Core Courses 

1. Law and Regulation (24 credits): Legal Frameworks of Multilevel Governance, Regulation of International Business Transactions, Sustainability and Consumer Protection, European Corporate Law, Comparative Administrative Law and Organisation, Artificial Intelligence and Technology in Private Law

2. Politics, Public Policy, and Governance (18 credits): Global and European Governance, Comparative Politics, Public Policy, Ideas That Matter: Philosophy, Ethics, and Political Thought for Law, Politics, and Economics

3. Economics (18 credits): Public Economics and Public Choice, Firms, Transactions and International Markets, Economic Analysis of Law

Research Methodology, Analysis, and Practical Decision-Making Skills (22 credits)
Writing, Reasoning and Professional Communication, AI for Professional Practice, Data Analysis and Quantitative Research Methods, Qualitative Research Methods for Social Sciences and the Law, Leadership Skills Development

Modules and Electives (24 credits)
Students can select courses from 2 Modules (Legal Strategy & Regulatory Challenges for Business; Policy Making in European Context) and a wide range of electives offered by the Faculty of Law and other ELTE Faculties.

Capstone course and Thesis Portfolio
Capstone course: Policy Lab or Business Lab (4 credits)
Thesis Portfolio (14 credits)

Program plan

This program prepares graduates for decision-making and analytical roles across the business, non-profit, and public sectors.
Specific career destinations include:

• large corporations: (e.g., strategy formulation, governmental relations, regulatory and legal compliance)

• small and medium enterprises

• market research, corporate analysis, and consulting firms

• international law firms (for graduates holding a law degree)

• international organizations and institutions of the European Union

• national, regional, and local governments and administrative agencies

• firms providing economic or political analysis 

• political parties, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society organisations

• research institutes 

• electronic and print media

Job examples:

• Regulatory affairs specialist / compliance officer at a large corporation (e.g., in finance, tech, or pharmaceuticals).

• Policy analyst / advisor for a government, a think tank or an EU institution.

• Government relations manager at a lobbying firm.

• Economic development consultant at an NGO.

• Executive manager at a nonprofit organisation.

• Research analyst at an international organization.

• Journalist for a public affairs magazine.

1) Undergraduate / Bachelor diploma (or higher)

Applicants must hold a university bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent college degree) or a master’s degree in one of the following fields: Law, Economics & Business, Social Sciences, and Public Administration. 

Applicants with a bachelor’s or higher degree in other fields may also be admitted. Each degree will be considered individually, and transcripts from the degree as well as course descriptions may be requested. The applicant must have 15 credits from the fields of Economics, Social Sciences, Law or Public Administration. Alternatively, proven work experience or non-formal learning in these fields up to 15 credits may also be considered. 

2) Language requirements

Minimum level of language proficiency (oral) (A1-C2): B2
Minimum level of language proficiency (written) (A1-C2): B2 

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting standardized English language test scores, such as TOEFL or others listed here. The test results must prove proficiency at least at level B2 in both oral and written skills. For each type of exam, the list provides the minimum test scores required for admission:

• IELTS Score: 5.5

• TOEFL iBT Band (old scale): 46-59

• TOEFL iBT (2026 scale): 4.0

• Cambridge English Scale Score: 162

• Pearson Test of English: 36-42

• Duolingo English Test: 95-100

• Oxford ELLT: 5

• LanguageCert Academic: 60

• Euroexam (oral and written): B2

Applicants qualify for exemption from this requirement if they have obtained, or will be obtaining in the current academic year, a Bachelor’s and/or a Master’s degree taught exclusively in English. If the language of instruction is not clearly stated in your academic records, upload an official letter from your university confirming that you were/are being taught exclusively in English throughout your studies.

3) Oral Entrance Exam

The oral entrance has a Questions and Answers format. It consists of three parts: (1) A short introduction and questions about the motivation of the candidate. (2) Discussion of simple questions of economics, assessing the candidate’s familiarity with basic concepts and analytical tools of economics (see the Readings section below). (3) Discussion of a contemporary issue with legal, political and economic aspects, introduced by the exam committee, assessing your general intellectual skills, curiosity and ability to apply theories to real-world issues, based on the assigned readings (see below).

The ranking is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the Applicant’s academic excellence and motivation, based on the submitted documents and the performance at the oral entrance exam. 

A successful entrance exam is the prerequisite of getting admitted. If the applicant fails the entrance exam, the application will be rejected.

Readings for the entrance exam

I) Basic concepts of economics
The CORE Econ Team (2023). The Economy 2.0: Microeconomics. Open access e-text available at https://core-econ.org/the-economy/. Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.
This is an open-access introductory textbook for Economics. Chapters 1 to 4 explain basic concepts and models. An overview of key concepts is provided in the Summary at the end of each chapter. 
This reading enables students who have not studied Economics to prepare for the second component of the entrance exam. Students who have studied Economics will find this textbook useful for refreshing their knowledge. (Other useful introductory textbooks include Mankiw, Gregory: Principles of Economics; Cowen, Tyler & Tabbarok. Alex: Modern Principles of Economics)  

II) Readings for interdisciplinary discussion
Applicants should prepare for the third component of the entrance exam (discussion of a contemporary issue) by familiarising themselves with assigned readings. Do not memorise their contents. Instead, focus on key ideas and arguments. You will be expected to apply them in an open discussion of a specific contemporary issue.
Assigned readings downloadable here (available from 1 February, 2026).

Application for all who are not Hungarian citizens:

On-line application via DreamApply
Applicants must register in the online application system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents and follow the instructions during the application process.
[Students who (also) hold Hungarian citizenship must apply through felvi.hu. Please note that if an application is submitted not according to the aforementioned, it will be rejected.]

The application deadlines refer to the final submission of the complete application package through the online application system.
For the September intake, there are three application periods:
1. Early Bird Period: 2026 February 1 – 2026 March 31 (23:59 CET)
2. Regular Period: 2026 April 1 – 2026 May 31 (23:59 CET)
3. Last Call Period: 2026 June 1 – 2026 June 30 (23:59 CET)
These distinct periods allow applicants the flexibility to submit their applications at their convenience. All applicants within each period have an equal chance of gaining admission to the programme. If a sufficient number of applicants are accepted in the Regular period, the University reserves the right to cancel the Last Call period 

The Admission Board reviews the applications on an ongoing basis. It notifies eligible Applicants about the exact time and date of application interviews conducted via Ms Teams. Applicants are responsible for having technically suitable conditions for the interview from their side.

After the admission interview, applicants are informed of the selection outcome through the online application system within approximately one month. If the offer is accepted, admission letters are sent out through the online application system as soon as possible, as specified in the offer decision. Based on the results, some Applicants may be placed on a waiting list.

Application for Hungarian citizens

Hungarian citizens must apply at www.felvi.hu. (This MA program will be available at www.felvi.hu from 1 February, 2026.)
Deadline of application: 15 February, 2026.
Entrance exams take place in June 2026.
Admissions Guide for Hungarian applicants (pdf)