination Centre, you can take language examinations in languages for specific purposes; these exams and the resulting certificates are recognised by the Hungarian state.

• monolingual business communication (English, German)
• bilingual tourism and hospitality (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish)
• bilingual business (French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese)

in the following examination systems for languages for specific purposes:

• at basic level (B1),
• intermediate level (B2) and
• advanced level (C1).

The Language Examination Centre organises three examination sessions each year: in January, May and August.

BUEB’s Foreign Language Examination Centre’s own website can be accessed HERE. 

• It proves that you are capable of communicating in a professional environment in a foreign language.
• Your prestigious BUEB degree can be enhanced by a valuable language exam certificate.
• It is a long-term investment, as language skills always remain valuable.
• Having a language exam certificate means a competitive advantage in the job market, as you can become more attractive to employers.
• You have better earning potential.
• Your skills will be more marketable, as companies favour those who understand professional processes in multiple languages.
• If you pass the C1 exam, you may also be eligible for BUEB Foreign Language Scholarship (see the Foreign Language Scholarship section below).

Mock language exams

• We provide regular mock language exam opportunities via the Foreign Language Examination Centre’s Cospace5 platform.

Basic level (B1):

• I can understand the main points in texts on familiar topics in common situations at work, school, leisure, etc.;
• I can cope with most situations that arise when travelling to a country where the given language is spoken;
• I can write simple, coherent texts on topics that are familiar or of personal interest;
• I can briefly justify and explain different viewpoints and plans.

Intermediate (B2):

• I can understand the main ideas of more complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics including those related to my field of expertise;
• I can communicate orally in a way that is not burdensome for either party;
• I can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of topics;
• I can explain pros and cons in detail.

Advanced (C1):

• I can understand more complex and longer texts, including implicit meanings;
• I can communicate fluently and naturally in speech;
• I can use the language effectively for social, academic and professional purposes;
• I can write clear, well-structured, detailed texts on more complex topics.

What do the CEFR A1–C2 language levels mean?

Click HERE for further information.

Provided that – regardless of your level of study (BA or MA) – you have successfully completed the following subjects, you can apply for the scholarship as described below:

• the subject ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ and
• at least two foreign language subjects (in English, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, French) or professional subjects in a foreign language, with a total credit value of at least 4 credits, and
• you have passed – sitting for the exam for the first time – a C1-level complex language exam for specific purposes at BUEB’s Foreign Language Examination Centre
• and have applied for this scholarship,
• then the amount of the scholarship will be equal to
• 100% of the C1-level complex language exam for specific purposes fee in the event of a successful complex language exam,
• 50% of the C1-level complex language exam for specific purposes fee if you pass one part of the exam.

You can read more about the application in the University’s “Requirement System for Students of BUEB” (Section 141). 

During your degree programme, you can take a number of elective language courses for specific purposes free of charge. You can take several per semester. We strongly recommend that students make the most of these language learning opportunities. It is advisable to look for foreign language courses in the current semester (even from your first semester on) amongst the elective subjects on offer and courses offered at intensive weeks. 

Yes, but the compulsory nature of these may vary by the year of the degree programme, so it is very important to note in which year the student began their university studies. For those who started their studies at the University in the 2024/2025 academic year or later, the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course is compulsory, and in some degree programmes this must be completed in two different foreign languages.

The exact requirements and the relevant subjects can be found in the programme-specific curricula.
We recommend that students in higher years check the information available in Neptun or on the website under the ‘Foreign Language Requirements’ tab, which contains the rules applicable to their year group.

The purpose of the language placement test is to enable the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams to form linguistically homogeneous groups. Although it is not compulsory for students to take the test, it is definitely in every student’s best interest to do so in order to ensure that no one is placed in a group that is either too ‘weak’ or too ‘strong’ relative to their current language proficiency (in weaker groups they would be bored, while stronger groups would be too demanding for them).

The placement test is available during course registration; you can find the test by clicking HERE.

The course can be completed in any semester until the end of your university studies.

Depending on the course offering, you can enrol in the course again next semester or in a year’s time. In the case of an elective language course – following a failed attempt – you may decide that you do not wish to take the course again in the future. The University imposes a capacity utilisation fee if a student fails to meet the requirements of an elective language course they have taken (see Section 126(14) of “Requirement System for Students of BUEB” for details).

