Following the success of the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic years of the Stipendium Hungaricum Sport Scholarship Programme, World Aquatics and the Hungarian government are pleased to announce the class of 2024/2025 scholarship recipients.
Ten athletes hailing from ten countries and representing four continents join this innovative and comprehensive programme, which enables swimmers on a trajectory to represent their country in international swimming competitions to continue their sports careers while also pursuing their academic aspirations at respected Hungarian universities.
The 10 freshly minted scholarship holders are:
- Jonathan Raharvel – Madagascar
- Luka Kukhalashvili – Georgia
- Abobakr Abass – Sudan
- José Campo Hernández – El Salvador
- Ganga Senavirathne – Sri Lanka
- Alicia Kok Shun – Mauritius
- Maria Castillo Cedeño – Panama
- Tendo Joel Kaumi – Uganda
- Lilia Sihem Midouni – Algeria
- Trisha Mutumbulua – Namibia
Before the naming of the class of 2024/2025, the programme had twelve athletes representing the following nine countries: Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, Algeria, Paraguay, Panama, Maldives, Bahrain, and Sri Lanka.
Stipendium Hungaricum Sports scholarships are available for bachelor, master, and doctoral programmes. All 10 of this year’s scholarship recipients will pursue their bachelor’s degree as full-time university students.
Six student-athletes will study and train in Budapest, and the other four will study in Debrecen, Eger, and Pecs. The scholarship holders will start their studies in Hungary in September 2024.
The new students will pursue their studies at the following Hungarian universities: Hungarian University of Sports Science, Eötvös Loránd University, University of Pécs, Corvinus University of Budapest, Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, and University of Debrecen.
“I am delighted to announce the continuation of our collaboration with the Hungarian government and the Hungarian Swimming Federation for the 2024/2025 academic year,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam. “With each year, this scholarship programme grows in impact. I could not be more excited for the ten student-athletes selected for this upcoming class of Stipendium Hungaricum recipients. Each of them is on a pathway that can help them unlock their full potential and achieve greatness – in and out of the pool.”
Added Deputy State Secretary Miklós Lengyel: “With this year’s Stipendium Hungaricum Sport scholarship holders, Hungary’s internationally recognised education and sport system grows in stature and prominence. We are greatly invested in the success of these student-athletes and this programme, both now and in the future.
“We hope our expertise and the experience of the current scholarship holders will encourage more athletes to pursue their academic, sports and professional aspirations in Hungary.”