Levente Alpek B.

Department of Human Geography and Urban Studies,

Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Hungary

alpeklevente@gmail.com

ORCID 0000-0001-9637-3693

The economic impact of international student mobility – the volume and structure of expenditure in Hungary

Zsuzsanna M. Császár

Doctoral School of Earth Sciences,

University of Pécs;

Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary

mcsaszarzsuzsa@gmail.com

ORCID 0000-0002-8472-5468

Gábor Dobos

Doctoral School of Earth Sciences,

University of Pécs, Hungary

gabordobos7@gmail.com  

ORCID 0000-0002-5745-4332

Richárd Izmindi

Institute of Social Sciences and International Studies,

Faculty of Business, Communication and Tourism,

Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary

izmindi@gmail.com

ORCID 0009-0003-7047-8560

István Tarrósy

Department of Political Science and International Studies,

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,

University of Pécs, Hungary

tarrosy.istvan@pte.hu 

ORCID 0000-0002-0054-6295

Abstract. International student mobility has a significant socio-economic impact in various respects, particularly within the economic subsystem. Foreign students contribute to local economies by consuming goods and services during their stay, thus driving demand. This study explores the economic impact of foreign students participating in Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum government-financed scholarship programme. It is based on a comprehensive survey conducted in 2024, which gathered responses from 1,769 students. The analysis includes both descriptive statistical methods and cluster analysis. The findings reveal students' average monthly and annual expenditures, encompassing their tourism-related activities, incidental costs, and the consumption patterns of their guests. According to the survey, the total expenditure of Stipendium Hungaricum students is estimated at nearly HUF 36.6 billion annually. The paper also outlines the evolution of students' consumption structure, highlighting housing, food, luxury goods, hygiene products, and tourism as the primary expenditure categories. In addition, the analysis identifies three dominant consumer segments and three smaller ones based on their spending behaviour. The results of this study provide valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers interested in understanding the economic effects of international student mobility and the characteristics of student consumption.

Received: March, 2025

1st Revision: September, 2025

Accepted: December, 2025

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2025/18-4/4

JEL Classification: I22, I23, I28

Keywords: Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programme, international students, economic impact, student mobility, consumption patterns