University of Debrecen: Admission, Programmes and Fees

The University of Debrecen is a major multidisciplinary university in eastern Hungary and one of the country's main destinations for international students: more than 34,000 students, over 7,800 of them from 140+ countries. You can study medicine, dentistry or pharmacy in English here, as well as bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering, computing, business, the sciences and music. For the 2026/27 intake, medicine costs $16,900 a year when the whole year is paid in one instalment, and the Computer Science BSc costs $7,000 a year. The final deadline for medicine and dentistry for September 2027 is 15 May 2027, but the university stopped accepting medical applications for September 2026 early because demand was so high.

Who Debrecen suits

Debrecen makes most sense for applicants who want English-taught medicine inside the EU without Budapest rents. The English MD has run since 1987, the clinical centre has more than 2,900 beds, and the medical school also serves as the city hospital, so clinical years take place on the same campus. The admission route is direct: a school-level biology plus chemistry or physics exam with an oral part, and no compulsory foundation year.

Engineering and IT are the second strong case. Debrecen covers almost every core engineering field, from mechanical and mechatronics to civil and food engineering, plus computer science and business informatics, at less than half the price of medicine and in a city where housing costs less than in the capital.

Look elsewhere if:

• you want to live in Budapest near international employers — compare ELTE, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and Corvinus University;
• the best-known medical brand in the country is your priority — Semmelweis charges more but is more widely recognised;
• more than four years have passed since you finished school and you are applying for a non-medical bachelor's degree; Debrecen does not consider such applications.

English-taught programmes and 2026/27 fees

Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy

The sixth year of medicine is 35 weeks of clinical practice. Its core fee is $8,950, which covers 12 weeks in Debrecen or an affiliated hospital; each extra week at the university costs $389, so spending all 35 weeks in Debrecen brings the sixth year back to $16,900.

Health-science degrees are cheaper: Nursing BSc $7,500 in year one and $6,500 afterwards, Physiotherapy $7,000 then $6,000, Public Health BSc $6,000; master's in Public Health $8,000, Molecular Biology $8,500, Social Work in Health Care $5,500. These programmes use an English interview, and Nursing adds a written biology test.

Engineering, IT, business, sciences and arts

Programmes marked with an asterisk on the university list start only in September; the rest also start in February. Most master's degrees cost $7,000–8,000 a year: International Economy and Business, Data Science, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics are $7,500, engineering master's $8,000, and the LL.M. in European and International Business Law $7,500. Students missing prerequisite credits can take a Pre-Master semester or year at the matching bachelor's fee. There are also one-year postgraduate diplomas: Lean Engineer and Lean Manager at $7,500 and Artificial Intelligence at $16,000.

Preparatory options

• International Foundation Year (September–May): $6,000
• Intensive Foundation Semester (February–June): $4,800
• English Language Course (September–May): $6,000; short course September–December: $3,000
• International Foundation Year for Music: $7,000

The Foundation Year is for applicants whose exam results or grades are not yet strong enough for year one. Future doctors have a separate route: the exam board can admit you straight to the Basic Medicine Course instead of the first year.

How to apply

Requirements

• School or degree. A completed secondary school certificate for bachelor's and medical programmes; final-year students apply with transcripts for the last 2–3 years plus predicted grades and present the original at registration.
• Study gap. Non-medical foundation and bachelor's: up to 4 years since your last qualification; non-medical master's: up to 6 years; medical programmes: up to 6 years.
• English. A B2 certificate from a proctored test, unless English is your first language or your previous education was in English (a medium-of-instruction letter is then required). Programme pages list the accepted tests and minimum scores.
• Master's. A relevant bachelor's degree, a detailed transcript and CV; engineering master's include an interview.

Documents

• online application form;
• school certificate or degree with English translation, or current transcripts if you are still at school;
• passport;
• short CV;
• medical certificate on the university template;
• receipt for the non-refundable $150 application fee.

