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Hungary is a central European country located just east of Austria and north of the Balkan peninsula. The country has a rich culture and proud history and is home to the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe.
Also, it has welcomed international students for English medical courses ever since the mid to late 1980s. Currently, English courses are held at 4 universities in 4 different Hungarian cities
- Semmelweis University of medical sciences (Budapest)
- The University of Szeged (Szeged)
- The University of Pecs (Pecs)
- The University of Debrecen (Debrecen)
Medical school in Hungary
Medical school in Hungary is a 6-year long education program that leads to an M.D degree.
Students are eligible to apply for enrollment if they have or will have a high school diploma before enrollment.
Students should have good grades in natural sciences (Biology, chemistry, and physics). Furthermore, students should be proficient in the English language, and be eligible for higher education in their home country.
The final decision for which applicants are accepted is determined by an entrance exam. Although there are slight variations, the exams are relatively similar for all of the universities.
Students are tested in Biology, chemistry/physics, and English in both a multiple-choice and oral interview/examination.
Once enrolled, students typically follow a 3 step module (basic, pre-clinical and clinical) over a period of 5 years. This is followed by 1 year of clinical rotations before a final exam.
After successfully passing the final examination, students earn an M.D degree. The degree is recognized across the European Union, as well as in North America and Israel (and more).
Semmelweis University of medical sciences
Semmelweis University of medical sciences is situated in Budapest, the nation’s capital. It is one of Hungary’s leading medical universities which was founded back in 1769.
It is now named after its most famous professors, Ignác Semmelweis, who is known as an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures.
The university offers medical courses in Hungarian, German and English. The Eglish course is firmly established and has been up and running since 1989.
Currently, more than 1750 international students are enrolled at the university, representing over 60 nations.
Admission requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age by the end of the calendar year of application, and preferably under the age of 30. Applicants are required to have completed high school/secondary school or be due to finish by August 21 of the year of application.
Applicants should have good grades in both biology and chemistry in their high school diploma. They should also have a good command of the English language. Finally, applicants are urged to have a strong motivation and interest to study and practice medicine.
Application process
Students are enrolled yearly with the semester starting in early September. The application process starts in February, and the deadline for submitting an application is the 31st of May. The application should include:
- High school diploma and grade transcript
- CV
- Motivation letter
- Medical certificate
- Copy of the passport
- A passport size photo
The applications are either submitted to the university’s online system or through a local representative. The university has local representatives across the world aiding potential applicants. They also arrange entrance exams.
Eligible applicants are then subjected to an entrance exam organized by the University. The exam test applicants in the field of Biology, Chemistry, and English.
The first part consists of multiple-choice questions followed by an oral examination and an interview in English. Applicants are then selected for enrollment based on their entrance exam results.
Follow this link to the University website to read more about the application process. Here you can also see if the university has any representatives in your country. You can also check out the university’s promo video below.
Tuition fee
Currently, enrolled students are required to pay a tuition fee of 9100 USD every semester. In addition, new students are required to pay an enrollment fee of 220 USD.
The University of Szeged
The University is situated in Szeged, Hungary 3rd largest city. It located in the southeastern part of the country. The origins of the University can be traced back to 1581 and is recognized as one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary.
The university offers courses in a diverse group of subjects, including dentistry and medicine (among others).
The university has offered English courses for medical studies for many years. Currently close to 200 students are admitted to the English language program every year.
Admission requirements
Applicants are required to be over the age of 18 in the year of application (by December 31). Applicants should have or be about to graduate from high school. Applicants should preferably have good grades in natural sciences (Biology, chemistry, physics) and English.
Students who have failed any subject in the final year of their high school studies are not eligible to apply. Students in the final year of high school who haven’t received their diploma can apply but must present proof of attending the final year of high school.
Application process
Students are enrolled every autumn. The application process begins during the winter of the same year. The deadline for submitting an application is the 31st of May. The application should include
- High school diploma and grade transcript
- Copy of the passport
- CV
- Medical certificate
- Birth certificate
- Passport size photo
- Motivation letter
- Reference letter
- Statement of representation
- Proof of payment of a 300 EUR application fee.
Completed applications should be submitted through the university’s online application system. Applicants then have to register to sit for an entrance exam either in Szeged or abroad through local representatives located all over the world.
On the entrance exam, students are tested for knowledge in biology, chemistry, physics, and English. The first part of the exam consists of multiple-choice questions followed by an oral interview/examination with a University professor.
Based on the entrance exam results, students selected for enrollment. Students that hold degrees in certain subjects can be exempted from sitting for the entrance exam.
To see if this applies to you, follow this link to the Universities website to read more about the application process. Here you can also see if the university has any representatives in your country. You can also check out the university’s promo video below.
Tuition fee
Students currently pay a tuition fee of 7300 EUR every semester. First-year students have to pay an additional 600 EUR in registration/enrollment fee.
University of Pecs medical school
The University of Pecs is located in Hungary 5th largest city, Pecs. It can be found in the southwestern region of the country, close to its border with Croatia.
The university dates back to 1367 and offers a wide variety of studies through its ten faculties.The faculty of medicine initiated its international program as far back as 1984.
The number of students admitted has been gradually increasing ever since. Today the faculty of medicine welcomes over 150 international students from all over the world annually.
