If you thought that you could study medicine in Germany only in German, you were wrong. The University of Targu Mures has a branch in Hamburg (University Targu Mures Medical Campus Hamburg – therefore the abbreviation UMCH), that provides interesting study models for international students. The program is suitable mainly for students who wish to study first two years in Western Europe and later shift to Romania. It is also possible to study the full course in Germany but with fees of 25.000€ per year.
About the medical program in Hamburg
Rarely you can find a comparable structure of the medical program in Europe. There are 2 parts – the first 2 years are taught in Hamburg (Germany), afterward, students shift to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Targu Mures. The language of instructions is English both in Germany and Romania. Students get practical experience during bedside teaching where German is also necessary during internships at German clinics and hospitals. Language certificates are not required, the most important criteria are completing secondary education and passing a written test in Biology, Chemistry, and general knowledge. Most of the practical classes are organized in small groups of 15-20 students. Graduates will get a Romanian degree which is recognized in the whole European Union. Check the Curriculum of the UMCH program
About the University Targu Mures (Romania)
There are 2 parts of education: the first takes 2 years and takes place in Hamburg (this is conducted at the Medical campus Premises of UMCH campus in Hamburg Premises of UMCH campus in Hamburg Hamburg), the second part is at the University of Targu Mures in Romania. The University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures is a public university located in Targu Mures, Romania. Targu Mures is located in the region of Transylvania. The university was founded in 1945 as a branch of the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. It has been operated independently since 1991. Currently, there are over 11.000 students studying at UMFST. The university has 3 faculties: the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry, and the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Study program – General medicine
General medicine is a 6-year program where students need to complete 360 ECTS credits. The first two years are preclinical – mostly basic and complementary subjects, especially those on the biochemical, biophysical, molecular, and cell-biological basis of medicine. A second focus in the pre-clinical part of the study program is on instructing students in the anatomical and physiological structures of the human body. The clinical section follows from 3rd to 6th year where central subjects include pathology, immunology, pharmacology, neurology, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, gynecology, urology, and pneumology.
Cost of General Medicine Program in Hamburg
There are 2 pathways that you can follow:
Pathway A: you will study the first 2 years in Hamburg and the remaining 4 years in Targu Mures. For studies in Hamburg, the tuition fees are 12.500€ per semester (25.000€ per academic year), for studies in Romania it is 3000€ per semester (6000€ per academic year).
Pathway B: you will study all 6 years in Germany, in that case, the fees are 12.500€ per semester for 1st and 2nd year (25.000€ yearly) and 14.000€ per semester for 3rd to 6th year (28.000€ per year). Apart from tuition fees, there are other fees related to studies, especially: the application fee (450€) and enrollment fee (3000€). Accommodation for students: Accommodation in Hamburg is provided through a network of partners. Their facilities are located very close to University in Hamburg, with a price of 700€ per single apartment.
Pre-medical course at UMCH
If you are interested in studying in the UMCH /Targu Mures program, it is possible to enroll in the preparatory course, which takes 3 weeks. If you wish to improve your knowledge in biology, chemistry, and physics, this might be good match for you. Topics covered include cell biology, anatomy, physiology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, basic biochemistry, mechanics, electricity, and optics. The course takes place in Hamburg and is offered to all interested participants. The price of the course is 2900€. Study groups have a maximum of 25 students. Another alternative is to take 12 weeks of preparatory semester (which is comparable to a standard semester at UMCH which takes 14 weeks)
Accreditation of UMCH in Hamburg
If you enroll in the UMCH program in Hamburg, you get an opportunity to obtain an internationally recognized degree from Romania. The University of Targu Mures follows the ECTS system (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) that is automatically recognised in all countries of the European Union. The UMCH campus and the University of Targu Mures are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) and in FAIMER (school ID: F0000226). Students may apply for USMLE qualification after graduation.
Intakes for international students
There is a single intake in September with the start of the Winter semester at the end of September. There are approximately 150-165 places offered for international students.
Admission procedure for international students
The admission procedure is straightforward and can be completed remotely. Firstly documents are submitted electronically through the application portal of the University. Be careful which documents you are uploading because all scanned documents need to be submitted also in hard copy (notary copy or original) to the international office.
There are the following documents to be submitted:
a) application form
b) Personal letter (motivational letter)
c) Curriculum vitae (CV)
d) high school degree, secondary school leaving certificate – which needs to be translated to English or Romanian language after admission. Documents need to be apostilled.
e) declaration form about medical status
f) application fee of 450€
g) passport copy
After all documents are submitted, all documents will be evaluated (if you are not sure, whether your qualification is satisfactory, it is possible to check with the university before). You will be invited for the entrance exam consisting of a written part (consisting of Biology, Chemistry, and general knowledge – 60% of all possible points) and an oral interview (40% of all possible points). Selected applicants will be then offered a place at the University. There is a total of 50% of points needed in order to get an offer letter from the University. The whole process usually takes 10-14 days to issue of admission letter. There is no age limit so study gaps are acceptable. The whole admission procedure is online, so there is no need to travel to Hamburg.
Transfer rules for the UMCH in Hamburg
Students are eligible to transfer also to the UMCH branch in Germany and study there until graduation. The degree awarded will still be Romanian as the accreditation is based on the main campus in Romania. The university is requesting to submit the following documents in order to process transfer request:
In order to best assess the application, we ask the applicants to fill out the attached transfer questionnaire and submit the following documents (as PDF files) via e-mail:
- Transcript of Records (with information such as grades/marks, passed/failed for each subject). Submitted in English or Romanian language. If this is not possible, then please translate the transcript into the English language yourself.
- Syllabus/Curriculum/Module Description (with information such as hours/subject and subject content, ECTS/subject)
- submitted in English or Romanian language. If this is not possible, then please translate only the paragraphs that refer to the transfer application into English yourself with the above-mentioned information.
- High School Diploma (scanned copy of original)
- Copy of passport or ID
- Transfer Request From (see Attachment) – German Language Certificate (B2-Level)
- (only if you want to transfer to the 3rd academic year)
Important information: A transfer request or a start in the 1st academic year is only possible if the admission criteria has been evaluated as eligible. The eligibility criteria for admission at UMCH is given by the high school diploma and the results obtained during your high school period. If a transfer should be accepted, when submitting documents in paper form after receiving a study place offer, the previously submitted transcripts and paragraphs from Syllabus/Curriculum/Module Description must be translated by a sworn translator into English or Romanian language.
