FAQ

The campus is a branch of the Romanian University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures (UMFST), offering a study program in human medicine in English. The advantages of studying medicine in English for your professional future are obvious. By practicing your language skills during your studies, you will deepen them and set the course for a successful career at an early stage – not only in an international context. The English language predominates in science and research and serves international communication. At the same time, you broaden your linguistic and cultural horizon by studying in an international environment. Connect with other students who also like to look beyond their own horizons while you are studying. The theoretical lectures take place in a campus building in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld with modern equipment and administration. In small groups, you will be closely supported until graduation by motivated teaching staff. Teaching bedside from the 3rd academic year onwards takes place in the UMCH teaching hospitals.

No. As a student at the campus, you are enrolled at the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures. The university is one of the leading state medical faculties in Romania. The campus is a branch of the UMFST of Targu Mures.

The exact date on which the winter semester begins is determined anew each year. However, it is always a date between the end of September and mid-October. The corresponding date for the respective winter semester is always announced in good time – as soon as it is fixed – and published online.

Both winter and summer semesters at UMCH always last 14 weeks.

At UMCH, classes are taught in English. Only the bedside teaching (the practical clinical part in years 3–6) at the German partner hospitals or clinics is in German.

The bedside teaching in Targu Mures (the practical clinical part in years 3 –6) takes place in English. An English certificate is not mandatory for the application, but your knowledge of English will be tested during the selection interview. Medical studies in English are generally easy for German high school graduates to master. Furthermore, during the first year, the course medical terminology that introduces students to medical terminology is taught in English.

In order to participate in clinical education in Germany (years 3–6), international students must have a language level of approximately B2 in the German language by the beginning of the third academic year.

You can find more information about the study structure here.

The first three years of study include three modules of two weeks each, which can be completed in Targu Mures. These modules are the following:

Year 1: Anatomy 1 and 2 (Laboratory of the Anatomy Department)
Year 2: Anatomy 3 (Laboratory of the Anatomy Department) and Introduction in the Medical Work (Simulation Center)
Year 3: Bacteriology/Virology/Parasitology (Laboratory of the Microbiology Department) and Morphopathology (Laboratory of the Pathology Department)

Alternatively, you can also complete the modules at the UMCH campus in Hamburg. The program in Hamburg covers the same content as in Targu Mures. Only the form of teaching differs. With regard to dissection, real bodies are used on the main campus, while the 3D anatomy and dissection table is used in Hamburg.

The university cooperates with a large number of partner hospitals and clinics throughout Germany for teaching bedside from the third academic year onwards. Of course, the personal preferences of the respective student are taken into account in the concrete assignment to a partner hospital or clinic. A mandatory survey in this regard will take place at the beginning of the second academic year. If there are more students applying for a certain partner hospital or clinic than there are places available, places will be awarded strictly according to their performance (ranking according to the average grade of the second year of study, in the case of a tie, by lot).

UMCH offers a four-year doctoral program that allows for obtaining the “Dr.” respectively “PhD” degree. The program is open to UMCH graduates and graduates of other medical courses of study from Germany and abroad, and is aimed in particular at those who, in addition to the successful completion of their studies, wish to acquire the ability to carry out more in-depth scientific work during their time as an assistant doctor.

The PhD program is a scientific research doctorate and the “PhD” degree is the most well-known doctoral degree in the English-speaking world. Thus, the doctorate offered by UMCH is a fully and internationally recognized degree from the so-called third cycle of the Bologna system.

The aim of the program is to provide you with methodologically, professionally and academically comprehensive training to open your way into the world of medical research and thus to enable you to pursue a scientific career. During the program you will be involved in an extensive research project and participate in a number of selected accompanying events. The entire program can be observed from Germany. The person holding the title is entitled to use the title of “Dr.” respectively “PhD” in Germany as well as in all other EU member states. In addition, it is possible to have the doctorate entered on your identity card.

Alternatively, you can also apply for a doctoral position at a state university in Germany and thus acquire the German doctoral degree.

Yes, a tranfer to UMCH in the 2nd or 3rd academic year is possible for 2021/2022. The prerequisite for this is that you have previously studied at a university based in the EU. We will be happy to inform you in advance about the possible crediting of your previous studies and the ECTS points you have earned. Please contact the UMCH team to find out what information we need for this.

It is also possible to transfer from UMCH to another university in Europe. A total of 360 ECTS points will be earned during the six-year course. Each academic year contains 60 ECTS points. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) used at UMCH ensures EU-wide and Bologna-compliant comparability of the curriculum.

This varies from case to case. If you are unsure, please contact the German embassy in your respective country of origin for further details. In any case, please make sure to allow sufficient time for any processing time. Of course, we will be happy to assist you if you need a written invitation or something similar in the context of the visa application. Please contact us in such a case.

