Transfer from Semmelweis University: Where to Continue Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy in 2026

What is Semmelweis University and what does it teach in English?

Semmelweis University (Semmelweis Egyetem) is a public medical university in Budapest, Hungary, whose medical faculty dates back to 1769. In 2026 it teaches Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy in English, and Medicine also in German. Semmelweis University is a long-standing location in the Medschool Experts network.

The English programme started in 1987, the German one in 1983. Medicine at Semmelweis University takes six years (360 ECTS). Dentistry and Pharmacy each take five years. The first years are preclinical, with anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, and Hungarian language courses prepare students for talking with patients on the ward.

Budapest is a lively capital on the Danube with a large international student community. Our own overview of programmes, fees and student life is on the Semmelweis University page.

Can you transfer from Semmelweis University to another university?

Yes. Students of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy at Semmelweis University in Hungary can transfer to another university and have their passed courses credited. Medschool Experts, the leading specialist for study transfers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, organises the move to a matching partner university in 2026.

Credit transfer runs on your transcript. Every passed course, with its hours and ECTS credits, is compared with the curriculum of the target university. Hungary uses ECTS, which keeps that comparison clear.

Because Semmelweis is part of our network, we know its curriculum well. That helps. The real question is where your record fits best and how high you can enter there. With the world's largest choice of official partner universities, Medschool Experts looks for the place where your Semmelweis credits count the most. An overview of our work is on the services page.

Why do students transfer from Semmelweis University?

Students switch from Semmelweis University for five recurring reasons: lower total costs, an exam format that suits them better, personal or organisational circumstances, a career goal in the USA, or a career goal in Germany. Each reason is a question of fit and planning, and each points to a different type of target university.

• Costs. Semmelweis University charges tuition for its English programmes in US dollars. Students who enrolled in 2026 pay 10,450 US dollars per semester for Medicine or Dentistry. Add rent and food in a capital city, and some families prefer a more affordable university for the remaining years.
• Exam fit. Some students get stuck on one or two specific exams. A university whose exam format and pace suit them better can change the outcome. This is one of our specialisms.
• Personal or organisational reasons. Difficulties with individual professors, family matters, health or distance from home can make it hard to continue, whatever the quality of the university.
• A career in the USA. Medicine students aiming for the USMLE, US clinical rotations and a US residency may prefer a school built around that path.
• A career in Germany. Medicine students who want to work in Germany may prefer a university that prepares for German hospitals, including a final clinical year in Germany.

None of these reasons is a verdict on Semmelweis. They are planning decisions. A student who is doing well in Budapest and comfortable with the costs has every reason to stay.

Where can Semmelweis University students transfer to?

Semmelweis University students can transfer to affordable partner universities such as the Faculty of Medicine Foča in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to partners with a better exam fit, to Mostar School of Medicine or Caribbean schools for a US career, and to Foča or the Medical University of Varna in Bulgaria for a German career. Options depend on the subject.

Lower costs. The Faculty of Medicine Foča of the University of East Sarajevo teaches Medicine and Dentistry. It charges €3,500 tuition per year, and the total with living costs comes to about €7,500 per year. Foča is one of many affordable partner universities in our network.

The USA. Mostar School of Medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only European university that specifically prepares students for the USMLE, both Step 1 (preclinical) and Step 2 CK (clinical). Teaching happens in small groups, with a better teacher-to-student ratio than other European medical schools, and there are only 30 places per year. Medschool Experts places students there reliably without an entrance test, as long as our own quota allows. Caribbean medical schools are the other route into US clinical rotations and residency. Both routes are for Medicine only.

Germany. The Medical University of Varna in Bulgaria, an EU university, prepares especially well for a German career. Through Medschool Experts, Varna Medicine students can complete their final clinical year (PJ) in Germany. The same is possible from Foča.

Dentistry and Pharmacy. Dental students move only to universities that teach Dentistry, for example Foča, Varna or the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Niš in Serbia. Pharmacy students move only to partner universities with a Pharmacy programme. We name those options after reviewing your record.

The full list is on our universities page. The wider picture for Hungary is in our guide to transferring from Hungary.

