Budapest · Medicine in English
Semmelweis University
Semmelweis teaches medicine in English in Budapest. Here is its exam, with each fact from the university's own pages. You also get study advice and the oral topics applicants report.
- Fee to apply
- USD 400
- Tuition
- Charged per semester
- What it tests
- 27 + 23 official topics
- After the exam
- Results in 2 weeks
From the university's own pages. See the tuition amount on its medicine page, and every fact with its source.
Semmelweis practice
Practice for the Semmelweis exam
Try 5 of our questions, in the Semmelweis style.
Timed, in order
On a clock, in order, with no going back.
The official topics
Questions on the official topic lists.
Semmelweis style
Our sample5 questions in the Semmelweis style
- Here: one question per screen, no going back.
- A 5-minute clock for 5 questions. The real exam: four tests of 20 minutes each.
- You see every answer, explained, at the end.
Written by HungaryMedPrep, in each school's style. Not real exam questions.
Every question explained
The reasoning behind each right answer.
Your score by topic
So you know what to study next.
Good to know
- Practice has no questions for the two English tests.
- Practice does not simulate the interview or the oral.
Our plan
What Semmelweis practice costs
Single-School Prep
One-time payment · VAT included
Practice access opens in November 2026.
- Timed biology and chemistry practice, no going back
- Questions on the official topic lists
- Every question explained
All sales are final: we do not give refunds (Terms, section 2). If you live in the EU and buy as a consumer, the mandatory consumer law of your country also protects you (Terms, section 12).
The written exam
What to study, and how to sit it
The official topic lists go beyond school level. Allostery, kinase cascades and standard reduction potentials are three examples. So check every topic against your course.
- Decide, then move on. The official rule is that you answer in the given order. A 2026 applicant on Reddit said skipped questions could not be reached again.
- The written tests include English: General English and Biomedical English. The official topic lists cover biology and chemistry only.
- Wrong answers cost part of a point. Our tip: an answer you can narrow down is a better bet than a blind guess.
The oral exam
The oral: what applicants were asked
Expect science questions, plus why Semmelweis. One 2025 applicant said most questions used a diagram.
- Identify cholesterol from its structure (2025)
- Red blood cells in solutions of different strengths (2025)
- How a peptide bond forms, and what it gives off (2025)
- Enzyme graphs: the best pH, and rate against substrate (2025)
- A dilution calculation (2025)
- Mitochondria, the nervous system and protein structure (2025)
- Acids, bases and buffers in blood (2025)
- Tell us about yourself. Why Semmelweis? (2025)
Reports from applicants on Reddit. Not an official list. Your questions may differ.
A model answer
What is a buffer, and why does blood need one?
A buffer is a mix of a weak acid and its conjugate base. It keeps the pH almost the same when a little acid or base is added. If acid is added, the base part takes up the extra H⁺ ions. If base is added, the weak acid gives up H⁺ ions. In blood, the main buffer is carbonic acid and bicarbonate. It keeps blood pH close to 7.4, which our enzymes need.
Our model answer, written by HungaryMedPrep. Not from the university.
Practise out loud
- Name the key words early, even if you are not sure. A 2024 applicant gave this advice.
- Think out loud. Do not go silent while you work it out.
- Asked something you were not taught? Say what you do know. Then link it to a topic you know well.
- Practise every topic this way. Tick the Explain box in the free checklist once you can.
- Want to practise with a teacher? The live crash course has mock oral questions in class.
Free by email
Preparing for Semmelweis?
Get the free topic checklist PDF. Debrecen is in it too.
- Every official biology and chemistry topic, with boxes to tick. Plus our 6 free guides.
- Also in the PDF: oral topics applicants report, and hard words explained.
Semmelweis
Your Semmelweis questions, answered
Is there a Semmelweis sample test or past papers?
Semmelweis publishes official topic lists. When we last read its admission FAQ, it listed no sample test. A 2024 applicant reported a practice test that opens only in Safe Exam Browser. Ask the university whether one is offered for 2027.
