The Hungarian Community School, Adelaide Inc. has been part of the fabric of South Australia’s Hungarian community for more than 60 years. We were founded by members of a community determined to ensure that their language, culture and heritage would not be lost on Australian shores — and that same determination drives us to this day.
How the school began
The Hungarian community in Adelaide grew significantly in two waves of migration: first in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and again following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, when many Hungarians fled their homeland and rebuilt their lives in South Australia. It was from within this community that the school was born, established by volunteers who understood that language is the heart of cultural identity.
From the beginning, the school has operated as a non-profit organisation, staffed entirely by accredited volunteer teachers, all of them native Hungarian speakers. There have never been shareholders or profit motives — only a shared commitment to passing the Hungarian language on to the next generation.
How we have changed
Over the decades the school has evolved with its community. What began as classes for the children of Hungarian migrants has grown into a multi-stream school: online primary classes grouped by ability, an online SACE Stage 1 and 2 program for secondary students, and adult classes welcoming learners of all levels and backgrounds.
Something unique in the world
One of our proudest achievements is being part of something genuinely unique: Australia is the only country in the world where students can graduate from high school with a Hungarian language qualification that counts towards their university entrance score. The Adelaide school has been central to making that possible.
Who learns with us today
Our adult students include people reconnecting with their Hungarian heritage, partners and spouses of Hungarian families, and anyone drawn to the challenge and beauty of one of the world’s most distinctive languages. Our SACE program reaches students not just in Adelaide but across Australia through online delivery.
We remain South Australia’s only registered and accredited Hungarian language school — and after more than six decades, we are still here, still teaching, and still proud to call Adelaide home.
Gyere és tanulj velünk! — Come and learn with us!