Student life in Debrecen

Language

During your time in Debrecen, you will be able to get by in your day-to-day life by speaking English. The city is used to receiving thousands of foreign students every year. Young people speak very good English, often better than the English spoken in Spanish-speaking countries. Therefore, you will be able to practice your English on a daily basis and become an advanced speaker in a very short period of time.

English is the language used throughout the degree programme – classes, exams and study materials are all in English. Your results will never depend on your ability to speak Hungarian.

After your first year, you will take a Hungarian course for beginners in order to achieve a basic knowledge of the language, as you will need it during your internships at the hospital. However, we would like to stress that the official language of the degree programme is English.

 

Accommodation

Students can stay in the university’s Halls of Residence.

The university has a number of apartments and hostels on the university campus, which provide accommodation to 300 students.

Most apartments only have one bedroom, although there are a number of two and three-bedroom apartments for students to share. All apartments are fully furnished and have a balcony, hall and study room. They each have a telephone, a TV and Internet access and the kitchens are equipped with dishwashers and microwaves. The buildings have a gym, sauna and computer room.
An average student spends approximately 180 EUR a month on accommodation in Debrecen.

It is important to book in advance as places are limited. First-year students are usually given priority. If you are interested, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can make the booking.

It is also quite common for students to rent an apartment in the city centre, just a few minutes away from the university campus. It is possible to find an apartment for 250 EUR a month. We will help you find appropriate accommodation.

We will also put you in touch with other Spanish students starting the same year as you. Please contact us for more information. Our experience will be of great help to you and we will seek to make the process of moving to another country as smooth as possible.

You have take a look at the Halls of Residence in our photo gallery.

 

Expenses

Accommodation	200 EUR per month	in Halls of Residence of shared apartment
Food	3 – 5 EUR per meal	in student dining halls
Transport	11 EUR per month 25 EUR	with student discount

 

Transport

Students usually fly to Budapest and then take a minibus or train from the airport to Debrecen. The train journey lasts approximately two and a half hours.

By train – If you fly in to Budapest’s Ferihegy airport, you can take a train to Debrecen from Terminal 1. If your plane arrives at Terminal 2, take the nº200 bus to Terminal 1 and take the train from there. Tickets can be purchased in Terminal 1. For Intercity trains, the quickest and most convenient way to travel, tickets must be booked in advance. When you arrive in Debrecen, there is a tram stop opposite the train station which will take you straight to the university.

By car – Take the M3 motorway towards Görbeháza, then take the M35 and come off the motorway at the “route 33” exit.

The Student Services Centre, located on the ground floor of the main building, can provide you with timetables for the city’s tram, trolleybuses and buses.

Your student card gives you a 50% discount on all public transport.

 

Free time

Debrecen is a popular tourist destination. The city has hundreds of tourist attractions and leisure activities catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. There is always something to do in Debrecen. Restaurants, bars and pubs, clubs, jazz clubs, opera, museums, parks, historic buildings… they are all at your disposal

Debrecen – an exciting city

Debrecen is located in the eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, 220 km east of Budapest. It is the administrative, economic, educational, scientific and cultural centre of Eastern Hungary and the capital of Hajdu-Bihar county. It has a population of about 250,000 and is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest, the capital of the country.

The city of festivals

The most important festival in Debrecen, the Flower Carnival, takes place on 20th of August every year. Over the years, 100 million flowers have been used to decorate the parade floats, 10,000 Hungarians and foreigners have taken part in the parades and millions of visitors have watched the show. The Flower Carnival has grown over the years and is now a week-long festival with a wide range of events involving music, dance and flowers.

In addition to the Flower Carnival, Debrecen also organises some of the largest autumn and spring festivals in Hungary. The city is known for its international jazz festival, which takes place at the end of September, and for its Béla Bartók choir competition, held every two years. Visitors can also enjoy the Beer Carnival, the Wine Carnival and the International Festival of Military Bands.

Debrecen’s main festivals and events attract more and more visitors every year. But the city also holds a number of smaller events, such as Village Day festivals, Spa Parties, exhibitions, equestrian shows, national folklore programmes, art fairs, etc.

The city of thermal baths

Hot water springs are one of the most important sources of natural medicine. Hungary has countless thermal baths and the largest thermal and medicinal water reserve in the world. These thermal baths were discovered by the geologist Ferenc Pávai-Vajn in his search for hydrocarbon derivatives. Despite not being able to fulfil his original objective, he discovered high-quality medicinal waters at a high temperature in the area of Hajdúszoboszló, Debrecen and Karcag.

The city’s thermal spa is set in a beautiful environment – in the Great Forest of Debrecen, the country’s first nature reserve. Today, the spa is part of the Aquaticum Debrecen Thermal and Wellness Hotel, which offers hot water springs of up to 63 degrees Celsius as well as over 40 different beauty treatments.

The cultural centre of Eastern Hungary

Debrecen is one of the most remarkable cultural and social centres of Hungary, having established and maintained this reputation for over half a century. Its libraries are home to a number of unique books and its collection of embroidery and crafts offer visitors a unique experience.

The Kölcsey Convention Centre is the largest conference centre in the country. Many Hungarian artists and international stars have performed at the centre since 2006. The exhibition hall and foyer are used for large-scale art events, including an exhibition of paintings by Francisco Goya and exhibitions of other artists including William Blake and Hasegawa.

The Déri Museum, located in the city centre, is another intellectual and cultural centre in Debrecen. Amongst the museum’s most impressive pieces are the biblical paintings of the 19th century Hungarian artist Mihály Munkácsy. The museum’s collection also includes Egyptian mummies, artefacts from East Asia, oriental weapons and many other interesting pieces.

The city’s new art gallery, named “Modem”, recently held an exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci that attracted over 160,000 visitors.

The city also has a vibrant theatre scene. There are two stone-built theatres: the Csokonai Theatre and the Vojtina Puppet Theatre. In addition, visitors can also find a wide range of amateur and experimental theatre groups, which often put on plays for foreigners.

Natural landscapes

Debrecen is a unique city with interesting natural landscapes, despite its lack of mountains and rivers. The Hortobágy National Park, known as the “steppe”, is located on the outskirts of Debrecen and is one of the main natural attractions in Hungary. It is a vast area of plains and wetlands (part of the Hungarian Plain) with a rich flora and fauna. Another beautiful part of Debrecen is the “Nagyerdő” holiday resort, which offers many recreational activities for sport lovers. The university campus is located in the Great Forest national park.

 

Sport facilities

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