Universities in Hungary for International Students

Below: the top Hungarian universities with cities, QS ranks and fees; why students from Africa choose its medical schools; which programmes are in English; the entry requirements; and exactly how to apply.

Choosing a university in Hungary

There is no single “best” university in Hungary — the right one depends on your subject, your budget and whether you want a general degree or one of the medical programmes that put Hungary on the map for African students. A few honest pointers first:

• Hungary charges tuition. This is the biggest difference from Germany. Self-funded non-EU students pay fees — there is no €0 public option. A government scholarship is the only route to tuition-free study (see below).
• 64 accredited institutions, mostly reformed. Hungary has 64 accredited higher-education institutions, a mix of state-funded, privately-funded and church-funded. Since a 2021 reform, many former state flagships (Debrecen, Szeged, Pécs, Semmelweis, Corvinus) became public-interest “foundation” (KEKVA) universities — they are still the country’s leading public-style universities, just under a new model.
• No Hungarian university is in the global QS top 500. Be wary of any agent who claims a Hungarian university is “world top-100.” The strength here is value and English-taught medicine, not raw global ranking.
• Medicine is the headline. Semmelweis, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs run long-established English-language medical, dental and pharmacy degrees — the reason Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana send so many students to Hungary.

For the full money picture — tuition, living costs and proof of funds in your local currency — see our guide to the cost of studying in Hungary.

Top universities in Hungary

These are Hungary’s highest-ranked universities (QS World University Rankings 2026, released June 2025). Tuition columns are program-specific — read them as a guide and always confirm the current fee on the university’s own page before applying, as these change every cycle.

“English programmes” means the university runs English-medium degrees, but availability is program-specific — verify per course on the university’s own site. Semmelweis quotes its medical fees in USD per semester (≈ USD 10,450/sem = ~USD 20,900/yr) — read the unit carefully before you budget.

(MATE is notably the cheapest flagship at roughly EUR 2,000–3,000/year. For how these fees translate into Naira, Cedi or Shilling alongside living costs, see our cost of studying in Hungary guide.)

Medical schools in Hungary (the main draw for African students)

If you came to this page for medicine, dentistry or pharmacy, four universities matter most. They run long-established English-language one-tier (5–6 year) programmes and are the reason Nigeria is by far the largest African origin in Hungary.

All figures are 2026 fees and are volatile — confirm on each university’s official page before you apply. A few honest notes:

• Medicine is expensive. At roughly USD 16,900–20,900 a year plus ~EUR 7,000 a year living costs, a six-year degree is a major commitment. There is no tuition-free public route except the government scholarship.
• There is an entrance exam. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy require a written exam in Biology and Chemistry (plus English) and usually an interview. Semmelweis runs its own online exam covering Medical Biology, Medical Chemistry and Biomedical English.
• Some fees bundle insurance. Szeged and Debrecen state that basic Hungary-valid health insurance is included in the medical tuition fee — check whether yours does before paying separately.

English-taught programmes

Unlike Germany — where English bachelor’s degrees are rare — Hungary offers English-taught degrees broadly at both bachelor’s and master’s level. There are 700+ foreign-language (mostly English) courses across the institutions, and 800+ full degree programmes available through the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship.

The strongest English-taught fields are:

• Health sciences — medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health (the signature export).
• Engineering and computer science / IT.
• Economics and business.
• Natural sciences.

Where English is thin: teacher training, theology, law (Hungarian track) and many humanities and social-science bachelor’s are Hungarian-only, so check the language of instruction per programme.

For English-taught study you’ll typically need IELTS ~5.5 (bachelor’s) or ~6.0 (master’s), or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL, with the exact threshold set per university. If your previous education was taught in English, an official certificate is usually accepted instead of a test — though the university may run an online interview. Medical programmes are often assessed through the university’s own English test or interview rather than a fixed IELTS score, so don’t trust a specific “IELTS 6.0 for medicine” figure from an agency site unless the university’s own page states it.