YouTube "past papers" are questions applicants remember. Applicants in 2026 disagree on how close they are. Two who sat on the same day got different diagram questions. The real questions are not published.
How hard is the Semmelweis entrance exam?
The topic lists go beyond school level, for example into cell signalling. Applicants in 2025 mostly called biology the hardest test. Most called both English tests easy. Chemistry split opinion. So learn every official topic, not old questions.
Can I go back to a question?
No. The official rule is that you answer the questions in the given order. A 2026 applicant on Reddit said skipped questions could not be reached again. So decide on each one before you move on.
Is there negative marking? What is the pass mark?
A correct answer is worth one point. A wrong answer loses part of a point, but the university does not say how much. No pass mark is published. Your score alone does not decide. A committee looks at the tests, the interview, your school grades, your motivation and your spoken English. It also weighs the university's own aims, such as diversity and gender balance.
Our tip: an answer you can narrow down is a better bet than a blind guess. Our practice does not invent a penalty.
How many times can I sit it? I was waitlisted.
See how often you may sit in one year.
Applicants report waitlists running into July (2024 and 2026). A 2024 applicant on Reddit quoted their waitlist letter. It said: stay on the list for a decision by the end of July, or sit again. Ask the university in writing what applies to you. Either way, treat your first sitting as a real attempt.
How do I apply to Semmelweis, step by step?
You apply yourself: we are not an agent, and we do not apply for you.
- Apply on SEMAPHOR, the university's online application portal. Pay the fee to apply.
- Book an exam date soon after you apply. In April 2026, applicants on Reddit found the online slots full after paying.
- Sit the written tests from home, in Safe Exam Browser, with Zoom watching.
- Go to the interview with an oral exam. See the oral topics applicants report.
- Get your decision, reply to an offer, and pay the deposit. See when you hear and what you pay.
When are the exams, and when do I apply for 2027?
Applying: Not published yet. Last year (2026): Applications were open from 12 January to 31 May 2026.
Exams: The university says exams are held once or twice a week, from early February to the end of June. You get the dates after you apply, and you book one on SEMAPHOR, the university's online portal.
For 2027, check the programme page. Our tip: book soon after you apply. In April 2026, applicants on Reddit found the online slots full after paying.
Do I need IELTS?
No English certificate is asked for. English is tested inside the exam: two of the four written tests are English tests. Your spoken English is checked at the interview.
What is on the Biomedical English test?
The official topic lists do not cover it. One 2025 applicant on Reddit said it tested basic medical words. One task was to find words that mean the same as "contract", "diffuse" or "motility". That applicant also had a few questions on anatomical terms of location.
Our starter list of those terms (textbook English, not from the university):
- Anterior: at the front. Posterior: at the back.
- Superior: above. Inferior: below.
- Medial: nearer the middle of the body. Lateral: further to the side.
- Proximal: nearer the trunk. Distal: further from it.
- Superficial: nearer the surface. Deep: further inside.
The free checklist explains hard biology and chemistry words. It does not cover Biomedical English.
What does the university charge?
All paid to the university:
- To apply, the deposit and enrolment: USD 400 to apply. It covers your application and up to two exam sittings. After an offer, you pay a USD 2,000 deposit within 14 days. It is not refunded, and it counts toward first-semester tuition. The enrolment fee is USD 230. You get the USD 400 back only if you never submit the application, or withdraw before the deadline. Ask by 30 June. A refund takes 30 to 60 days.
- Tuition: Tuition is charged per semester, plus one-time fees. You can apply for a 50% reduction of the fee with a form, and the university may grant it. The page does not say who qualifies. See the current figure on the programme page.
Who can apply? Can I get an exemption?
