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Karinthy Frigyes Gimnazium

Hungary, Budapest

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Hungarian, English, German
Fees Fees not listed
Ages Not listed
Pupil numbers 718
Type Co-educational
Opened 1986
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP), European Baccalaureate, Australian Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Canadian Curriculum, Catholic Curriculum, CBSE Curriculum, Chinese National Curriculum, Christian Curriculum, Dutch Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Finnish Curriculum, French Curriculum, German Curriculum, Indian Curriculum, Italian Curriculum, Islamic Curriculum, Japanese Curriculum, Jordanian Curriculum, Korean Curriculum, Malaysian Curriculum, Montessori Curriculum, Myanmar Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, Reggio Emilia Approach, SEN focussed, Singapore Curriculum, Swiss Curriculum, Taiwan 108 Curriculum, Thai Curriculum, Vietnamese Curriculum, Waldorf Steiner Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum, American Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme), IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IMYC (International Middle Years Curriculum), Advanced Placement (AP)
Taught languages English, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian
Typical class size 28
Strengths Languages, Sport, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Leadership and Professional, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium is a Budapest secondary school offering a broad international framework alongside a strong local program. The Diploma Programme is taught in English, with a long-standing two-language pathway including Hungarian-English bilingual classes and a Hungarian-German bilingual track, and a German language preparatory class. The school also accommodates extensive international curricula from nearby and global systems, reflecting its founding as a state gymnasium in 1986 and its relocation to Thököly utca 7, with a satellite campus at Thököly utca 2-4. Facilities include a main building with 23 large and 13 small classrooms plus a gym, a satellite site with 15 classrooms, two gymnasia, outdoor grounds, a central library, and connected computer networks to support language and core-subject learning. Extracurriculars include KarMUN, student leadership (IDB), a rich arts program, and international exchanges that foster cross-cultural understanding. Its international orientation supports mobility and future study opportunities across Europe and beyond globally.

1183 Budapest, Thököly utca 7

The Essentials

Karinthy Frigyes Gimnazium has 718 pupils, typical class sizes of 28, instruction in Hungarian, English, German.

Location
The school is located in Budapest, Hungary. The address is 1183 Budapest, Thököly utca 7.

Stages
The school is a Gimnázium (secondary school) offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for the final two years of study (ages 16–19).

School day structure
The school year opens with an 8:00 ceremony; the first teaching day runs 9:00–12:00; tehetséggondozó sessions run at 15:30.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
There is no school uniform.

Food Options
The school's cafeteria meals are provided by Delirest Kft.

Governance and Ownership
Public school maintained by Klebelsberg Központ; part of Külső-Pesti Tankerületi Központ.
Fees
Application fees
- There is no application fee charged by the school for admission or for participation in the standard entrance procedures; preparatory and talent-development activities run by the school are provided without charge.

Tuition fees (by year group and per term)
- There is no tuition fee for any year group: the Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium is a state-maintained public gimnázium and general secondary education is provided free of charge to students. (No term-by-term tuition applies.)

Billing schedule and payment terms (other chargeable items)
- Meals (school catering): meal participation requires a completed declaration each school year and is billed through the district catering provider (GESZ). Declarations for the 2025/2026 school year had a June 30 deadline; parents use the GESZ processes for enrollment, discounts and payments. Discounts (large family, long-term illness, regular child protection benefits) require submission of supporting documents with the declaration. Payments are accepted by the catering organisation by bank transfer and by online card payment where offered. Billing cadence and exact meal prices are administered by GESZ.
- Textbooks and printed materials: standard textbook procurement and payment follow the national textbook-distribution and ordering procedures. When textbooks are issued by the school or by the school's foundations under subsidised lending arrangements, replacement or damage compensation is charged to the student/parent according to the school's rules; in certain cases the school's foundation lends costly foreign textbooks to families at a reduced (one‑third) cost with staged repayment. Payment methods for commercially supplied textbooks normally include bank transfer and online card payments through the national/textbook distributor channels. Exact ordering deadlines and payment instructions follow the textbook-distribution schedule in force for the school year.

