Call for applications for the János Ujvári Diploma Award
for students graduating in the fall semester of the 2025/26 academic year
The aim of the János Ujvári Diploma Award is to help students approaching the end of their higher education studies to examine the topic of their diploma thesis from an intellectual property protection perspective, with appropriate professional support, and to map out the intellectual property protection aspects and protectability possibilities of the topic they have chosen.
While writing the application, students can learn about the theoretical foundations of intellectual property protection and gain insight into the economic and legal significance of its tools from a practical perspective. By participating in the application, students gain knowledge that they can later utilize in the labor market as researchers, engineers, or in any other profession.
Applicants
The competition is open to students enrolled in higher education, undergraduate and master's programs who will complete their studies by the end of the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year.
Content of the competition
Graduate students can apply for the competition with a diploma/thesis prepared by them, in which they explore the intellectual property protection aspects of the chosen topic at least 10 pages, or with a diploma/thesis that is entirely devoted to a selected issue of intellectual property protection. When evaluating the applications, both approaches are subject to equal consideration, and choosing either solution does not constitute a disadvantage when ranking the papers.
The thesis must reflect that the student has a basic understanding and interpretation of the intellectual property protection system, and can place the examination of their own topic and solution within it. The Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO) supports the writing of the application with intellectual property protection training and the provision of an individual professional consultant, whose task is to accompany the student throughout the preparation of the thesis and to help him/her write the thesis.
The application is based on a competition, students can submit works in four categories:
- patent/utility model protection,
- trademark and design protection,
- copyright
- the economic role of intellectual property protection.
Only one category can be indicated in an application, and the project work will later be assessed in this category. However, if the subject of the diploma thesis or dissertation is the result of creative work that affects several categories, the application must include an analytical examination in relation to each of the relevant forms of protection. In such cases, the assessment also covers knowledge of the connections between the forms of protection. The HIPO is entitled – in justified cases – to classify the thesis in a category other than that indicated by the student.
Amount of the application fee and its assessment
Applications are assessed by a committee consisting of experts appointed by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office. The first three winners in each of the four announced categories will be awarded as follows:
- first prize 250,000 HUF,
- second prize 200,000 HUF,
- third prize 150,000 HUF.
The amount of the fee is taxable income, the benefit (tax benefit) for young people under 25 years of age cannot be applied.
The HIPO reserves the right to change the categories and the number of awards based on the content and quality of the applications.
Conditions for winning the competition prize
- Completion of a 20-hour distance learning course on intellectual property protection unless the student has previously completed a minimum of 20 hours of intellectual property protection training certified by the university
- Exploration of intellectual property protection aspects related to the topic of the diploma thesis/dissertation in a minimum of 10 pages. While writing the thesis, the student must consult with the professional consultant provided by the office at least three times. The student can obtain information about the exact criteria for the evaluation from his consultant.
Application process
- Indicate your intention to apply to the central ujvaridiplomadij@hipo.gov.hu application email address with the following information by the registration deadline:
- applicant's details: name, email address, name of educational institution, indicating faculty,
- title and brief outline of the diploma/thesis,
- indication of the intellectual property protection category in which you wish to apply and the intellectual property protection topic in which you wish to examine the content of your thesis.
- Fulfillment of the application conditions detailed above.
- Preparation and submission of the application thesis integrated into the diploma/thesis by the specified deadline. The content of the diploma/thesis will be examined by the HIPO exclusively from the perspective of the depth to which the student has managed to explore possible intellectual property protection aspects.
Please submit the materials electronically, in PDF format, to the central application email address. For all questions concerning the application, further information can be requested from the central application email address.
The applications are evaluated by an independent expert committee composed of HIPO employees. All students will be notified of the results of the evaluation.
Deadlines
Deadline for registering the intention to apply: December 1, 2025
Deadline for preparing the diploma award application: March 20, 2026
Applications for students graduating in the spring semester of the 2025-26 academic year will be evaluated together with applications for students graduating in the fall semester of the academic year. All students will be informed of the results of their application by September 30, 2026.
Award presentation
The awards will be presented in a ceremonial setting at the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office headquarters. The application fees will be transferred to the winning applicants at the same time as the award ceremony. All applying students will be invited to the award ceremony.
Budapest, 2025. September 2025