Róna-Tas studied under such preeminent professors as Gyula Ortutay and Lajos Ligeti, and received a degree in folklore and eastern linguistics (Tibetan, Mongol, and Turkic.)

In 1957–1958, Róna-Tas conducted anthropological fieldwork in Mongolia, studying the culture, language, and folklore of the nomadic tribes in that country.

During the mid-1960s, Róna-Tas focused his fieldwork on the Chuvash people of the middle Volga River basin.

His magnum opus, A honfoglaló magyar nép, was published in 1996 and an extended translated version, Hungarians and Europe in the Early Middle Ages, appeared in 1999.

[citation needed] In addition to his work on the early Magyars, Róna-Tas has published numerous works on other Eurasian societies such as the Tibetans, Kipchaks, Khazars, Oghuz Turks and Alans.