Útravaló – On the Road Bursary Programme

Útravaló – On the Road Bursary, MACIKA Programmes

Summary

The Útravaló (On the Road) Bursary Programme was introduced in Hungary to reduce educational inequalities affecting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly Roma learners and those living in deprived regions. The programme combines financial support with individual mentoring to help students complete secondary or vocational education and progress to higher levels of learning. Strengthened through the integration of the MACIKA scholarship scheme in 2011, it aims to improve educational attainment, equal opportunities, and social inclusion among vulnerable student groups.

Agenda setting

Context

The Hungarian education system was widely criticised for its strong mechanism of early student selection. Educational trajectories were too often shaped by families’ social and cultural capital, contributing to the reproduction of educational inequalities. Especially Roma students, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those from peripheral or disadvantaged regions were affected by inequalities.

In 2011, the programme was merged with earlier scholarship schemes financed by MACIKA (Magyarországi Cigányokért Közalapítvány, Public Foundation for Hungarian Roma). This reform was based on the recognition that Roma students belonged to one of the most educationally disadvantaged groups in Hungary.

Aim:

The On the Road Bursary Programme aimed to support students from disadvantaged communities/groups in lower and upper secondary and vocational schools, enhancing equal opportunities. The programme provided financial assistance and mentoring, with mentors working with students to achieve academic or vocational goals, such as entering secondary or higher education or completing vocational qualifications. An explicit objective of the reform was to include as many Roma students as possible, particularly through the MACIKA Programme, which targeted this group.

Target Groups

• Roma students
• Students from peripheral and disadvantaged areas
• Students with low socio-economic background

Back to Table of Contents

Formulation and Implementation

Legislative documents
Government Decree No. 152/2005 (VIII. 2.) on the Útravaló Scholarship Programme (152/2005. (VIII. 2.) Korm. rendelet az Útravaló Ösztöndíjprogramról).
Link: https://palyazatok.org/utravalo-macika-osztondijprogram-eselyegyenlosegi-osztondijak/

Key actions / main measures
The reform included several key measures. First, it provided financial support to students from disadvantaged communities and groups through bursaries. Second, it introduced a mentoring system in which mentors helped students set and achieve academic and vocational goals. The mentors received financial incentives based on their students’ success rates. In 2011, the MACIKA Programme was introduced as a specialised initiative within Útravaló, aimed at Roma students. Additionally, the reform sought to ensure that as many students from disadvantaged communities/groups as possible, especially Roma students, had access to the programme.

Evaluation and Sustainability

The programme has demonstrated a high degree of sustainability, having operated continuously since its launch in 2005 and remaining a central element of Hungary’s policies for supporting disadvantaged learners. A stable legal framework, successive government commitments, and integration with other inclusion initiatives, including the MACIKA scholarship scheme from 2011 onward, have facilitated its long-term continuation.

Over time, funding sources have also evolved. While initially financed primarily through domestic resources, some components were later supported through European Union programmes, particularly those aimed at reducing early school leaving and promoting educational inclusion. The programme’s continued existence, the maintenance of a nationwide mentoring network, and the regular renewal of scholarship calls suggest it has become an institutionalised element of Hungary’s educational equity strategy.

Nevertheless, the programme’s long-term effectiveness and sustainability depend on sufficient financial resources, timely scholarship payments, and the ability to expand coverage to a larger share of students from disadvantaged communities/groups and Roma students. Evaluations have therefore recommended strengthening outreach and ensuring that the programme continues to target students facing the greatest educational barriers.

Back to Table of Contents

Transferability potential

The transferability potential is high because the programme is based on two widely applicable mechanisms: financial support for students from disadvantaged groups/communities and individual mentoring. These approaches address challenges that are common across many education systems, including educational inequality, early school leaving, low progression to upper secondary education, and the underrepresentation of students from disadvantaged communities/groups in higher levels of education.

Back to Table of Contents