Incomplete applications are not processed. Transfer students add course descriptions and a credit transfer request form; the faculty committee decides which year you enter, and exemption requests are accepted only at the time of application.

The medical entrance exam

The written part covers biology (compulsory) and chemistry or physics: multiple-choice questions, definitions and calculations, roughly 45–50 minutes per subject. An oral exam in the same subjects follows. The board announces the decision right after the oral: admission to year one, admission to the Basic Medicine Course, or rejection; section scores are not shared.

Exams take place in Debrecen and abroad through official representatives; if you cannot travel, the exam can be held online via Zoom or Skype. Topic lists and sample tests for biology, chemistry and physics are on the university site. There is also a paid online Tutoring Seminar taught by medical school staff — 125 hours across three subjects for $1,850 — which does not count as an application and does not lead to admission by itself.

Non-medical programmes use a written test in English and the relevant subject (maths, physics, chemistry, biology or geography) followed by an interview, with the result given on the day.

After admission

You pay the amount stated in your Letter of Acceptance. The visa documents — the original Letter of Acceptance, a visa support letter in Hungarian and a draft health insurance contract — are couriered only after the full first-year tuition fee has reached the university's account. If the residence permit is refused, the prepaid tuition and the seat reservation fee are refunded against proof of refusal; if you withdraw the application yourself, the seat reservation fee is kept.

What a year in Debrecen costs

Fees are set in US dollars and paid to a USD account (a HUF account also exists); tuition includes health insurance, the medical check-up and the student card.

The university puts private rents at $370–430 (HUF 120,000–140,000) a month and estimates total student spending at about $800 a month, covering a shared flat, food, study materials and transport. For a national comparison, see the cost of studying in Hungary.

Discounts and scholarships

• Merit-based fee reduction. From year two, medical students with a scholarship index of 4.50 or higher can receive up to 20% off; non-medical students need a 4.0 average in two consecutive semesters, and up to 20% of eligible students receive a reduction of up to 20%. Foundation, Basic Medicine Course and PhD students are excluded.
• Alumni and family discounts. Non-medical graduates continuing at Debrecen get 10% off; siblings or spouses studying at the same time get 10% each (for medical and health programmes, from three siblings).
• Stipendium Hungaricum. The Hungarian government scholarship covers tuition and adds a living allowance. For the 2026/27 round, Russia was a sending partner for all fields and levels, with applications routed through the Interobrazovanie agency; Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other CIS states are also partners. Scholarship applicants apply through the Tempus Public Foundation system rather than the university form and sit the exam on separate dates.

Housing and city life

The university lists two main accommodation options rather than promising every freshman a dorm bed. Auguszta Hotel and Student Hostel has five three-storey buildings with about 300 rooms, mostly one-room apartments with kitchen, bathroom and balcony. Study K&M offers air-conditioned rooms with private kitchen and bathroom and 24-hour security, but availability is usually limited. Most students rent privately; the university's partner office Troubleshooter helps with flat-hunting, while the lease itself is your contract.

The medical faculty sits on Nagyerdei körút in the north of the city, next to Study K&M, and Auguszta is on neighbouring Móricz Zsigmond körút, so medical students usually look for flats in that area.

Visa and residence permit

Citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and most CIS countries need a residence permit for study for stays over 90 days, applied for at a Hungarian consulate before entry. The university advises applying as soon as the Letter of Acceptance arrives and notes that consulate appointments open no earlier than 90 days before entry. The immigration authority decides within 60 days. Filing locations and bank-statement rules are covered in our guide to the Hungary student visa. Once in Hungary, you extend the permit online through the Enter Hungary system.

Degree recognition and careers

The medical school lists the bodies that accept its training: the New York State Education Department, the Medical Board of California, the UK General Medical Council, and the medical councils of Israel, Ireland, Iran and Norway. According to the faculty, most other European countries and India accept the diploma for registration subject to a qualifying exam. Kaplan preparation courses for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 are also run on campus.

