Semmelweis University

Semmelweis University is Hungary's leading medical university, with almost 16,000 students, a third of them international students from 129 countries. School leavers can apply for English-taught medicine, dentistry or pharmacy straight after school: no IELTS is required, but you must pass the university's own exam, made up of online tests in biology, chemistry and English and an interview. For the 2027 intake, medicine and dentistry cost $10,617 (€9,340) a semester, which is $21,234 (€18,680) a year; pharmacy costs $6,616 (€5,820) a semester. Applications for these programmes close on 31 May 2027, and exams run from February–March to the end of June.

Who Semmelweis suits

Consider Semmelweis if you are set on becoming a doctor, dentist or pharmacist, want to study in English in the EU and are ready for six demanding years. It has Hungary's longest record of teaching medicine to international students: the German-language programme started in 1983 and the English one in 1989. You can take the written exam from home and the interview online, so applying from Russia or Central Asia does not require a trip to Budapest.

Look elsewhere if your budget is tight: medicine here costs more than in Pécs, Debrecen or Szeged. If you want something outside healthcare, such as engineering, economics or computer science, Semmelweis does not offer it; see ELTE and the other options in our overview of universities in Hungary.

English-taught programmes

One-tier programmes (entry from school):

Health sciences bachelor's degrees (4 years, deadline 31 July 2027): Nursing and Physiotherapy $4,600 (€4,050) a semester, Dietetics $4,720 (€4,150), Optometry $4,320 (€3,800), Midwifery $4,940 (€4,350), Public Health Supervisor $4,600 (€4,050); Health Care Management with a health tourism specialisation takes 3.5 years at $4,600 (€4,050). The András Pető Faculty trains conductors, specialists in the Hungarian method of motor rehabilitation (4 years, $5,270 [€4,640]); the group starts only with at least 10 students.

Master's programmes: Clinical Translational Medicine (1 year, $13,640 [€12,000] a semester or $25,010 [€22,000] if the year is paid at once, deadline 23 May 2027), Systemic Psychology (2 years, $6,500 a semester, for psychology graduates, deadline 21 April 2027), Psychobiology (2 years, $4,090 [€3,600] a semester, deadline 13 June 2027), Nursing MSc ($4,490 [€3,950]) and Physiotherapy MSc (1.5 years, $4,720 [€4,150]) with a 31 July 2027 deadline, and Pharmaceutical Innovation and Business Administration.

German-language programmes in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy also exist, with their own admission rules; this profile covers the English-taught route.

Applying for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy

Requirements

• Education. A secondary school-leaving certificate, or being in your final school year when you apply. You can apply and sit the exam before you have the certificate and upload it by 21 August.
• Age. Preferably under 30 when applying, and 18 by the end of May of your first academic year.
• English. No certificate required; the university expects upper-intermediate English and tests it in the exam and interview.
• Grades. No minimum GPA; no standardised test is accepted instead of the university's exam.
• Hungarian citizens may join the English programme only if they completed secondary school abroad.

Documents for SEMAPHOR

• school-leaving certificate with its registration number (original or certified copy, in English or with a certified translation);
• CV in English;
• personal statement;
• passport copy and photo;
• for applicants under 18, a declaration by a legal representative on the university's form, issued within 30 days before upload;
• optional recommendation letters; teachers may email them directly to admission@semmelweis.hu, in which case they stay hidden from the applicant;
• a medical certificate on the university's form when you accept your place, issued within the previous 90 days.

The entrance exam

Written part, online in Moodle: four tests in medical biology, medical chemistry, general English and biomedical English. Each has 20 single-answer questions and a 20-minute limit. You cannot go back, wrong answers carry a partial penalty, and a calculator is allowed in chemistry. The tests run only in Safe Exam Browser, and you must be alone in the room and connected to Zoom with camera and microphone on. A sample test is available in Moodle.

Interview, after the written part, in person by default but also online. It covers motivation and attitude to the profession, spoken English and knowledge of biology and chemistry.

Topics: evolution; chemical foundations of biology (atomic structure, bonds, solutions, acid-base and redox reactions, organic compounds, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, vitamins); the cell and its organelles; tissues; metabolism and bioenergetics; organ-system physiology; reproduction and development; genetics. You need the English terminology. Recommended textbooks: Ebbing–Gammon, Stoker, Solomon and Lodish.

