Pharmacy Programs in Hungary for International Students
The pharmacy profession is highly regulated in Hungary. Every year around 300 students complete their pharmacy studies in Hungary. Pharmacy education in Hungary starts with a graduate program called Pharm D. It is a one-tier master’s degree program.
Upon graduation and training, students can apply for pharmacy registration to become a pharmacist. Students can also apply for further education in pharmacy like specializations and doctoral studies.
Let us talk more about the pathways to pharmacy studies in Hungary in the following article. The article contains information about top pharmacy courses, schools, tuition fees, eligibility, etc.
Overview of Pharmacy studies in Hungary
| Entry-level degrees offered | Pharm D |
| Duration | 5 years |
| Annual fees for Pharm D | 6,000 to 10,831 USD*/year |
| Specialization offered | Doctoral degree |
| Annual fees for doctoral degrees | 8,315 to 16,900 USD*/year |
| Medium of teaching | English |
| Entrance exams or interview | Syllabus based on biology and chemistry or physics |
| English proficiency tests | IELTS, TOEFL |
Top Pharmacy Courses in Hungary
Pharmacy is one of the best professions to study in Hungary. There are quite some reasons for it being so popular. First of all, pharmacy is a highly regulated field in Hungary, hence the quality of education is excellent. The fees are affordable, plus all courses are English taught.
The entry-level pharmacy program in Hungary is called Pharm D. It is a one-tier master’s program. Meaning that the degree is integrated and the bachelor’s and master’s level is unified. Which runs for a duration of five years and consists of 10 semesters. Students can only be admitted to a pharmacy school in Hungary after answering an entrance test or a personal interview. The syllabus of the test and interview comprises two subjects: biology and chemistry or physics.
The first two years are devoted to learning basic pharmaceutical sciences. The third and fourth years consist of specialized and practical training. In the final year, prospective pharmacists have to write a thesis and complete 4 months of training in public and hospital pharmacies. Lastly, they have to clear a state board exam (both theoretical and practical). Students who clear the exam receive their Pharm D diploma. The diploma gives them the right to use “Dr.” before their name.
After getting their diploma, students can go for doctoral/PhD degrees for 4 years. The last two years of a doctoral program include research and thesis submission. If a student is unable to finish their thesis by the end of the fourth year they can get an extension of one year. As of now, there are four pharmacy schools offering Pharm D and doctoral degrees in Hungary.
Top Hungarian Pharmacy schools
The table below shows the list of accredited pharmacy schools in Hungary and their worldwide ranking.
| University Name | Global ranking | Degree Offered | Course Duration |
| University of Pecs | 701-750 (QS) | Pharm D | 5 years |
| University of Szeged | 551-560 (QS) | Pharm D | 5 years |
| University of Debrecen | 651-700 (QS) | Pharm D | 5 years |
| Semmelweis University | 633 (US News) | Pharm D | 5 years |
Tuition fees and cost of studying Pharmacy in Hungary
Hungary is quite a cheap country to study and live in. The following table contains a list of tuition and application fees for Pharm D and doctoral programs in pharmacy.
| University Name | Pharm D Tuition Fees (USD*/year) | Application and Registration Fees (USD*/year) | Doctoral Degree Tuition Fees (USD*/year) |
| University of Pecs | 8,731 | 650 | 12,000 |
| University of Szeged | 10,831 | 315 | 8,315 |
| University of Debrecen | 8,000 | 500 | 16,900 |
| Semmelweis University | 6,000 | 700 | NA |
In addition to tuition fees, students have to arrange for living costs. This includes rent, food, transportation, utilities, etc. The following table contains a breakdown of living costs in Hungary
| Category | Cost (USD*/month) |
| Accommodation | 100 to 250 |
| Food | 147 |
| Public transport | 13 to 15 |
| Personal expenses | 100 to 200 |
Admission requirements for Pharmacy in Hungary
Students with a high school diploma (10+2) can apply for Pharm D courses in Hungary. They have to answer a short entrance test in the form of a written or oral examination before being accepted. Students should have knowledge about biology, chemistry, and physics as these subjects make up the test syllabus. Let us summarize the admission requirements for Hungarian pharmacy schools:
- High school or secondary education (12+)
- Official transcripts
- University entrance test or personal interview
- Letter of recommendation
- Motivation letter
- Student visa
- Proof of English language proficiency (B2 level, or 5.5 IELTS score, or TOEFL 72)
- Health check
- Proof of financial stability
Students should apply directly to the respective university via their online application portal. There is no centralized application service. Thus students should apply separately if they want to apply to multiple schools. Gyanberry has tie-ups with all four Hungarian pharmacy colleges. Applicants can utilize Gyanberry admission services to increase their chances of admission. We also offer visa services to help students get student visas faster.
Scholarships to study Pharmacy in Hungary
Hungary offers many scholarships to international students to pursue pharmacy education. Most of these scholarships are quite generous. They cover tuition fees and living expenses too. Let us discuss them in detail.
Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship
Founded in 2013, this is one of the best scholarships for international students studying in Hungary. The Hungarian government funds it for the internationalization of Hungarian higher education. It is applicable to all degree-level programs. The scholarship covers tuition fees, accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend to cover living expenses.
Bilateral State Scholarship
Bilateral State Scholarships are given to students of participating countries. The funds cover full tuition fees including some living expenses. These funds are being borne by Tempus Public Foundation and the participating country. Students applying to all bachelor’s master’s and doctoral programs (full or part-time) are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship
The funding for the Diaspora scholarship comes from the Hungarian government. Students eligible for this scholarship are exempt from paying tuition fees. It is applicable to all degree levels. Financially challenged students can also apply for living expenses via this scholarship.
Visegrad Scholarship Program
Visegrad Fund is the joint collaboration between the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Therefore, this scholarship is limited to these nationalities only. It is applicable for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs at Hungarian universities.
CEEPUS Scholarship
CEEPUS or Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies is applicable for students from Central Europe or the South-Eastern regions. These include countries like
- Albania
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Bosnia
- Herzegovina
- Croatia
- The Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Poland
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Kosovo
Erasmus+ Scholarship
Erasmus is the most popular scholarship among international students studying in Hungary. This scholarship is limited to students from EU countries. Erasmus+ covers the tuition cost of all degree levels.
Christian Young People Scholarship
The core mission of this scholarship is to provide financial help to young Christian students. For example, students who come from crisis regions of the world or who are threatened in their country for faith in Christianity. After completing their education, students have to return to their countries to serve their communities. These scholarships are available for bachelor’s master’s, doctoral and one-tier programs.
Career scope after studying Pharmacy in Hungary
After completing a Pharm D course in Hungary, students can start working as pharmacists after registration. They get employed in the following sectors:
- Public pharmacy
- Hospital pharmacy
- Private pharmacy
- Lecturer
- Own a pharmacy store
- Pharmaceutical industry
The rules governing the pharmacy profession have been made stricter in Hungary in the past years. Pharmacists in Hungary are expected to renew their registration every five years. The public and hospital pharmacists are required to collect 250 points every 5 years for renewal. They can achieve this by taking part in continuing education or lifelong learning. The points are of two types: practical and theoretical points. The practical points are easier to collect by working full or part-time. To collect theoretical points, pharmacists have to attend university-hosted courses like
- Obligatory courses
- Obligatory elected courses
- Freely elected courses
A pharmacist who completes a Ph.D. also gets some points.
*Note: The tuition and other costs fees are converted based on the current exchange rate, i.e., 1 Euro = 1.04 USD. Exchange rates are subject to periodic change.
