Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Cluj-Napoca)

Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy is the oldest medical training institution in Transylvania. Its roots reach back to a medico-surgical school from 1775 and to the Hungarian medical faculty of Franz Joseph University from 1872; the Romanian faculty was established in 1919 after Transylvania's incorporation into Romania and was shaped by Iuliu Hațieganu, whose name the university bears today. This layered past is typical of Cluj-Napoca, which was founded as Klausenburg in the 13th century by German settlers, was long the second-largest city of the Kingdom of Hungary, and still has a Hungarian-speaking minority today.

Size, Languages, and Structure

The university has three major faculties — medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy — and counts more than 6,000 students, around 2,400 doctors in specialist training, and over 1,100 teaching and research staff. Human medicine is taught in Romanian, English, and French. Contrary to a widespread assumption, there is no German-language medicine program, not here in Cluj either: German-language programs in the city are at Babeș-Bolyai University, not at the medical university. For you, the English-language program remains the option, for which proof of English at B2 level is required. A particular feature is the satellite program of the medical faculty in Novara, Italy, which is also conducted in English.

Two Separate Admission Routes

An important distinction: Cluj operates two entirely separate selection procedures. The Romanian-language track fills places via a classic, highly competitive multiple-choice entrance examination of the type standard in Romania. International applicants for the English- and French-language programs, however, are selected purely on the basis of their application documents, without an entrance examination. Both routes lead to the same degree, but they have different deadlines, different fees, and different requirements.

What Makes This Location Distinctive

With just under 290,000 inhabitants, Cluj is Romania's second-largest city and its most important university center; Babeș-Bolyai University alone has more than 45,000 students. A strong IT and services sector has made the city wealthier and more international than the rest of the country. The flip side is immediately apparent when looking for housing: Cluj is among the most expensive cities in Romania for rent, directly behind Bucharest. Anyone planning on a tight budget should take this seriously, because over six years of study a few hundred euros of extra rent per month adds up to more than a full year's tuition. In return you get a city with a large medical catchment area, a rich cultural offer, and good connections to Germany.

Application Without an Entrance Examination

For the English- and French-language programs the university selects solely on the basis of application documents; there is no written entrance examination. Proof of English at B2 level is required; this is waived if you completed your schooling in the language of instruction or have demonstrated the level in your school-leaving examination. The application runs in two rounds. For the 2026 cohort, the first round ran from late March to mid-May with results in early June, the second ran to mid-July with results at the end of July. Applying early means a larger pool of available places.

Fees and Living Costs

The tuition fee for international programs was most recently €10,000 per academic year, plus a non-refundable processing fee of €300. To confirm a place, EU citizens pay half the annual fee in advance; this amount is also not refunded if you withdraw. For living costs, Cluj is the most expensive of the four Romanian locations that typically come into consideration for German students: market analyses for the second quarter of 2026 showed an average of around €400 for a one-bedroom apartment and around €575 for a two-bedroom apartment. A shared flat reduces this significantly, but should be arranged early.

Program Structure

Human medicine lasts six years. The preclinical years are followed by clinical training at the hospitals of Cluj, which, as the medical center of Transylvania, serves a large catchment area. Teaching in the international program is in English; Romanian is a compulsory part of the curriculum. This is not a formality: without Romanian you can neither take patient histories nor follow handovers in the clinic. The program concludes with the Romanian final examination.

Recognition and Approbation

Romania has been an EU member since 2007; the medical degree falls under Directive 2005/36/EC and is automatically recognized in Germany. You do not need to sit an equivalency examination or a knowledge test. You apply for Approbation yourself at the relevant state authority, for which a general language certificate and, in most federal states, a specialist language examination are required. A point that is often overlooked: while professional entry into medicine in Germany is possible this way, a transfer to a German faculty mid-program is not guaranteed. Each target university decides independently on the recognition of prior credits, and places in advanced semesters are scarce.

The City

Cluj-Napoca is widely regarded as Romania's most vibrant university city. Student bars, a well-known film festival, opera and theater in Romanian and Hungarian, and a large number of young IT professionals shape daily life. Historically the city is layered in the Transylvanian fashion: German founding, Hungarian character, Romanian present. You see this in the churches, street names, and the bilingualism of many residents.

Housing and Getting There

The housing market is the tightest of any Romanian university city outside Bucharest, and it becomes very competitive at the start of the semester. Dormitory places are cheaper than the private market but limited; shared flats are the norm. For travel, Cluj is the most convenient of the four locations: the city's international airport is one of the country's largest and is served from several German airports, including Dortmund and Memmingen. A German-speaking community exists mainly through German studies and German-language programs at Babeș-Bolyai University.

Is there a medicine program in German in Cluj?

No. Iuliu Hațieganu University teaches human medicine in Romanian, English, and French. German-language programs in Cluj are at Babeș-Bolyai University, not in medicine. For applicants from Germany, the English-language program is the standard route.

Is there an entrance examination?

Not for the international program, where selection is based on your application documents. The Romanian-language track, however, allocates places through a competitive multiple-choice examination. The two procedures run separately and have their own deadlines.

What does a year of study cost?

The fee for international programs was most recently €10,000 per year, plus a processing fee of €300. To confirm a place, EU citizens pay half the annual fee in advance, and this down payment is not refunded.

How expensive is living in Cluj?

More expensive than at other Romanian medical locations. According to market analyses for the second quarter of 2026, a one-bedroom apartment averaged around €400 and a two-bedroom apartment around €575 in rent. Food, public transport, and study materials come on top. A shared flat or dormitory place brings costs down noticeably.

How is the degree treated in Germany?

The Romanian medical degree is automatically recognized under EU Directive 2005/36/EC; no additional knowledge test is required. For Approbation you need to submit an application to the relevant state authority and provide the required language certificates, including in most federal states a specialist language examination.