Schedule. Exams run once or twice a week from February–March to the end of June; you book a date in SEMAPHOR after paying the fee. Not showing up counts as an attempt without a result. Decisions arrive within two weeks. Wait-listed applicants may be offered places at the end of the admission period.

How decisions are made. The admission board weighs exam performance and your academic record, and also considers the university's goals for geographical and cultural diversity and gender balance.

Payments and deadlines

Which fee amounts apply. The programme pages for the 2027 intake list a $400 application fee and a $230 enrolment fee, while the university's general FAQ still shows the earlier $350 and $220. Go by your programme page, which is the one tied to your intake.

Tuition in euros, payment in dollars. Tuition is set in euros, but the payment page requires all transfers in US dollars to the university's OTP Bank account. The university does not publish the conversion rate for a semester, so confirm the dollar amount with the admissions finance administrator (application.finance@semmelweis.hu) before paying and keep a buffer for exchange-rate moves. You pay all bank charges, and a payment counts on the day it is credited to the university's account; international transfers take several days, so send them early. Legal payment routes from Russia are covered in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Transfers. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy accept transfers only from other Hungarian universities. Students of medical schools abroad are advised to apply through regular admission and have equivalent courses credited afterwards.

Applying for health sciences degrees

Health sciences programmes use an oral orientation interview in the chosen field instead of a subject exam. You need an English certificate: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 50+, Duolingo 85+, PTE 51+, TOEIC 605+ or another B2-level document. The school certificate can be submitted up to registration day. Applications include a GP-signed medical report with official vaccination and test results translated into English; the completed form alone is not enough.

Master's programmes require a relevant degree: nursing for Nursing MSc, physiotherapy for Physiotherapy MSc, psychology for Systemic Psychology.

How the medical degree is structured

• Years 1–2, theoretical module: medical chemistry, cell biology, biophysics, molecular biology, anatomy, histology, embryology, physiology.
• Year 3, preclinical: pathology, pathophysiology, microbiology, immunology.
• Years 4–5, clinical module: all clinical disciplines in small-group block rotations.
• Year 6, internship year: internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, neurology, psychiatry, plus short blocks in transfusion medicine, infectious diseases, emergency care and family medicine.
• Thesis: topic declared by the start of year 6 at the latest and submitted by January.
• State exams: a written exam coordinated by the National State Examination Committee and oral exams in the main clinical subjects.

Behavioural subjects (introduction to medical practice, ethics, medical psychology) run throughout. Hungarian is part of the curriculum because students meet patients in the university's outpatient clinics from the preclinical years.

Clinical base. In 2025 the university's Clinical Center handled more than 188,000 inpatient cases for almost 120,000 patients and 3.6 million outpatient cases, with about 2,450 active beds.

What studying at Semmelweis costs

These are current rates; the university may revise them. Budapest living costs add a substantial amount: Semmelweis quotes central rents from $341 (€300) for a room and $568 (€500) for a studio. Full student budgets are in our guide to the cost of studying in Hungary.

Scholarships

• Stipendium Hungaricum. Semmelweis takes part in the government scholarship, which covers tuition, a monthly stipend, insurance and housing or a housing allowance. Medicine is open to Russian citizens. The deadline is mid-January, and the university holds separate exams for scholarship applicants.
• Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship, for people of Hungarian origin living outside Europe.
• Pannonia In Excellence, the university's scholarship for enrolled international students in English and German programmes from a specified group of countries, awarded for a year on academic, sporting or artistic merit and paid in 12 instalments.
• Pannónia Out, a government programme that partly funds a semester or traineeship abroad for current students.

Housing and life in Budapest

Semmelweis has five dormitories and two professional colleges with more than 900 places in total. New students apply in August in a window of about 15 days, and places are allocated on social and financial need. The committee decides only in August, which is late if you need a visa, so most international students rent privately. You need an official Hungarian address for your residence permit in any case.

The 8th and 9th districts, where most buildings are, and neighbouring areas are convenient places to rent. Semmelweis Housing, an agency for the university's students, advises in person, by phone or email and helps with renting, though the contract and choice remain yours.

