Semmelweis University Faculty of Medicine, Hungary
Last updated: July 2026. Tuition, admissions, and accreditation details below reflect Semmelweis University’s official published information at the time of writing, always confirm current figures directly with the university before applying, as fees and requirements are updated annually.
- Location: Budapest, Hungary
- Program: Doctor of General Medicine (MD) / one-tier MSc
- Duration: 6 years (12 semesters), full-time, 360 credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Tuition: USD 10,450 per semester (approx. USD 20,900/year) plus one-time application, deposit, and enrollment fees
- Founded: 1769
- Faculty: Faculty of Medicine (ÁOK)
About Semmelweis University
Semmelweis University is Hungary’s oldest medical university, tracing its roots to a Faculty of Medicine established by Queen Maria Theresa in 1769 in Nagyszombat (present-day Trnava, Slovakia) before relocating to Buda and later Pest. The university takes its name from Ignác Semmelweis, the 19th-century professor credited with discovering the cause and prevention of puerperal fever. Today it is a multi-faculty institution in Budapest covering medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and health sciences, and it is recognized as one of the leading medical and health sciences universities in Central and Eastern Europe, with recent placements in U.S. News global rankings.
The English-language Faculty of Medicine program launched in 1987 (following a German-language program that began in 1983), and the university now hosts a multicultural student body drawn from roughly 130 countries.
Program Structure & Curriculum
The Doctor of General Medicine program runs six years across four stages:
- Years 1–2 (theoretical module): medical chemistry, cell science, biophysics, molecular and cell biology, anatomy, histology, and embryology.
- Year 3 (pre-clinical): pathology, pathophysiology, microbiology, and immunology.
- Years 4–5 (clinical module): the full spectrum of clinical disciplines, taught through small-group block rotations.
- Year 6 (internship year): a focused internship covering internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, neurology, and psychiatry, along with shorter blocks in transfusion medicine, infectious disease, emergency care, and family medicine. Students complete a medical thesis and sit written and oral State Exams to graduate.
Behavioral-science subjects, including medical ethics and medical psychology, run throughout all six years.
Admission Requirements
Admission is competitive and based on a written entrance exam plus a personal interview, rather than open enrollment:
- Written exam: online tests in medical biology, medical chemistry, general English, and biomedical English (20 questions each).
- Interview: assesses English communication skills, motivation, and subject knowledge; held in person or via video call.
- Age guidance: applicants are preferably under 30 at the time of application and must be at least 18 by the end of their first spring semester.
- Required documents: matriculation/school-leaving certificate, CV, personal statement, passport copy, passport photo, and (for minors) a legal representative’s declaration.
Application windows and fees change year to year; applicants should confirm current cycle dates directly through the university’s SEMAPHOR application portal.
Tuition & Fees
As of the current academic cycle, published tuition is USD 10,450 per semester (roughly USD 20,900 per year) for the General Medicine program, in addition to a one-time USD 400 admission procedure fee, a USD 2,000 admission deposit (credited toward first-semester tuition), and a USD 230 enrollment fee. These figures are set by the university and subject to change; prospective students should verify current tuition directly with the admissions office before budgeting or applying for financing.
International Recognition & Accreditation
Semmelweis University operates as a Hungarian state university under the Ministry of Education, and its medical degree is broadly recognized internationally. A few points worth understanding clearly before applying:
- EU recognition: as an EU-accredited medical degree, Semmelweis’s MD is subject to automatic mutual recognition rules across EU/EEA member states for the regulated medical profession, under the terms applicable to nationals of member states.
- WFME accreditation process: per the university’s own published information, Semmelweis is currently undergoing the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) accreditation process. Applicants relying on this for eligibility purposes anywhere (including for ECFMG Certification pathways in the U.S.) should confirm the current, specific status directly with the university and cross-check the school’s listing and Sponsor Note in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- USMLE/ECFMG pathway: graduates are generally eligible to sit the USMLE as foreign medical graduates, subject to ECFMG’s standard certification requirements at the time of application.
- Canada: graduates are generally eligible to sit the Medical Council of Canada Evaluation Examination (MCCEE) and Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) ahead of applying for residency positions.
Historically, Semmelweis students have had access to bilateral clinical-training and elective arrangements with select U.S. institutions, and the university has previously had recognition with certain U.S. state medical boards. Because these arrangements and approvals change over time and are not something a third-party site can verify on the university’s behalf, prospective students targeting a specific state or residency pathway should confirm current partnerships and approvals directly with Semmelweis University’s International Relations or Registrar’s Office, and separately with the relevant state medical board.
Clinical Training & the Path to Residency
The final year of the program includes an elective course designed to bridge into residency, alongside the required internship rotations described above. Students planning to pursue residency training outside Hungary should plan elective placements early and confirm any destination country’s or state’s specific clinical-training rules (for example, limits on the proportion of training that can be completed outside the school’s home country) well before their final year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the MD program at Semmelweis University?
Six years (12 semesters) full-time, covering 360 credits, ending in a thesis and written/oral State Exams.
What does the General Medicine program cost?
Published tuition is USD 10,450 per semester (about USD 20,900 per year) plus one-time admission, deposit, and enrollment fees, current as of the latest published cycle. Confirm the current figure directly with the university, as tuition is reviewed annually.
Is a Semmelweis MD recognized in the United States?
Graduates are generally eligible to sit the USMLE as foreign medical graduates through ECFMG, subject to ECFMG’s certification requirements at the time of application. Because accreditation status and Sponsor Note listings can change, verify current status in the World Directory of Medical Schools before applying.
Does Semmelweis require an entrance exam?
Yes. Admission requires a written exam in medical biology, medical chemistry, general English, and biomedical English, plus a personal interview.