How much can a Semmelweis University student save by transferring?

A Medicine student at Semmelweis University who moves to the Faculty of Medicine Foča in Bosnia and Herzegovina can save roughly €16,700 to €22,000 per year in 2026, depending on the enrolment year. Semmelweis tuition is about €15,780 to €18,120 per year plus €700 to €950 in monthly living costs, while Foča totals about €7,500 per year.

The Semmelweis Registrar's Office lists English-programme tuition per semester by year of enrolment: 10,450 US dollars for students who enrolled in 2026, 9,950 for 2025, 9,600 for 2024 and 9,100 for 2021 to 2023, the same for Medicine and Dentistry. Pharmacy costs 6,620 US dollars per semester for 2026 entrants. Dentistry and Pharmacy students also pay material fees. At the European Central Bank reference rate of 16 September 2026 (1 euro = 1.1537 US dollars), 10,450 dollars per semester equals about €18,120 per year. Living costs in Budapest run at €700 to €950 per month (2026).

Money is only one factor. Still, for many families these numbers decide whether the degree can be finished calmly. For Dentistry, we compare the exact fees of the dental partners during the consultation.

Which year can you enter after leaving Semmelweis University?

There is no fixed maximum year for students leaving Semmelweis University. Medschool Experts reviews every academic record individually and aims for the highest possible entry with no or minimal loss of time. High placements, often into year 4 or year 5, are frequent outcomes of the transfers Medschool Experts organises in 2026.

A rule of thumb helps with expectations. Usually no more than two exams may be outstanding, and the ECTS credits of those exams must stay below a maximum. Course content and hours count as well as course titles, and completed clinical rotations count too.

Timing matters. A student who asks early gives us more partner universities to compare and more room to close gaps before the switch.

How does a transfer from Semmelweis University work with Medschool Experts?

A transfer from Semmelweis University with Medschool Experts runs in four steps: a free consultation, a review of your academic record, a placement offer from a matching partner university, and the switch with a clear plan. Students stay enrolled at Semmelweis in Budapest until the new study place is confirmed in writing.

1. Free consultation. We talk about your goal, your situation and your timing.
2. Record review. We check your transcript, ECTS credits and any open exams against our partner network.
3. Placement offer. You receive a concrete option with the entry year we can achieve.
4. Switch with a plan. You change universities on a clear timeline and leave Budapest only once the new place is confirmed.

Stay enrolled. It keeps every option open. Students who have already made a move like this share their experience on our student stories page.

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Is a Semmelweis University degree recognised, and what changes after a transfer?

A Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy degree from Semmelweis University is an EU qualification, because Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004. Such degrees fall under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. After a transfer, recognition depends on the country of the new university, so the target should match where you want to work.

Inside the EU, the directive provides for the automatic recognition of medical, dental and pharmacy qualifications. Registration in a specific country still involves national steps, such as proof of language skills. Students who want to keep an EU degree can move to an EU partner university such as the Medical University of Varna.

Outside the EU, rules differ. Graduates of non-EU universities who want to work as doctors in Germany go through an individual equivalence review by the competent state authority, which can include a knowledge exam. Foča prepares especially well for that German path, and its final clinical year can be completed in Germany through Medschool Experts.

For the USA, every graduate of a medical school outside the United States needs to pass the USMLE. That is why Mostar School of Medicine and Caribbean medical schools are the natural options for this goal. Anyone planning to work outside the EU should confirm the current rules with the authority of the target country.

When should Semmelweis University students start planning a transfer?

Semmelweis University students should start planning a transfer as early as possible, ideally several months before the next academic year begins in September. Early planning gives Medschool Experts more partner universities to compare, more time to prepare for open exams and a better chance of the highest possible entry year in 2026 or 2027.

Three moments are typical starting points:

• After a failed exam, before the next attempt decides a whole year.
• When the family budget changes, ideally before the next semester fee is due.
• When your career goal becomes clear, for example the USA or Germany.

Waiting rarely helps. A short conversation costs nothing and shows you what is possible. Book your free consultation and we will check your profile against our partner network.