Studying Medicine in Hungary in English: A Guide
Four public medical universities, six years in English, tuition of about €15,800–18,700 or $16,750–17,900 a year, and an entrance exam at each.
You can study medicine in Hungary fully in English at four public universities: Semmelweis in Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs. Tuition is about €15,800–18,700 or $16,750–17,900 a year, and every university sets its own entrance exam in biology, chemistry or physics, and English.
The program is a single six-year degree. Semmelweis University, for example, runs General Medicine over 12 semesters and awards the Doctor of General Medicine degree. Applicants from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh often search for "MBBS in Hungary", but the Hungarian degree is structured as a six-year single-cycle program, not a British-style MBBS.
Below: costs, exams, the scholarship route and what to check before the next intake.
For the full country overview, see our Study in Hungary guide.
Where to study medicine in Hungary in English
All four are public universities. They differ in city, currency, exam format and deadlines.
- Semmelweis University (Budapest) is the only one of the four in the capital. Life in Budapest costs more than in regional cities. Read more on our Semmelweis University page.
- University of Debrecen also teaches dentistry in English at $17,500 a year. See the University of Debrecen page.
- University of Szeged includes basic health insurance in Hungary in its tuition fee.
Since 2021, all four universities have been run by public trust foundations rather than directly by the state. This model is now being reformed (more on this below). They remain public universities, and your degree is issued by the same accredited institution.
| University | Tuition (English-taught medicine) | One-time fees | Price year | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Semmelweis (Budapest) | €9,340 per semester (about €18,680 a year) | Entrance procedure $400; deposit $2,000 (counted toward the 1st semester, non-refundable); registration $230 | Next intake | May 31 |
Debrecen | $16,900 a year paid at once, or $17,900 by semester ($9,500 + $8,400) | Application about $150, entrance exam about $350 | Current price list | Not yet published for the next intake |
Szeged | €7,900 per semester (€15,800 a year); 1st semester €7,100 + €800 deposit |
Note the currencies: Semmelweis and Szeged charge in euros, Debrecen and Pécs in US dollars. Compare the fees in the currency your family will actually pay in. Szeged gives a €300 discount on the first semester if you enroll by April 30 (terms of the last intake).
The final year can be priced differently: in Debrecen, the 6th year costs $8,950 with 12 weeks of practice there included, plus $389 for each extra week. For a full budget including rent, see the cost of studying in Hungary.
Medicine fees at Debrecen and Pécs
USD per academic year, current price lists
- Debrecen medicine, by semester$17,900
- Debrecen dentistry$17,500
- Debrecen medicine, paid at once$16,900
- Pécs medicine (next intake)$16,750
- Debrecen medicine, 6th year base fee$8,950
Entrance exams: what each university tests
There is no national medical entrance test in Hungary. Each university runs its own exam, and Semmelweis and Pécs offer online formats.
- Semmelweis: online tests in Moodle, 20 questions each, in medical biology, medical chemistry, general English and biomedical English. Then an interview in person or on Zoom about your motivation and English. Exam sessions run once or twice a week from early March to the end of June, and the decision comes within two weeks.
- Debrecen: a written test in biology (compulsory) plus chemistry or physics of your choice, 45 minutes each. Then an oral exam in the same subjects.
- biology, chemistry (or physics), and English.
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Preparatory year: when it makes sense
If your chemistry or physics is weak, or your school system is quite different from the exam content, a foundation year can help. The University of Debrecen lists a Foundation Year at $6,000 (latest published price list). Ask the university whether completing it affects admission to medicine, and check the current price before you pay.
A foundation year adds a year and its living costs to your budget. For strong applicants, it is usually better to prepare at home and take the exam directly.
How to apply to a Hungarian medical university
Choose one or two universities and check the exam format, currency and deadline for each.
Prepare documents: your school-leaving certificate and transcripts, translated into English or Hungarian if needed, and a valid passport.
Apostille or legalize your school certificate early. Pakistan (since March 9, 2023), India and Bangladesh (since March 30, 2025) issue apostilles. Nigeria, Egypt and the UAE are not in the Apostille Convention, so documents go through consular legalization.
