The programme aims to encourage enrolment in doctoral studies. Under the programme, the NRDI Fund provides 50% complementary funding to higher education institutions that undertake to pay pension contributions payable by their students for the purpose of acquiring years of service on the basis of a social security agreement.

Programme

Pension Matching Fund

Source of funding for the programme

National Research, Development and Innovation Fund 

Total budget

The total budget of the programme as per the 2025 Programme Strategy is HUF 300 million.

Maximum funding per project

50% of contributions paid in respect of doctoral students.

Entities eligible for funding

Higher education institutions

Funding period

The funding has been approved for the period between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.

Submission of applications for funding (institutions)

Higher education institutions may submit their applications for funding foreseeably between 1 and 30 September 2025 via the Electronic Portal for Application, Information and Communication (EPTK).

Objective of the Programme, eligible entities

The Pension Matching Fund programme aims to help doctoral students gain years of service and thereby increase the attractiveness of doctoral studies. The programme offers higher education institutions the opportunity to pay students’ social security pension contributions enabling them to accrue service time during their studies.

Pursuant to Section 48(4) a) of Act CXXII of 2019 on Entitlements to Social Security Benefits and on Funding These Services, the programme provides funding to students who are enrolled in full-time doctoral programmes and on whose behalf the university has concluded a pension insurance agreement with the government office with jurisdiction over the student’s place of residence.

Only higher education institutions that have proven to have paid pension contributions in accordance with the agreement are eligible for funding.

Implementation of the programme

Funding is provided in the form of post-financing, i.e. it only applies to payments that have already been made and documented. Applications for funding are subject to a preliminary eligibility check, and payment is made after the technical and financial reports have been approved.

Documents to be submitted

• Summary table of the students involved,
• Certificate of student status for the semesters for which the students is eligible,
• Agreement on the payment of pension contributions concluded on behalf of the student between the university and the government office with jurisdiction,
• Document certifying the payments of contributions reliably confirming that the contributions for the given period have been paid.

Legal background

The Pension Matching Fund programme is run in line with Government Decision 1242/2023 (VI. 21.) on complementary funding to increase the number of students in doctoral programmes.

Contact:

For further information about the programme, please contact the National Research, Development and Innovation Office at the following e-mail address: nkfialap@nkfih.gov.hu.