Boarding / colle9gium
- The school does not operate its own residential boarding facility. For pupils from outside Budapest the school can help arrange placements with partner kolle9giumok; any boarding fees are charged and administered by the kolle9gium operator (not by the school).

Other costs and typical chargeable items
- Graduation/ceremony attire: provision or rental of formal attire for events such as szalagavatf3/ballage1s may be offered for a small rental fee.
- School trips, extracurricular camps and optional activities (for example the school's Csibete1bor and exchange programs) are typically charged separately on a per-activity basis; parents are billed for the actual costs of optional trips and extracurricular programs when those activities are organised.
- Damage, loss or replacement: parents are required to reimburse the school for loss or excessive damage to school property or lent textbooks; the school specifies replacement charges case-by-case.

Refunds and cancellations
- Refunds or credits for chargeable services (for example catering cancellations or trip refunds) are handled under the rules of the organisation that issues the charge (GESZ for catering; the textbook distributor or activity organiser for other items). Reimbursement or cancellation conditions (deadlines, eligibility, and required documentation) follow the applicable provider's policies.

Fee payment options accepted
- Bank transfer (bank account transfer/standing order).
- Online bank card payment (where the service provider supports card payments for catering or textbook purchases).
- Local administrative payment channels used by the district service providers (e.g., submitting required declaration forms to the district catering office) for enrolling in chargeable services.

Summary (practical points for parents)
- There is no application or tuition fee for any year group; regular instruction is provided free as state secondary education.
- Chargeable items to budget for: daily school meals (paid via the district catering service), textbooks or materials where families purchase items, optional trips and camps, attire rental for formal ceremonies, and reimbursement for damaged or lost school property.
Academics

Karinthy Frigyes Gimnazium teaches IB (DP), European Baccalaureate, Australian Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Canadian Curriculum, Catholic Curriculum, CBSE Curriculum, Chinese National Curriculum, Christian Curriculum, Dutch Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Finnish Curriculum, French Curriculum, German Curriculum, Indian Curriculum, Italian Curriculum, Islamic Curriculum, Japanese Curriculum, Jordanian Curriculum, Korean Curriculum, Malaysian Curriculum, Montessori Curriculum, Myanmar Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, Reggio Emilia Approach, SEN focussed, Singapore Curriculum, Swiss Curriculum, Taiwan 108 Curriculum, Thai Curriculum, Vietnamese Curriculum, Waldorf Steiner Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum, American Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme), IPC (International Primary Curriculum), IMYC (International Middle Years Curriculum), Advanced Placement (AP).

Curriculum
International Baccalaureate - IB. The Diploma Programme is a demanding two-year course for students aged 16–19 that prepares them for university study. At the end of the second year, students take examinations in six subjects, assessed by professionals with international experience. The IB framework combines the best practices of different countries. The IB diploma is internationally recognized; in about 150 countries more than 2,000 universities accept it, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Humboldt, and the Sorbonne. The IB philosophy aims to develop and extend international education, and, through shared learning experiences, to help people understand each other at an international level; to support student mobility across geographic and cultural boundaries and to help them be well-informed and respectful of others; to collaborate with national education systems to design a balanced yet rigorous and continually renewing international curriculum.

Higher Education Progression
The IB diploma is internationally recognized and accepted by universities in about 150 countries, including more than 2,000 universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Humboldt, and the Sorbonne.

Gifted and Talented
As a talent-development school, we place strong emphasis on developing students in our district and the surrounding area. We organize several talent-development clubs and courses each school year. We offer a free mathematics talent-development club for talented seventh-graders in District XVIII; participation requires a good result in the mathematics competition organized by our school. For eighth-graders, we run a talent-development course to prepare for secondary school studies and to aid in a successful admissions, focusing on reading comprehension and mathematics.
Parent Experience

History
The Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium began teaching in 1986. It was then known as a State Gymnasium. In 1989 it adopted the name Karinthy Frigyes. The building was constructed in 1986 and is located at 1183 Budapest, Thf6kf6ly utca 7.

