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The International Christian School of Budapest (ICSB) is located in the central European nation of Hungary. Hungary is a small nation, with only 10 million people and is about the same size as the state of Indiana. Nevertheless, it is a strategic place, and a nation with a rich and important heritage.

Freed from its communist government in 1989, this country has raced to regain its former prosperity. As it opened its borders to the West, business flooded in. At the same time, however, a myriad of Christian mission agencies also moved in.

Budapest, the capitol of Hungary, has almost 2 million people and is the economic, political, and cultural center of the country. It is also an ideal headquarters and starting point in evangelism for many of the mission organizations that are now spreading God’s Word throughout central and eastern Europe.

Just outside of Budapest is the little village of Diosd. It is here that ICSB works to support all of these mission agencies. ICSB was started in 1993 as a day school for the missionary kids in Budapest and surrounding areas. Since its beginning, it has used this building, which it now owns. The school is well equipped, with a large library, a computer lab, a weight room, and, of course, a large number of regular classrooms for elementary, middle school, and high school classes. ICSB has all of the resources to function just like a small school in North America.

Because the school was designed to prepare its students for college in North America, all of its classes are taught in English with American curricula. Classes offered include such standard subjects as math, science, social studies, and English. The school also has a vigorous physical education program and a wide range of fine arts classes, including music, art, drama, and video. In addition, the school offers language classes in both Hungarian and German.

Two of the outstanding classes offered at ICSB are the LD and ESL classes. LD stands for Learning Disabilities. Using materials provided by the National Institute of Learning Disabilities, our trained discovery center staff help children work through special educational difficulties. ESL stands for English as a Second Language. ICSB trains its many non-English speaking students to adapt to the environment of the school. This ESL program is vital to the success of ICSB because of the large portion of its student body that comes from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Although the school started primarily as an institution for children from North American backgrounds, the student body has changed a great deal since its beginning. Today, ICSB has over 120 students from many backgrounds. In fact, almost 40% of the students come from a non-North American background. We have students from China, S. Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Canada, the United States and, of course, Hungary.

The International Christian School of Budapest is much more than just a school…it’s a community. Students participate in far more than just classes. Extracurricular activities include music performances, the school play, the fine arts festival, volleyball, track and field, and basketball. ICSB also has events designed to bring the student body closer together, such as our fall high school retreat and spring Spiritual Emphasis Week. Each class has its own sponsors which help the class with fundraisers and activities.

Staff and students at ICSB are part of a close family, even when we’re not too excited about class work. ICSB is dedicated to sharing the good news of Christ. All of its teachers are supported entirely by missionary organizations. The staff and school board are fully committed to sharing the gospel. Regular chapels are part of this work but the attitude and actions of its staff and students also provide a powerful witness for Jesus. Many students who had not heard the gospel before coming to ICSB left as true believers.

The spirit of God is evident in the lives of this school’s community. ICSB invites you to join its work. The school is always looking for new teachers to join the staff. The work is exciting and rewarding. But most importantly, the International Christian School of Budapest is a great place to help build the kingdom of God.  

A few photos in Hungary
Map of Europe

All images copyright Jay Philip Williams