Visa and paperwork. The university's subsidiary Semmelweis Medical Services prepares documents for the residence permit and its annual renewal and liaises with your country's embassy in Hungary. The procedure for Russian and CIS citizens is explained in our guide to the Hungary student visa.

Student life. There is a Freshman Camp and an opening ceremony for new students, a students' union, a choir, a medical orchestra and sports clubs. Students interested in research can join the student scientific association and talent programmes.

Careers and recognition

Semmelweis reports that more than 1,500 students graduate each year and typically find their first job within three months. The medical degree is issued to EU standards; practising in a given country requires registration with its medical authority and command of its language. The Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB) holds World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) recognition until 31 March 2032, which the university notes matters for graduates planning further training or a medical career in the United States.

For Russia, an intergovernmental agreement of 22 November 2018 provides for mutual recognition of education and qualifications, but the right to practise requires Russia's own admission procedure for medical practice; check it with the Russian Ministry of Health before enrolling. For a comparison with Hungary's other medical schools, see studying medicine in Hungary.

Strengths and limits

FAQ

Can I apply to Semmelweis straight after school in Russia?

Yes. You need a school-leaving certificate, or to be in your final school year; the certificate is uploaded to SEMAPHOR by 21 August. A preparatory year is optional, but the exam requires solid school biology and chemistry in English.

Do I need IELTS for medicine at Semmelweis?

No. English is assessed through two tests (general and biomedical) and the interview. Health sciences bachelor's programmes do require a certificate: IELTS 5.5 or another B2-level equivalent.

How much does medicine at Semmelweis cost?

For the 2027 intake, $10,617 (€9,340) a semester, or $21,234 (€18,680) a year, plus a $400 application fee, a $2,000 deposit (credited to tuition) and a $230 enrolment fee, per the programme page; all payments are made in US dollars.

When should I apply for 2027/28?

The deadline for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy is 31 May 2027, but exams start in February–March, so an earlier application gives you more dates to choose from. Health sciences bachelor's programmes accept applications until 31 July 2027.

Can I take the exam from abroad?

The written part is taken online from home via Moodle and Safe Exam Browser. The interview is in person by default, but the university also holds online interviews and announces the format in advance.

Can I study at Semmelweis for free?

International students can through Stipendium Hungaricum, which includes medicine for Russian citizens. The university's own scholarships, such as Pannonia In Excellence, are only for students already enrolled.

Will I get a dormitory place?

There are over 900 places, but they are allocated in August on social criteria, and many international students rent instead. Semmelweis Housing helps with the search.

Sources

• Semmelweis University, General Medicine: semmelweis.hu/admission/programs/medicine/
• Dentistry: semmelweis.hu/admission/programs/dentistry/; Pharmaceutical Sciences: semmelweis.hu/admission/programs/pharmaceutical-sciences/
• Entrance exam: semmelweis.hu/admission/process/entrance-exam-medicine-dentistry-and-pharmaceutical-sciences/
• FAQ and payments: semmelweis.hu/admission/process/faq-for-medicine-dentistry-and-pharmaceutical-sciences/; semmelweis.hu/admission/faq/how-where-can-i-settle-my-payments/
• Health sciences and master's programmes: semmelweis.hu/admission/programs/ (physiotherapy, nursing, optometry, dietetics, midwifery, clinical-translational-medicine-msc, systemic-psychology-msc, psychobiology-msc)
• Facts and rankings: semmelweis.hu/admission/about/facts-figures/; history: semmelweis.hu/english/about-semmelweis-university/history/
• Opening of the 2026/27 academic year: semmelweis.hu/english/2026/09/the-256th-academic-year-began-at-semmelweis-university-with-some-4400-newly-enrolled-students/
• Housing: semmelweis.hu/admission/life-at/housing/; scholarships: semmelweis.hu/admission/scholarships/; visa: semmelweis.hu/admission/after-admission/student-visa/; transfers: semmelweis.hu/admission/process/transfers-from-other-universities/
• Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, recognition agreements: minobrnauki.gov.ru/action/foreign_scientists/contracts/

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 24 September 2026: €1 = $1.1367. Information checked on 28 September 2026. More study options in the country are on our study in Hungary page.

If you want to gauge your readiness for the Semmelweis exam and compare it with Pécs, Debrecen and Szeged, send us a request.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.