Pharmaceutical Sciences (Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences)

About the course

A 5-year (10-semester, 307-credit) single-cycle degree leading to the Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, taught in English by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Budapest. Its broad scientific base also prepares graduates for related professions beyond pharmacy.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• The university assesses the Irish Leaving Certificate individually and does not publish a fixed Irish requirement. Contact admissions to confirm. Semmelweis says there is no minimum grade average and admission is based mainly on the entrance exam; the programme page asks for a strong background and interest in the natural sciences, particularly biology and chemistry.
• Entrance exam: an online written test with 20 questions each in Medical Biology, Medical Chemistry, General English and Biomedical English, followed by an interview (in person or on Zoom) on motivation, professional attitude and communication in English.
• English: upper-intermediate level plus basic biomedical English. Applicants should preferably be under 30 and must be at least 18 by the end of the spring semester of Year 1.

Working in Ireland afterwards

A pharmacy degree from an EU/EEA member state that fully meets the Directive 2005/36/EC minimum training requirements (Article 44) can be recognised automatically. If you started your studies before the Directive’s reference date, you also need 3 consecutive years of professional experience within the last 5 years. Recognition is step one and PSI registration is step two: recognition alone does not let you practise, and you must also prove competence in English. EU law allows countries to limit EU-qualified pharmacists from running newly opened pharmacies, and we could not confirm on the PSI website whether Ireland does this. If you plan to be the supervising or superintendent pharmacist in a pharmacy, check with the PSI.

How to apply

1. Apply onlineSubmit your SEMAPHOR application with CV, motivation letter, passport copy, photo and school certificates, and pay the USD 400 fee, by 31 May 2027.
2. Sit the entrance examBook an exam date between early March and end of June and take the online written test and the interview.
3. Accept your offerResults come within 2 weeks. Pay the USD 2,000 deposit within 14 days of being notified of admission.
4. EnrolUpload your Leaving Certificate by 21 August 2027 and pay the USD 230 enrolment fee before the September start.

Costs

• EUR 5,820 per semester (about EUR 11,640 a year), as listed on the 2027 intake programme page; the page does not say which academic year the fee applies to. The university charges fees to all applicants on its English-language programmes, including EU students. There are also material fees: USD 400 per semester in Year 2 and USD 800 per semester in Years 3 to 5. One-off costs: USD 400 admission procedure fee, a USD 2,000 non-refundable deposit within 14 days of admission (deducted from the first semester’s tuition) and a USD 230 enrolment fee.

At a glance