However, the completion of the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course is compulsory, so this must be taken in a subsequent semester after a failed attempt. A ‘course re-enrolment fee’ must be paid for re-enrolling at the course.

It is advisable to complete the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course first in the language in which your proficiency level is higher. Concerning the other language in which your proficiency is lower, it is recommended that you complete as many Business [English/German/Spanish/Italian] Language 1–6 courses as possible in advance (3 credits per course). Based on the placement test, students can join a course the level of which best matches their proficiency. In addition to these, other elective language courses and other courses offered at intensive weeks are also available.

For students who started their studies before September 2024, the completion of courses of languages for specific purposes and the acquisition of specialised language credits, i.e. fulfilling BUEB’s language requirements, are compulsory. If a student holds a Hungarian B2 language for specific purposes or C1 general language certificate in a modern foreign language, they may either attend the compulsory language for specific purposes course in that language, or choose another language, or take specialised or skills development courses in a foreign language against their language for specific purposes credit quota.

For all students starting their studies in September 2024 or 2025, completion of the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course is compulsory; the subject cannot be substituted by completing other courses or by presenting a B2 or C1 language certificate.  

Although taking a specialised language course is not compulsory for students, we strongly recommend taking advantage of the language learning opportunities offered within the framework of elective language courses. In other words, it is advisable to look for foreign language courses in each semester (even in your first semester) amongst the elective subjects on offer.

Students starting their studies in September 2023 are not obligated to study foreign languages. Language courses completed during the short-term vocational programme will be credited towards the foreign language requirements of the bachelor’s degree, so there is no need to retake these courses. However, the University’s language requirements must be met: this means that a further 6 credits’ worth of specific purposes or skills-development courses in a foreign language must be completed. Regardless of any language courses previously completed in the short-term vocational programme, students completing BA programmes where the study of two foreign languages are compulsory must complete courses in the second language.

For students commencing their studies in September 2024 and 2025, the ‘Foreign Language for Business and Social Sciences’ course is compulsory.

Although taking a language course for specific purposes is not compulsory for them, we strongly recommend that they take advantage of the language learning opportunities offered within the framework of elective language courses. In other words, it is advisable to look for foreign language courses in each semester (even from the first semester on) amongst the elective subjects on offer. Language courses completed as part of the short-term vocational programme count towards credits for elective subjects.

The language colloquium assesses students’ knowledge of languages for specific purposes. The exam consists of a written and an oral part. The mark for the languages for specific purposes subject in the colloquium semester is composed of the written and oral parts of the colloquium as well as the performance demonstrated in practical classes during that semester.

In the case of a 3-semester-long language course, students sit for the exam at the end of the third and final semester of their studies of languages for specific purposes.

In the case of a 6-semester-long language course, students sit for a colloquium that covers a minimum of specialist material after the third semester, whilst they sit for a languages for specific purposes colloquium after the sixth semester.

A thorough knowledge of general language and a knowledge of languages for specific purposes material covered in each semester facilitate the successful completion of the language colloquium.

Detailed information can be found on the web page ‘Language Learning’ of the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams.

You can learn about this on the website of the Accreditation Centre for Foreign Language Examinations: HERE. You can find information about BUEB’s language exams under the ‘Language Centres’ tab on the website of the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams.

Our students may take such subjects offered in foreign languages independently of their own curricula. In Neptun, these can be found under the “All institutional subjects” tab.

The Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams also offers elective professional and language development purpose courses in the form of regular weekly classes or courses offered at intensive weeks:

1) Business [English/German/Spanish/Italian/French/Russian] courses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, where the numbers indicate language levels.

2) Language courses covering culture and country studies are available as elective courses.

3) In addition to the six main foreign languages, we occasionally offer other elective foreign language courses.

4) Language Plus – More than just language lessons: These courses are specifically designed for students who already have solid foundations in the given foreign language and wish to develop their skills in professional or thematic contexts.

Our range of elective subjects can be found under the ‘Business Language Learning’ tab the website of the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams.

Yes, without any restrictions.

You can enquire in person at the Centre for Foreign Languages and Language Exams (1055 Budapest, Markó utca 29-31, 1st floor, room 134) and we will be ready provide you with personalised advice.

Alternatively, you can send an email to idegennyelvikozpont@uni-bge.hu.