You may sit at most two entrance exams in one calendar year. The USD 400 fee covers both. You need to finish high school, or be in your final year: then upload your certificate by 21 August. You must be 18 by the end of May of your first year. The university prefers applicants under 30 when they apply. The English programme is for non-Hungarian citizens. There is no minimum GPA (grade point average). A science bachelor's degree (BSc) or higher, taught in English, in a field close to medicine, biology or chemistry, can bring an exemption. Ask for it by email after you apply on SEMAPHOR. The rules do not say here what it exempts you from, so ask the university. At acceptance you need a medical certificate.
An exempted applicant on Reddit in 2026 reported a decision in about two weeks.
More answers in our free guides: Is there a Semmelweis sample test? and How to pass the Semmelweis exam.
Every fact, with its source
Every line comes from the school's own pages. The link under each one shows where.
- The exam
Four online tests from home: Medical Biology, Medical Chemistry, General English and Biomedical English. Each test has 20 questions in 20 minutes.
Read the rest
You answer the questions in the given order. You use Safe Exam Browser, a locked browser, and Zoom watches you with camera and microphone on. An interview with an oral exam on your subjects follows. It is in person by default, with an online option.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- Scoring
A correct answer is worth one point. A wrong answer loses part of a point, but the university does not say how much.
Read the rest
No pass mark is published. Your score alone does not decide. A committee looks at the tests, the interview, your school grades, your motivation and your spoken English. It also weighs the university's own aims, such as diversity and gender balance.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- What it tests
Two official topic lists: 27 topics in Medical Biology and 23 in Medical Chemistry. Biology covers biomolecules, cells, genetics, metabolism, hormones, organs and immunity.
Read the rest
Chemistry covers bonding, solutions, pH, equilibrium, redox, energy, reaction rates and organic chemistry. Some topics go past school level, such as allostery, kinase cascades and standard reduction potentials.
Source: semmelweis.hu, official PDF. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Exam dates
The university says exams are held once or twice a week, from early February to the end of June. You get the dates after you apply, and you book one on SEMAPHOR, the university's online portal.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- When to apply
Not published yet for 2027/28.
Last year (2026): Applications were open from 12 January to 31 May 2026.Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- Results
You hear within 2 weeks of your exam. Then you have 2 weeks to reply to an offer.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- Fee to apply
USD 400 to apply. It covers your application and up to two exam sittings.
Read the rest
After an offer, you pay a USD 2,000 deposit within 14 days. It is not refunded, and it counts toward first-semester tuition. The enrolment fee is USD 230. You get the USD 400 back only if you never submit the application, or withdraw before the deadline. Ask by 30 June. A refund takes 30 to 60 days.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- Tuition
Tuition is charged per semester, plus one-time fees. You can apply for a 50% reduction of the fee with a form, and the university may grant it. The page does not say who qualifies.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
- Places
Not on the faculty pages we checked.
Checked 5 September 2026.
- Who can apply
You may sit at most two entrance exams in one calendar year. The USD 400 fee covers both.
Read the rest
You need to finish high school, or be in your final year: then upload your certificate by 21 August. You must be 18 by the end of May of your first year. The university prefers applicants under 30 when they apply. The English programme is for non-Hungarian citizens. There is no minimum GPA (grade point average). A science bachelor's degree (BSc) or higher, taught in English, in a field close to medicine, biology or chemistry, can bring an exemption. Ask for it by email after you apply on SEMAPHOR. The rules do not say here what it exempts you from, so ask the university. At acceptance you need a medical certificate.
Source: semmelweis.hu, official page 1, semmelweis.hu, official page 2. Checked 5 September 2026.
- English
No English certificate is asked for. English is tested inside the exam: two of the four written tests are English tests. Your spoken English is checked at the interview.
Source: semmelweis.hu. Checked 27 August 2026.
The school's own pages
- Entrance examsemmelweis.hu
- Program medicinesemmelweis.hu
- Admission rulessemmelweis.hu
- Faqsemmelweis.hu
- Topics pdf publicsemmelweis.hu
- Portalsemaphor.semmelweis.hu