Entry requirements for African students

What you need depends on your level. Hungary recognises foreign qualifications through ENIC-NARIC (the Hungarian Equivalence and Information Centre, under the Educational Authority), with certified English or Hungarian translations — not Germany’s APS.

For a bachelor’s: a recognised secondary school-leaving certificate (WASSCE/NECO, KCSE, NSC and similar) plus your transcript, translated; a CV, motivation letter, passport copy and English proof; often two reference letters. Applicants are usually ranked on prior grades or GPA.

For a master’s: a recognised bachelor’s degree with a detailed transcript or course descriptions, usually an entrance exam and/or interview, and sometimes references or a research background.

For medicine, dentistry or pharmacy: the above plus a written entrance exam in Biology and Chemistry (and English) and typically an interview.

No APS for any African country. APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) is a German requirement only — it has no role in Hungarian admissions or the Hungarian study residence permit. For Hungary you need certified translations and, where applicable, ENIC-NARIC recognition. Don’t confuse it with South Africa’s domestic “APS” (Admission Point Score), which is unrelated and irrelevant here. Don’t pay anyone for an “APS certificate” for Hungary — it isn’t required.

Tuition and scholarships

Two facts cover most of it:

• Hungary charges tuition. General bachelor’s and master’s degrees run about USD 6,000–8,000 a year; medicine USD 16,900–20,900 / EUR 15,800 a year; dentistry USD 17,500–20,900 / EUR 15,200–15,600; pharmacy USD 8,000–13,240 / EUR 10,000–10,420. There is no €0 public option.
• The scholarship is the tuition-free route. The Hungarian Government’s Stipendium Hungaricum covers full tuition plus a monthly stipend, accommodation contribution and medical insurance.

A critical eligibility point for our readers: of the main African origins, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are eligible for Stipendium Hungaricum, but Zimbabwe and Zambia are NOT (no bilateral agreement) — verified for the 2026/27 cycle, but partner lists change yearly, so re-check each cycle. Many agency blogs wrongly list all of Africa as eligible; don’t believe a promise of a Hungarian government scholarship if you’re Zimbabwean or Zambian.

Full details, award values and the 15 January deadline are on our Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship guide. For the complete first-year budget — tuition, ~EUR 7,000/yr living costs, health insurance (~EUR 300/yr) and proof of funds — see the cost of studying in Hungary page. The residence-permit side is covered on our Hungary student visa page.

How to apply

There is no UCAS-equivalent in Hungary for international students. Your route depends on whether you’re scholarship-funded or self-funded:

1. Pick your route. For Stipendium Hungaricum, apply via the official DreamApply portal (apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu, max 2 programme choices) by the 15 January deadline. For self-funded study, apply directly to each university — most run their own (often DreamApply-based) portals.
2. Check recognition. Confirm your qualification will be recognised through ENIC-NARIC; prepare certified English or Hungarian translations of your certificate and transcript.
3. Gather documents. School certificate or degree + transcript, CV, motivation letter, passport copy, English proof (or English-medium certificate), and reference letters where asked.
4. Sit any entrance exam. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy require the Biology/Chemistry exam and usually an interview. Some master’s programmes have an entrance exam too.
5. Apply early. Self-funded deadlines vary by institution — contact each university. As a guide, round 1 is around November (February start) and round 2 around February (September start), with acceptances by late July.
6. Pay fees and enrol. Expect one-off costs such as an application fee and an entrance/registration fee (check each university’s current amounts), plus the tuition deposit for medical programmes.

A note on agents. No agent has a “special channel” into a Hungarian university or the Stipendium Hungaricum. The application is yours to submit. We help you do it cleanly and honestly rather than pretend to bypass the system — and we’ll tell you plainly if you’re not eligible.

How we help

World Study helps African students shortlist the right Hungarian university — including the medical schools — check credential recognition correctly, prepare a clean application, and get the study residence permit, with real costs and no inflated promises. Our core guidance is free; you only pay if you choose our optional premium visa-and-relocation support.

Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which universities in Hungary you qualify for.