If you are an EU citizen and hold a higher education entrance qualification, no specific average grade is required to apply for the study program at UMCH. You must provide a high-school diploma which allows you access to university entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent). If you are a NON-EU citizen, you will have to contact the UMCH Admission Team to receive further information about the requirements of your high-school diploma depending on the issuing country.

You must submit the following documents with your application:

• Personal statement in English (Calibri font, font size 11, 250–300 words) that answers at least two of the following questions:
  • Who/what influenced your decision to apply to medical school?
  • What will you do to become a good student/doctor?
  • What plans and visions do you have concerning your medical education?
  • Which of your extracurricular activities have influenced you the most and why?
  • What is your favorite book and how has it influenced you?
  • Are there any extraordinary/unusual circumstances in your life that would make us consider your application in a different light?
  • Describe the environment in which you have lived so far and tell us what you would like to change about it.
  • What changes would you like to bring about through your work?
• Curriculum vitae in English language
• Study diploma/certificate (High-school diploma, i. e. Abiturzeugnis, IB Diploma, Baccalaureate or others)
  • Your school diploma must give you access to higher education in your country of origin.
  • If your diploma was issued in a NON-EU country and/or the language in which the diploma was issued is NOT English, German or Romanian, please contact the UMCH Admission Team to check the additional application requirements.
  • If you are still in your final year and you do not have a high school diploma yet, please submit this form (filled in and signed).
• Passport or Identity card (ID: both sides / Passport: pages 1-4)
• High school transcript of record from the 9th until 12th grade (13th grade)
• Proof of payment of the application fee of € 450

You can (and should) submit your application before you receive your school diploma. Since the allocation of study places at UMCH takes place successively, it is of great advantage if you apply early. Please fill out this form and submit it to us.

The application period for the winter semester 2021/22 is currently open. Alternatively, you can already apply now for a place at UMCH for the winter semester 2022/23. You can find all information here.

The admission procedure at UMCH consists primarily of a motivation-based interview and a subsequent evaluation. The interview focuses primarily on the applicant’s personal qualifications and motivation. This may also include questions about the application documents you have submitted (e.g., work or internship certificates for previous activities in the medical field or voluntary work). The evaluation consists of 75 simple multiple-choice questions on biology, chemistry and general knowledge. All three topics are equally weighted. The results of the evaluation and the interview are included at a ratio of 60:40 for the overall evaluation.

You can take part in the admission procedure at any time and without complications. It is not necessary to travel to Hamburg for one of our admission dates. It is possible to participate in the brief evaluation and the motivation-based interview online via video conferencing.

You will receive your results within 48 hours of your participation in the admission procedure. By announcing your results as soon as possible, you can use the time before you start your studies at UMCH as efficiently as possible – for example, to prepare for your graduation (if you apply before obtaining your school diploma), for voluntary or honorary activities or to complete internships. This will also give you plenty of time to travel or look for accommodation.

Those who have completed the admission procedure will receive – depending on the success of the admission procedure consisting of evaluation and interview – the following:

• to the extent of available capacities, an acceptance for the immediately upcoming winter semester or – if the capacity of study places for the immediately upcoming winter semester is exhausted –
• an acceptance for the winter semester immediately following the immediately upcoming winter semester with the offer to be placed on the waiting list for the immediately upcoming winter semester, or
• a rejection.

If you do not get a slot at UMCH, you have the opportunity to participate in one of our preparatory courses. We offer the 3-week Pre-Medical Course and the 12-week College Semester. By participating, you greatly increase your chances of obtaining a place at UMCH if you apply again. More detailed information about our preparation courses can be found here.

In the first two academic years, tuition fees amount to € 12,500 per semester. From the 3rd academic year onwards they will be € 14,000 per semester. In case you complete your studies in years 3 to 6 in Targu Mures, the costs are € 3,000 per semester. In addition, there is a one-time application fee of € 450 and a one-time enrollment fee of € 3,500.

Please transfer the tuition fees to the following account:

CPE Europe GmbH

IBAN: DE71254621600108230200
BIC: GENODEF1HMP
Volksbank Hameln-Stadthagen

During your studies at UMCH, you are of course free to work part-time.  However, due to the high demands and time required for medical studies, we advise our students to work only on weekends and/or during the semester break. It must be ensured that the obligation to attend courses is not violated by a potential part-time job and that you always have enough time for self-study.

The UMFST of Targu Mures and all its study programs are accredited by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS). Moreover, the university is marked with the highest status H+ by the information portal for the assessment of foreign educational qualifications (anabin) published by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the States in the Federal Republic of Germany. Therefore, it is regarded as a higher education institution in Germany. Furthermore, the notification in accordance with §117 of Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz has been made. It is a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). In 2013 and 2017 the university was evaluated by the Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) (conducted by the European University Association (EUA)). In addition, the Quality Management Standard (ISO 9001: 2015) was introduced and certified by TÜV AUSTRIA CERT GMBH.