Community
The school's mission is to develop an open, accepting, understanding, patient and cooperative personality. High-level language skills are viewed as tools for deep subject knowledge, and students are prepared to think independently and responsibly as adults. The staff of about seventy fosters a supportive, trusting atmosphere, and the school offers a rich array of extracurricular activities, including foreign exchanges, participation in international student conferences, European Union projects, as well as music, arts and dance programs, study competitions and cultural events. The school runs a five-day orientation camp for new students (Csibetábor) to help newcomers settle in. The institution operates three language tracks—English-Hungarian bilingual, German-Hungarian bilingual, and an extended English track—with many subjects taught in the target language; second foreign languages include English, French, German, Russian and Spanish.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school has a Parent Association known as the Szülői Választmány (Parents' Selection Committee). It determines its own rules and operating program, elects its representatives (including the chair), and organizes its activities, including decisions on the use of its own funds. It participates in school governance and helps shape the institution's rules, bylaws and pedagogical program; it may present opinions to the leadership, and a representative from the Szülői Választmány sits on the Intézményi Tanács (Institutional Council). The Szülői Választmány's activities include organizing the Szülői Bál, which has been held since 2002 (or 2003) and serves to foster parent–teacher–student community rather than as a fundraising event. The 2020–2021 school year was an exception due to the pandemic, and the most recent ball occurred in February 2026. The Diákönkormányzat and other bodies operate alongside the Szülői Szervezet in school governance.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium operates in Budapest with a main building at Thököly utca 7 and a satellite campus at Thököly utca 2-4. The main site contains 23 large classrooms and 13 small classrooms, and one gymnasium; the satellite site houses 15 classrooms. The school has two gymnasia and outdoor sport grounds to support physical education and sport clubs. The library is a central resource with spaces for audiovisual work and project rooms for group work, backed by a modern computer network to support learning. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in English and maintains language tracks including two Hungarian-English bilingual classes, a German language preparatory class, and a Hungarian-German bilingual track.

Sports Facilities
The school has two gymnasia and outdoor sport fields to support physical education and sport clubs. The gymnasia accommodate indoor sports and related training, while the outdoor fields support a range of field sports and activities.

Academic Facilities
The local curriculum includes two Hungarian-English bilingual classes in the 9th grade and one German language preparatory class; in 10th–12th grades there are two Hungarian-English bilingual classes and one Hungarian-German bilingual class, with one advanced English class. A German language preparatory class began in 2004–2005, and the school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, taught in English, since 1992. IB students have achieved high results, and many proceed to universities abroad. The library, subject-specific rooms, and a connected computer network support language and core-subject learning.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Csibetábor is a 300-student summer camp for first-year students, supported by older students. The school runs the Karinthy Szabadegyetem and the KEKSz program, offering diverse clubs and activities such as film, theatre, languages, journalism, robotics, and more. The Karinthy Diákönkormányzat (IDB) promotes student leadership and democratic participation. The school also hosts and participates in international exchanges and runs KarMUN, its Model United Nations conference."
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school runs a Hungarian-English bilingual programme, beginning with an intensive English course in the 'zero year' of twenty lessons per week. In the following four years, core subjects are taught from the Hungarian curriculum with English-language instruction, and students are encouraged to excel in each discipline. Spanish, German, French or Russian are offered as second foreign languages. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has been available since 1992, and IB graduates have consistently achieved high results.

Arts & Creative
Music, art and dance are offered as extracurricular activities. The school provides modern facilities, including the latest technical equipment, well-staffed libraries, and fully equipped classrooms, along with recreational and sport facilities. In the evenings and on weekends, students and teachers commonly share cultural experiences beyond the classroom.

Cultural & Language
Foreign exchanges take place throughout Europe and the United States. The school hosts multi-cultural observances and celebrations. The Hungarian-English bilingual section includes native-speaking staff from Britain, the U.S., Canada and Australia. Spanish, German, French or Russian are offered as second foreign languages.

Social & Hobbies
Recreational and sport facilities are excellent. The school maintains a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. Extracurricular opportunities include music, art and dance. In the evenings and weekends, students and teachers share sights and cultural experiences around Budapest.

Community & Service
Staff show concern for students outside the classroom and work to foster a sense of school community. The three-day chicken camp orientation helps new students build school pride and tradition. The school is located in a green-belt area surrounded by parks, contributing to a welcoming environment. Evenings and weekends offer opportunities to engage with the local community.