Admission requirements
Applicants must have a graduate diploma from high school/senior secondary school, or be in the final year of receiving one. Students should preferably have a strong basic knowledge of Biology and Chemistry.
Applicants who graduated from high school more than two years before applying are advised to take a refresher course in the required subjects. This is offered by the university.
Applicants have to have B2 level/upper-intermediate English knowledge and they have to be eligible for higher education studies in their home country. Candidates possessing a B.A. or B.Sc. degree or currently studying for that in a medicine-related field are encouraged to apply.
Application process
Students are enrolled every autumn. The application period opens on 1 March and admissions are continuous from this period until it closes on June 30. Therefore, potential candidates are urged to apply early. The application has to be sent to the university admissions office and should include:
- Application form (found on the university website)
- A passport size photo
- High school diploma and transcript
- Copy of passport
- Europass CV
- Receipt of payment of 200 USD application fee
- Medical certificate (which includes the result of a chest x-ray no older than 1 year)
- Vaccination card (Hep B vaccination)
- Negative HIV test result.
Students then need to sit for an entrance exam organized by the University or by local representatives. The exam test applicants in the field of Biology, Chemistry, and English. The first part of the examination consists of multiple-choice questions.
This is followed by an oral examination and an interview in English. Applicants are then selected for enrollment based on their entrance exam results.
Follow this link to the University website to read more about the application process. Here you can also see if the university has any representatives in your country. You can also check out the university’s promo video below.
Tuition fee
Students pay a tuition fee every semester. First-semester fees are 9000 USD and the second-semester fee is 7750 for an annual tuition of 16750 USD. In addition, new students are subject to a one-time 200 USD registration fee.
The University of Debrecen
The city of Debrecen is located in eastern Hungary and is the country’s 2nd largest city. The University of Debrecen can be dated back to 1538 and is the oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in Hungary.
The university offers courses in a wide variety of subjects from its faculties. There is a large group of international students from over 100 countries. The faculty of medicine has a well-established English program that has been offered since 1986.
Admission requirements
Applicants must have a graduate diploma from high school/senior secondary school, or be in the final year of receiving one. They should also have a decent background in biology, chemistry/physics, and English both written and oral as it will be tested on the entrance exam.
Application process
Students are enrolled every autumn. The university opens up for applicants during the winter, and the deadline is the 31st of May. Students will need to fill in an application form and hand send it in through the universities online application platform along with:
- High school diploma & transcript (in English)
- Proof of citizenship (copy of passport, ID card)
- Short Resume/CV
- Proof of payment of 150 USD application fee
- Medical certificate
- MCAT results (US high school graduates only)
Only students who fulfill the admission requirements and send in a complete application are eligible to sit for the entrance exam. The entrance exam is a is written & oral examination in biology, chemistry/physics, and English.
Students can sit for the entrance exam in Debrecen or in selected countries hosted by local representatives. Students are then enrolled on the basis of their exam results.
Follow this link to the University website to read more about the application process. Here you can also see if the university has any representatives in your country. You can also check out the university’s promo video below.
Tuition fee
In addition to the application fee of 150 USD, first-year students are required to pay an entrance procedure fee of 350 USD. After this, the yearly tuition fee is 16900 USD.
Recognition of degree
Degrees obtained from Hungarian medical universities are recognized across the world. They are accepted across the European Union (and EEA) as well as North America and Israel (among others).
- European Union: Member states or members of the EEA are obliged to accept diplomas issued in Hungary, given that the conditions of the Hungarian education are identical or in line with those of other EU member states, and have been recognized as such.
- USA: Graduates are eligible to attempt the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), and are eligible for internships and residency upon passing.
- Canada: Graduates are eligible to attempt the Medical Council of Canada Evaluation Examination (MCCEE) and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE), and eligible to apply for residencies upon passing.
- Israel: Graduates have to complete a 1-year practice and an examination before being eligible to continue their medical practice.
Cost of living in Hungary
The cost of living in Hungary is substantially lower than most European countries and North America. Students can find accommodation for anywhere between 200-500 EUR/220-550 USD (including utilities) per month.
On average, Budapest is more expensive. On average, apartments are less expensive if you move away from the city centers and if students rent together.
The cities have cheap and efficient public transportation networks with buses, trams, and subway (Budapest only). A monthly student travel pass usually only costs about 22 EUR/ 25 USD.
Food is cheap, especially if you cook at home. Depending on how much you eat a student spends anywhere between 100-200 EUR/110-220 USD on food every month.
Every once in a while you can enjoy dinner at a restaurant which will cost anywhere between 15-30 EUR depending on the restaurant and the food. A big mac menu costs around 4.5 EUR/5 USD, and most importantly, a regular size (0,5L) beer will cost around 1.5 EUR/1.7 USD.
Overall, the cost of living is comfortable for most international students, but everything depends on your budget.
Closing remarks
Overall, medical studies in Hungary offer a great opportunity to live and study in the heart of Europe and to study at old and prestigious universities.
The opportunity is especially enticing for European students, as the degree is accepted in most (if not all) member states without the need for extra examinations.
If you are interested n the possibility to study medicine in Hungary, be sure to check out the links with additional information regarding the application process provided above.
