Hungary opens its doors to international students, with its universities that offer Doctor of Medicine degrees. The best medical schools in Hungary provide English-taught programs, perfect for non-Hungarian speaking applicants. The quality of education in Hungarian medical schools, aligned with European standards, ensures that graduates can practice Medicine anywhere in Europe.
Besides the quality of education in Hungary and the vast job opportunities worldwide, the country also makes a great place to stay while completing a medical degree. Hungary has relatively lower living costs and offers many enjoyment options like its museums, cafes, and further into the countryside.
Can Foreigners Study in Medical Schools in Hungary?
Yes, the medical schools in Hungary accept international applicants. One of the top universities in Hungary, the University of Szeged, has a General Medicine program that requires competency in the English language. While all applicants need to take the entrance examination, the university website lists several exemptions, such as getting a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences. Prospective students with high school education in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics will receive preference.
What is the most prestigious medical school in Hungary?
Semmelweis University is the most prestigious medical school in Hungary. International ranking institutions recognized its place as the top one in the country. Internationally, it ranks between 201st to 250th in Times Higher Education ranking by subject Clinical and Health, and 401st for overall ranking in 2021. QS Top Universities placed it at 295th for order by subject Life Sciences and Medicine in 2020. For the same year, the Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked the university between 201st to 300th for clinical Medicine.
Best Medical Schools in Hungary
1. Semmelweis University – Faculty of Medicine
Semmelweis University Faculty of Medicine, founded in 1769, is home to over 4,000 students, making it both the university’s oldest and largest faculty. Located in Budapest, the faculty’s international students makeup 50% of the student body, enjoy the excellent quality of living, low costs of living, and cultural diversity. The faculty offers medical programs aligned to the standard of high-quality education in European medical schools. As a result, Semmelweis University is the best medical school in Hungary. Moreover, prospective students can choose between three languages of instruction: English, German, and Hungarian.
The curriculum takes six years to complete, and students taking the English programs must at least have some knowledge in Hungarian during their third year to communicate with patients. Besides education, the faculty aims to deliver progressive healthcare through its clinical center and conduct scientific research in its classrooms and clinical departments.
2. University of Debrecen – Faculty of Medicine
The University of Debrecen, established in 1918, included Medicine as one of its founding faculties along with Theology, Science, and Arts. In 1951, it became an independent medical university supervised by the Ministry of Health in Hungary. It also started offering English MD training in 1987.
With 22 basic sciences and 25 clinical departments, the faculty provides medical education internationally accredited by the World Health Organization and recognized by ranking institutions Times Higher Education and QS Top Universities.
This top medical school in Hungary offers a six-year medical degree program and awards Doctor of Medicine to successful students upon completion. While English is the instruction language, students should learn basic Hungarian by their third year to communicate with patients. During the 6th and final year, students join in providing clinical care to patients from different departments such as Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Pediatrics.
Besides providing clinical training to medical students, the medical school also serves as a city hospital, offering health care services to Debrecen residents.
3. University of Pécs – Medical School
The University of Pécs Medical School, one of the best medical schools in Hungary, officially became a separate independent institution in 1951 under its former name Medical University of Pecs. In 2000, the Medical University of Pecs merged with Pollack Mihály Technical College, the Janus Pannonius University of Sciences, Illyés Gyula Teacher Training College of Szekszárd, and the University of Pécs to become the present University of Pecs Medical School with nine faculties. In 2021, Times Higher Education ranks the University of Pecs within the top 500 rankings by subject.
The school has 3,400 students and over 500 physicians, researchers, and medical professionals. Furthermore, it has 29 clinics, 19 basic sciences departments, and 11 teaching hospitals locally and abroad. Its General Medicine program includes six years of preclinical and clinical studies, primarily taught in English. Students also undergo clinical rotation, which is a full practical year in patients’ wards under their teachers’ supervision.
4. University of Szeged – Faculty of Medicine
The University of Szeged Faculty of Medicine, though formed in 1951, has a history dating back to 1775 from its predecessor, the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. This top medical school in Hungary started offering English-language programs in 1985 and German-language programs in 1999. The faculty provides high-level education, research, and prevention-treatment through its 51 departments, clinics, and laboratories.
It offers a six-year General Medicine program in the English language. The first two years provide the foundation for basic medical knowledge. The third year of training extends to allow students’ active participation in teaching hospitals and clinical departments. The last two semesters require students to rotate through different specialties and treat patients while supervised by physicians. Students looking to pursue research can also take advantage of the faculty’s scientific laboratories.
5. McDaniel College Budapest
Technically, there are only four universities in Hungary that offer Medicine degree programs. Though not exactly a medical school, McDaniel College Budapest joins the best medical schools in Hungary due to its outstanding preclinical medicine track. Aspiring doctors and veterinarians can choose between its two tracks: the two-semester premedical track or the one-semester premedical track. Though both tracks include the topics covered in university entrance examinations, the two-semester track is for students with no prior education in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or have English knowledge insufficient for university education.
Meanwhile, the one-semester program is designed for students with prior education in the required subjects and have excellent English language competency. The school offers over 90% success rate for admission in medical schools in Hungary, making it the ideal preparation before entering a medical university.
I hope that this article on the best medical schools in Hungary was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Medical Schools Category!
