Hungary is one of the upcoming central European countries to study abroad. No centralized admission process, high-quality education at an affordable price, and low cost of living are some of the reasons why international students consider it a paradise for medical education. Four of the best universities in Hungary offer medical programs in English. Many agencies recognize these medical universities worldwide and are listed in the WHO’s directory of medical schools. Their medical degrees are acknowledged globally and are valid across the European Union. The admission process to study medicine (MBBS) in Hungary is also quite simple than in other countries.
Hungarian medical universities hold their own admissions tests. The exam assesses the student’s understanding of biology, chemistry, physics, and/or mathematics. The entrance examination also evaluates English language proficiency. This means that students do not have to rely on the results of standardized entry tests for English proficiency, such as IELTS or TOEFL. The following post discusses in depth the admission process to a medical university in Hungary as an international student.
Admission process to study medicine (MBBS) in Hungary: Overview
| Level and duration of program | One-cycle or undivided master’s program |
| Title awarded | Doctor of Medicine (MD) |
| Acceptance rate | 25 to 55% |
| Minimum eligibility | 10+2 education (high school diploma) |
| Subject knowledge | Biology, chemistry, physics, and English |
| Entrance exam type | University entrance test |
| Applications accepted | University portal or Gyanberry admission services |
Acceptance rate of top Medical universities in Hungary
There are four medical universities in Hungary that offer medicine (MBBS) courses in English. They are top-ranked universities worldwide and have a solid reputation for providing quality education to their students. They offer their medical program as a unified master’s degree program called “General Medicine.” The duration of which is six years. At the end of this, students are awarded a degree known as a “Doctor of Medicine.” The acceptance rate of these universities is as follows:
| University | Acceptance rate |
| Semmelweis University | 25% |
| University of Szeged | 40% |
| University of Pecs | 55% |
| University of Debrecen | 42% |
Disclaimer: Acceptance rate data is collected from third-party sources such as EduRank and UniRank. Actual data is not reported by the universities and may vary.
Tuition and application fees
| University | Application fees in USD | Annual fees in USD |
| Semmelweis University | 350 | 18,200 |
| University of Szeged | 314 (300 EUR*) | 16,568 (15,800* EUR) |
| University of Pecs | 200 | 16,750 |
| University of Debrecen | 150 | 16,900 |
*Note: Tuition fees and other costs are converted to USD at 1 EUR = 1.05 USD. Please note that exchange rates are subject to frequent change.
Documents required for international students
Overseas students can submit applications through Gyanberry admission services or directly through the university website. The following are the general documents required for admission to the medical programs in Hungary.
| Filled application form | Passport-size photo | School leaving certificate | Reference letter |
| Curriculum vitae | Medical certificate | Copy of passport | Application fee payment bank receipt |
In addition to the above-mentioned documents, the University of Pecs requires students to submit a chest x-ray with a doctor’s note, Hepatitis B vaccination card and HIV result not older than three months.
Note: American students applying for medicine at the University of Debrecen are ought to submit their Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) results.
Eligibility criteria to study Medicine in Hungary
- The applicant should be a minimum of 17 to 18 years of age and preferably under the age of 30.
- They must have completed high school education from an accredited university/college.
- He or she should have passed 10+2 (high school education) before applying.
- Students in their last year of high school education are allowed to apply provided they can upload their school leaving certificate before the start of the semester.
- Must have knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, and English.
Application deadlines
Except for the University Of Debrecen, rest three universities welcome applications only in the Fall semester.
| University | Application deadline |
| Semmelweis University | 31st May (Fall intake) |
| University Of Debrecen | September intake- 31st May
January intake- 1st November (Summer and Fall intake) |
| University of Pecs | 7th July (Fall intake) |
| University of Szeged | June (Fall intake) |
Application process for international students
Hungarian universities have a relatively smooth admissions process for those interested in studying medicine in Hungary. It starts with filling out the application form and submitting the required documents like transcripts, school leaving certificates, medical certificates, etc. Having an IELTS/TOEFL language certificate is not a requirement, however, students should be proficient in English.
After the initial evaluation of the documents, eligible students are sent out invitations for an entrance test. Medical universities in Hungary put great emphasis on their entrance exam for prospective medical students. The entrance exam consists of both written tests and oral interviews. The written test is a multiple-choice test with questions from chemistry, general English, physics, and biology. The goal of the exam is to test the English knowledge, skills, motivation, and overall personality of the applicants. The interviews are held after the written tests either online or personally.
International students who wish to pursue medical studies at one of the universities mentioned above need to start their application process at least six months prior to the commencement of their chosen program. Hungry is an excellent place to study medicine. There are four universities that offer courses in English for international students. The application process starts with filling out the application form (online through the website or via Gyanberry) and ends with an entrance exam. Selected students are notified within 2 weeks after the exam.