Leadership & Professional
KarMUN is a Model United Nations conference hosted by Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium since 2005, conducted in English. Participation develops leadership, public speaking, debating and teamwork skills, with English-language communication emphasized. The school introduced the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 1992, and IB students have achieved high results.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The building design emphasizes natural light, with sloping roofs and large plate glass windows. The school is in a green-belt area surrounded by parks. There is a culture of interaction outside the classroom, with evenings and weekends spent exploring sights and cultural experiences.
Languages

Language Provision
Hungarian and English are the internal working languages in the IB Diploma Programme. Spanish, German, French, and Russian are offered as second foreign languages. Communication with parents is conducted in Hungarian or in English.

Bilingual Teaching
The school offers a Hungarian-English bilingual program. Core subjects are studied in English within the Hungarian national curriculum. In the zero year—the first year or ninth grade—students participate in an intensive English course of twenty lessons per week.

Immersion Programs
The bilingual program provides immersion in English for core subjects, with all core subjects taught in English.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Eligibility and intake: Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are invited from students who plan to continue their studies at university and seek high-level subject preparation alongside strong foreign-language proficiency. Only eighth-grade students may apply. For transfers from six- or eight-year secondary schools, a transfer request must be submitted to the principal before the entrance examination. 2. Language-focused first year: In the first year of the two-language programs, the ninth grade (KNy) involves intensive language instruction (20 hours per week). In this phase, students acquire a high level of language proficiency so that, over the subsequent four years, they study six subjects (history, mathematics, physics, biology, geography, and civics in the target language) according to the Hungarian curriculum. 3. Language instruction and diploma: Native-language teachers teach every student. The two-language program's diploma grants a high-level language certificate (C1, complex) if the required results are achieved. 4. 8th-grade entry requirements: 8th-grade applicants do not need pre-existing language knowledge. 5. Extended English program: The class learning English intensively (five hours per week) progresses so that most students obtain a B2 complex language certificate, with some attaining C1. 6. Specializations and tracks: There are three tracks with designated specializations: (a) Hungarian-English two-language track (mathematics; humán–média; TTK–informatika), (b) Hungarian-German two-language track (economics or non-specialized), (c) Four-year class with five weekly hours of English (foreign-language specialization). 7. Admissions preparation and university focus: The school emphasizes talent development and targeted subject preparation for higher education, including optional specialization in the last two years. 8. Scoring and selection: Points come from general primary school results (average of specified subjects), a centralized written entrance exam in mathematics and Hungarian for ninth-graders, and an oral entrance exam with subject-by-subject weighting that varies by specialization. Tie-breakers privilege siblings or parents who attend or attended the school. 9. Application procedure: Applications must be submitted on the central Education Office website using the official application form and data sheet; details are provided by the general school administration. 10. Special needs: Rules for students with special educational needs are applied according to the relevant educational laws, and any special exam arrangements require a parental request supported by the appropriate expert committee before the centralized written exam.

Scholarships
The Trambulin Fővárosi Tehetséggondozó Ösztöndíj is published for the 2026/2027 school year. The scholarship call and the data-processing notice are available on the school's site. Winners for the 2025/2026 academic year from Karinthy Frigyes Gimnázium are listed (e.g., Dékány Lilien, Bicsák Jázmin, Gombócz Mátyás, Moldován Olivér, Szabó Balázs, Szakmány Zsófia, Táborszki Tamara Lilla, Takács Anna Viktória, Teveli Jakab, Tompa Kristóf, Urbán Petra Krisztina, Üveges Máté, Vass-Bozsó Janka Száva, Wágner Márton, Yi Xingyou).

Waitlist
The temporary admission list for each program is accessible by clicking the corresponding program. The lists show applicant identifiers, ranking, and total points. For example, lists exist for the Magyar-English two-language track (mathematics specialization), the Magyar-English two-language track (humán–média specialization), the Magyar-English two-language track (TTK–informatika specialization), the Magyar-Német two-language track, and the Emelt óraszámú angol tagozat.
School Events
The school has not added events
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