Medical studies at UMCH lead to a university degree in human medicine, which entitles the holder to obtain a license to practice medicine throughout the EU and in many other countries and is fully equivalent to the German medical examination and to human medicine degrees from all other EU countries. Moreover, on the basis of the EU Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (2005/36/EC), this qualification is automatically recognized. An additional examination in Germany is not required. The degree thus opens the way for UMCH graduates to practice as doctors throughout the EU. When applying for a license to practice medicine in Germany, however, it should be noted that in comparison to holders of a German degree in human medicine, additional proof of sufficient knowledge of German must be provided (B2 in general and C1 with regard to medical terminology). For holders of a high school diploma from a German-speaking country, however, this requirement is generally not applicable. Furthermore, the UMFST of Targu Mures is listed along with UMCH in Hamburg (FAIMER-school ID: F0000226) in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). This enables students to take the American state examination (USMLE – United States Medical Licensing Examination).

In addition to the medical subjects, two other subjects are taught:

Physical education:

The curriculum includes compulsory sports lessons that take place at a cooperating modern sports complex located in the immediate vicinity of the campus in Hamburg. These sports lessons are free of charge for UMCH students. For this purpose, an evidence-based concept was developed according to how students should deal with topics like muscle building from a sports science perspective, thus developing a broader understanding of physical processes.

In addition, UMCH also offers its students discounts on membership in the Aktive Freizeit e. V. (VAF) association. VAF and its accompanying recreational sports facility are located in the immediate vicinity of the UMCH campus. In an area of more than 3,000 m², the multifunctional sports facility offers a 25-meter swimming pool (28 °C), a spacious wellness area, three gymnasiums, a spinning room and the TÜV-certified “Studio für gesunde Fitness” fitness center. An extensive program of courses rounds off the package, ranging from tension to relaxation, classic to dynamic.

VAF offers special conditions to UMCH students for the use of its recreational sports facility. Our students do not have to pay registration fees and receive a 10 % discount on membership and course fees. This does not apply to special offers.

Romanian cultural studies:

Above all, this course serves to broaden the students’ horizons. In this way, they learn to focus on a broader range of topics. Through the extensive contents of the course, which range from culture to ethics and history, they learn about new perspectives that will be of great use to them in their studies and future professional life. The course also explores the relationship between culture and cognition. Different types of interactive teaching methods are used to collectively develop working techniques that help students improve their interpretative and critical competencies.

In cooperation with the student residences Uninest, THE FIZZ and Urban Living, UMCH offers you the option of living in fully furnished student apartments at reasonable prices during your studies in Hamburg.

Uninest‘s apartments are located in the modernly equipped “Navale” student residence, which comprises a total of 328 studios. The advantages of Uninest include, among other things, a separate kitchen with cooker, microwave and freezer/cooler combination in each apartment as well as a package acceptance and janitor service.

THE FIZZ is located in Altona-Nord. In addition to high-quality furnishings in the individual apartments and free rental items, the building’s outdoor facilities and community areas – such as a roof terrace, a lobby and a movie lounge – are among the biggest plus points for your personal living comfort.

Urban Living is a modern building complex with various apartment types in the Hamburg district of Ottensen. The apartments all have their own kitchen and bathroom as well as a balcony or (roof) terrace. In addition, the residence hall has, among other things, an event kitchen, a sports field and a fitness room.

In addition to Uninest, THE FIZZ and Urban Living, the accommodation platform HousingAnywhere is also one of the partners of UMCH. Among other advantages, the platform is characterized by its particularly secure booking system. Moreover, as a student of the university you will receive VIP status, which will increase your chances of finding a room or an apartment many times over.

Here you can find out more about our partners in the field of housing.

At UMCH and in the immediate vicinity of the campus, there are various options for having a healthy and inexpensive lunch.

In UMCH’s own refectory students can choose from two dishes daily, one of which is always vegetarian. These can be ordered until 3 p.m. the day before and can be cancelled until 10 p.m. There is also a varied selection of sandwiches, salads and drinks. The payment is made via the UMCH cafeteria card, which can be flexibly topped up with credit in advance using the smartphone app SAMS-ON. The cafeteria card is handed out to students at the beginning of their studies during the enrollment days.

The “Saalbach Bistro”, which belongs to our sports cooperation partner VAF, is also within walking distance. Here, too, a daily varying lunchtime offer is available especially for UMCH students.

If you are hungry or thirsty in between, there are also various vending machines for snacks and drinks available on campus.