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As applications open for prospective student-athletes to join a unique university scholarship programme in Hungary, World Aquatics speaks to two athletes who have reaped the rewards of its previous editions
The Hungarian Government and World Aquatics are offering prospective student-athletes the opportunity to apply for a fourth edition of the innovative and successful Stipendium Hungaricum Sport (SHS) Scholarship Programme.
The Programme provides up to 20 emerging elite athletes with the opportunity to advance their swimming careers with expert coaching, while pursuing their academic aspirations at a distinguished Hungarian university.
Established by the Hungarian Government in 2021, the SHS Programme is implemented in cooperation with World Aquatics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, the Tempus Public Foundation and the Hungarian Swimming Federation. It covers Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees.
Participants on the SHS Programme receive an extraordinary experience which includes tuition-free education, medical insurance, a monthly stipend, dormitory accommodation or an accommodation contribution, a USD 500 monthly scholarship from World Aquatics and travel for a round trip to their home country once a year.
They also receive a full range of sporting services, including a designated top-level coach appointed by the Hungarian Swimming Federation and access to world-class training facilities, including the Duna Arena in Budapest which has hosted two editions of the World Aquatics Championships and was the venue for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in December 2024. Scholarship holders can also participate in Hungarian national competitions and represent their university in selected events, where they are supported by team doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists.
The SHS Programme has a proven reputation for helping swimmers to improve their training routines, gain more competitive experience and provide the opportunity to target major events including the World Aquatics Championships and the Olympic Games.
Hamna Ahmed from the Maldives joined the SHS Programme for the 2023/24 edition, and is studying for a Bachelors degree in Nursing and Patient Care (Physiotherapy) at the University of Debrecen. She shared how the opportunity to learn from her coaches has benefited her sporting career.
“When I was training in the Maldives, I would swim once a day, covering around 3km per session. Since moving to Hungary, my training load has doubled and I’ve been exposed to a more structured programme. We focus on specialised sets and drills, incorporating techniques I had never practised before. The coaches here are incredibly knowledgeable and have helped refine my technical skills, particularly in breaststroke,” Ahmed said.
Having competed at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest (HUN) last year, Ahmed is now looking to build on her progress since joining the programme by targeting the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
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Yousif Ibrahim from Sudan is another successful participant on the Programme, studying at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He concurs that the increased focus on training pays clear dividends in results.
“My endurance, and my kilometres per week or month [have improved the most],” he said.
He also referenced the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest as a notable highlight, recalling his experience at the event in the city that has become his home through the SHS Programme.
“It really felt unique and so good to compete in the pool we train in every day, because we can say we already get used to the pool so we feel a little bit more competent and don’t need to adapt to a new pool for two days or three days before competition, we already knew it. So I think that gave me a good push,” Ibrahim reflected.
The SHS Programme brings together talented young people from around the world in an environment which prioritises their sporting and academic progress. It provides an opportunity to create lasting friendships and connections which help successful applicants to thrive during their time in Hungary.
The opportunity to receive tuition-free education at a leading higher education institution in Hungary enables athletes to advance their careers outside the pool while improving their sporting results and performances.
It has offered Ibrahim the chance to study for a Masters in Management and Leadership, which he hopes can help with a career shift to a managerial role or starting his own business.
“I am already from an engineering background so I am trying to do a career shift to train as a manager so I can move to the next step in my life as a manager or starting a business. This helps with {knowing} how to run big projects and companies,” he said.
For both Ahmed and Ibrahim, their close relationship with fellow scholarship holders has proven invaluable.
Ahmed said: “Training and studying alongside athletes and students from different backgrounds has broadened my perspective and taught me so much beyond just swimming. Engaging with different cultures, both in sport and academics, has been an incredible experience, and I feel like I’m constantly learning. The friendships I’ve built here are also very important to me.”
Ibrahim added: “All of [the other scholarship holders] are my team mates and friends as well. We used to meet every day, twice a day, and we sometimes planned things together at the weekend. We are close friends because we spent a long time together, and I am also a social person so I like to know all the people around me and make friendships.”
Both Ahmed and Ibrahim know the challenges that can come with a move away from home to a new country, new training pattern and new academic studies. However, they both believe future applicants for the SHS Programme should have every confidence in it serving as a lifechanging experience.
“Keep an open mind and embrace the experience fully. This programme is different from anything you may have encountered before, and adjusting to the training intensity and academic workload can be challenging at first. However, if you approach it with the right mindset, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Be open to learning, growing, and stepping outside your comfort zone—it will shape you in ways you never expected,” Ahmed said.
“It really helps them to know how to manage between both, sporting and academic. It can be a bit challenging at the beginning with a new environment and the stress of studying and a new training programme. Both those things can be hard, but be patient especially on their training, and trust the process,” Ibrahim added.
Applications will be reviewed by World Aquatics, who will select 20 swimmers to continue the process. It is open to athletes from every World Aquatics National Federation except those in members of the European Union and European Economic Area.
The deadline for applications to be submitted is 21 March.
Further information can be found here.
For additional information or questions please contact the World Aquatics Development Unit:
Melissa Caballero
melissa.caballero@worldaquatics.com
World Aquatics Development Unit
development@worldaquatics.com
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