Széchenyi Nemzetközi Gimnázium is an international boarding school offering the Hungarian Érettségi programme. Founded in 2011, we operate four campuses — in Budapest, Debrecen, Doha and Ankara.
Our mission is to provide a rigorous Hungarian academic education within an international, multicultural environment. We welcome students from 31 nationalities and prepare them for higher education at leading universities in Hungary, Europe, and worldwide.
Instruction is delivered in Hungarian, with English as a core second language. Students with limited Hungarian receive intensive language support during their first year through our Hungarian Language Integration Programme.
The Hungarian Érettségi is recognized globally as a demanding secondary school qualification. Our consistently high pass rates and university placement record reflect the quality of teaching and support our students receive.
Széchenyi Nemzetközi Gimnázium is built on three principles: academic excellence, personal development, and international understanding. We expect high standards of work and behaviour, and in return we provide an environment where every student is known, supported, and challenged to reach their potential.
Our flagship campus is located in the V. kerület (Belváros), housed in a restored 19th-century civic building with a contemporary teaching annexe. Three boarding houses occupy an adjacent residence overlooking the Duna (Danube).
Our Debrecen campus sits on the edge of the Nagyerdő forest park, a short walk from the historic Reformed Great Church (Nagytemplom). The contemporary purpose-built facility combines clean architectural lines with direct access to woodland and sports grounds.
Our Qatar campus is located in the Education City area of Doha, a prestigious academic district with views overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The campus occupies a 3.5-hectare site with modern purpose-built facilities, three boarding houses, and landscaped gardens.
Our Ankara campus is located in the Çankaya district, a prestigious residential area with views of the Ankara citadel and surrounding hills. The campus features a modern purpose-built building with outdoor terraces and landscaped grounds.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Széchenyi Nemzetközi Gimnázium founded by the Széchenyi Oktatási Alapítvány. Budapest campus opens on 1 September with 52 students across three year groups. |
| 2014 | First cohort sits the Hungarian Érettségi. 95% pass rate. Nine graduates enter ELTE, BME, and Corvinus. |
| 2016 | Debrecen campus opens in the Nagyerdő district. ECL language examination centre authorisation granted (HU-034). |
| 2018 | Qatar campus opens in Education City, Doha. Student body reaches 240. |
| 2019 | Széchenyi Heritage Bursary launched for Hungarian-heritage students abroad. Hardship Fund established. |
| 2021 | Ankara campus opens in Çankaya. Full Council of International Schools accreditation awarded. 380 students across four campuses. |
| 2024 | Record Érettségi results: 93% pass rate, 41% jeles (distinction) in four or more subjects. |
| 2026 | 487 students, 31 nationalities, four campuses. Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award introduced at all campuses. |
Széchenyi Nemzetközi Gimnázium is a state-recognised Hungarian gimnázium. Our teaching, examinations, and boarding operations are subject to the oversight of several external bodies.
Registered with the Hungarian Education Authority. Our curriculum and Érettségi examinations are delivered under the Nemzeti alaptanterv (National Core Curriculum) and inspected every four years.
Authorised centre for ECL language examinations (A2–C1) in English, German, French, Spanish, and Russian. Sessions held three times per year.
CIS accreditation covers governance, teaching standards, student wellbeing, and international-mindedness. Re-evaluation due 2028.
Member of the British Council’s International School Award network, through which our students undertake collaborative projects with partner schools in fourteen countries.
Full licensed centre for Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. The Award is offered as an optional programme from 9. évfolyam onwards, with approximately 120 participants each year.
Our Doha campus is licensed by the Qatari Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The Ankara campus is registered with the T. C. Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (Turkish Ministry of National Education).
The school is operated by the Széchenyi Oktatási Alapítvány, a non-profit educational foundation registered in Budapest. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees sets strategy and appoints the Principal; day-to-day leadership is exercised by the Senior Leadership Team.
The Board meets four times each year; minutes of non-confidential sessions are available to current parents on the KRÉTA portal. The school’s audited financial statements are published annually and filed with the Hungarian Court of Registration.
The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of our students is the condition on which everything else rests. We operate under a written safeguarding policy aligned with the Hungarian Child Protection Act (Gyvt. 1997) and the international standards set by the Council of International Schools.
Every member of staff — teaching, boarding, catering, administrative — receives annual safeguarding training. All boarding houses maintain 24-hour cover; every campus has a named Designated Safeguarding Lead; and our school-wide Safeguarding Lead reports directly to the Board of Trustees.
Students, parents, and staff may raise a concern in confidence by writing to safeguarding@szechenyigimnazium.com. All reports are acknowledged within 24 hours.