Apply online and pay the application or entrance fee.
Sit the entrance exam and interview (Semmelweis runs sessions from early March to late June).
After admission, pay the deposit or first-semester fee as the university requires.
Each Hungarian university recognizes your foreign school certificate itself for admission, so there is no separate nostrification step before you apply. Documents that are not in English or Hungarian can be translated into English. Whether an apostille is required depends on the university, but having it done in advance prepares you for both enrollment and the residence permit.
Stipendium Hungaricum for medicine
Stipendium Hungaricum is a Hungarian government scholarship, and in the latest round it included single-cycle programs in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. It works only through agreements with partner countries. Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Egypt and Bangladesh are on the list, as are the UAE, Oman and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait are not.
The scholarship covered the following in the latest round:
- free tuition;
- a monthly stipend of 43,700 HUF (about €110) for 12 months a year;
- a dormitory place or 40,000 HUF a month toward rent;
Hungarian in the clinic
The medical program is taught in English, but patients in Hungarian hospitals speak Hungarian. From the clinical years onward, you will need at least basic Hungarian to take a history and talk to patients. Plan to learn the language from your first year, and ask each university how Hungarian is built into the curriculum.
For Stipendium Hungaricum holders, the rule is formal. In the first year, scholarship holders must attend a Hungarian course and pass an exam at the end of the second semester. Those who do not attend lose the stipend. Those who attend but fail receive 30,000 HUF a month instead of 43,700 HUF.
Recognition of a Hungarian medical degree
Hungary's accreditation agency, MAB, is recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) until March 31, 2032. It is the Hungarian accreditor that holds WFME recognition, not the individual universities.
Recognition at home is a separate question. Medical regulators in Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Egypt and Bangladesh each set their own rules for doctors trained abroad, including licensing exams and internship requirements. Check the current rules of your national regulator before you apply, not after graduation.
What to know before you apply
A medical degree in Hungary is a serious commitment of six years and a large budget. Here is what we tell every family.
Stipendium Hungaricum is competitive and does not cover everything. You need a nomination from your own country, plus a university result and a final decision by Tempus Public Foundation. The 40,000 HUF housing allowance does not cover rent in large cities, especially Budapest, and Tempus Public Foundation says so itself. Always plan a fee-paying option in parallel.
Getting in is only the first step. Entrance exams test biology, chemistry or physics, and English at a real level. The pre-clinical years are demanding, and not every student moves to the next year on time. Prepare before arrival, not during the first semester.
University governance is changing. Since 2021, Semmelweis, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs have been managed by public trust foundations. According to Hungarian media, these foundations are planned to be dissolved on August 1, 2027, and control returned to the state. For students, this does not change the degree: it is issued by the same accredited university.
Hungarian will be needed. English covers the lectures, but not the conversations with patients during clinical training.
Living costs are real. A student in Budapest needs roughly €800–1,300 a month, depending on whether you share a room or rent your own flat. In Debrecen and other regional cities, it is about 15–25% less, from roughly €650 a month. This comes on top of tuition.
Work will not pay for medical school. Students may work up to 30 hours a week during term, but the medical timetable leaves little room for that.
Where AcademGo helps
- Choosing between Semmelweis, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs based on your grades, budget and home-country recognition rules
- Preparing for the entrance exam and the English interview
- Checking documents, translations, apostille or legalization
IELTS: the score you need and where you can skip it
Checked thresholds at universities across nine destinations, accepted alternatives, and the cases where no certificate is needed.
- A table of thresholds at 20 universities: bachelor's, master's, medicine
- Where the university's own English exam replaces IELTS
- TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, MUET: what counts
- Five mistakes that force a retake
Not sure which of the four universities fits your grades and budget? Book a free consultation with AcademGo. We will assess your chances, compare Semmelweis, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs for your case, and build a plan for the upcoming exams and deadlines. Write to us through the contact form, WhatsApp or Telegram.