Russia and Hungary signed an agreement on mutual recognition of education and qualifications on 22 November 2018. Recognition does not by itself grant the right to practise: working as a doctor in Russia requires the Russian licensing procedure, which is worth checking before you enrol. Our guide to medicine in Hungary compares all four medical schools.

Timeline for a 2027/28 start

Mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for the last medical deadline. Intake can close before the published date once places are filled.
• Assuming one semester is enough for the visa. Debrecen issues consular documents only after the full first year is paid.
• Ignoring the study-gap rule. Applications beyond the 4- and 6-year limits are not assessed.
• Revising only in your native language. Both exam parts are in English, so learn the terminology in English from the start.
• Forgetting credit transfer requests. Transfer students must request subject exemptions with the application, not later.

Debrecen compared with other Hungarian medical schools

See the full profiles of the University of Szeged and the University of Pécs, our overview of universities in Hungary and the step-by-step guide to applying to Hungarian universities.

Where StudyU fits in

Programme selection, checks on the study-gap and language rules, document preparation and the application itself are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission is decided by the university's exam board, and the residence permit by the Hungarian immigration authority.

FAQ

Can I apply to the University of Debrecen straight after school?

Yes. A completed secondary school certificate qualifies you for bachelor's and medical programmes, and final-year students can apply with predicted grades. If the exam shows gaps, the board may offer the Foundation Year or the Basic Medicine Course instead of year one.

Do I need IELTS for Debrecen?

The university asks for a B2 certificate from a proctored test unless English is your first language or your previous schooling was in English. Each programme page lists the accepted tests and minimum scores, so check it before booking an exam date.

How much does medicine cost at Debrecen?

For students starting in 2026/27, $16,900 a year if you pay the full year at once, or $17,900 if you pay by semester. The sixth year costs between $8,950 and $16,900 depending on how many practice weeks you spend in Debrecen, plus $150 to apply and $350 for the exam.

Can I take the entrance exam online?

Yes. If you cannot travel to Debrecen or to an exam held by an official representative, the board can examine you via Zoom or Skype. Both the written and oral parts still apply, and the result is announced on the same day.

When should I apply for 2027/28?

Medicine and dentistry close on 15 May 2027, but apply as soon as the portal opens, because the 2026 medical intake closed early. In the 2026 cycle, other programmes closed on 15 June for September and on 1 November 2026 for February 2027.

Is dormitory housing available?

Rooms exist at Auguszta and Study K&M, but there are fewer places than students and prices are set by the operators. Most international students rent privately at around $370–430 (HUF 120,000–140,000) a month, with help from the Troubleshooter office.

Sources

• University of Debrecen, fees and programmes for 2026/27: edu.unideb.hu/p/tuition-fee-application-entrance-fee; medical programme fees 2026/27 (PDF): edu.unideb.hu/tartalom/dok/medical-programs-tuition-fees202627_1_1.pdf
• Deadlines, documents and requirements: edu.unideb.hu/p/application-and-admission; entrance exam: edu.unideb.hu/p/entrance-examinationinterview; FAQ: edu.unideb.hu/p/faq
• Facts and history: edu.unideb.hu/p/facts-and-figures, edu.unideb.hu/p/history; medical faculty: edu.unideb.hu/p/faculty-of-medicine
• Scholarships and discounts: edu.unideb.hu/p/scholarships-and-loans; housing and living costs: edu.unideb.hu/p/accommodation, edu.unideb.hu/p/cost-of-living; visa: edu.unideb.hu/p/visa-and-residence-permit
• Stipendium Hungaricum partner countries: stipendiumhungaricum.hu/partners
• Hungarian National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF), study residence permit: oif.gov.hu/tajekoztatok/a-hallgato-tanulo-tartozkodasa
• Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, recognition agreements: minobrnauki.gov.ru/action/foreign_scientists/contracts/

Debrecen sets its fees in US dollars; forint amounts are converted at the ECB reference rates of 29 September 2026 (EUR 1 = USD 1.1355 = HUF 366.38). Information checked on 30 September 2026. For other cities and universities, see studying in Hungary.

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