Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About the Budapest University of Technology and Economics

The university’s history page traces BME to 1782, when Emperor Joseph II founded the Institutum Geometricum at the University of Buda. The institution merged with the Joseph College of Technology in 1850 and became the Royal Joseph Polytechnic in 1856. It became the Technical University of Budapest in 1949, added the Faculties of Natural Sciences and of Economic and Social Sciences in 1998, and took its present name in 2000. Instruction in English began in 1984.^[7]

BME has eight faculties and 76 departments, about 1,200 lecturers and 28 university buildings.^[1] Its main address is Műegyetem rkp. 3 in Budapest.^[2] Wikipedia gives the Hungarian name Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem and lists the eight faculties, among them Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, Electrical Engineering and Informatics, and Natural Sciences.^[6]

How is BME ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, BME is in the 751–760 band, down from 711–720 in the previous edition.^[3][8] Among Hungarian universities it follows Eötvös Loránd University (595th), the University of Debrecen (600th) and the University of Szeged (633rd); the University of Pécs is in the 791–800 band.^[8]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. Compare all Hungarian universities on our Hungary page.

What can you study at BME?

The university offers 26 bachelor’s programmes, 39 master’s programmes and 12 doctoral schools; 8 bachelor’s and 19 master’s programmes are taught in English.^[1] The international admission portal speaks of more than 50 English-language degree programmes.^[9] The eight faculties are:^[6]

• Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Architecture
• Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
• Electrical Engineering and Informatics
• Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering
• Natural Sciences
• Economic and Social Sciences

The 2026/27 fee list also includes preparatory (pre-engineering) programmes for civil engineering, architecture and natural sciences, and a BSc in Professional Pilot.^[4] The two counts of English programmes come from different pages and do not match; use the programme list on the international site for the current offer.

How much does BME cost in 2026/27?

BME publishes fees in euros per semester. The amounts apply to the fall semester of 2026/27, and BME says it may change them without notice.^[4] EU citizens pay less than non-EU citizens in most programmes.

The full table also has PhD and DLA programmes at €4,500 per semester for most programmes and €5,000 for Mechanical Engineering, and pre-engineering programmes at €3,200 to €3,800.^[4] For programmes in the Hungarian central admission procedure, EU fees are set in forint and the euro amount is shown for information, converted at the central bank rate of 15 April 2026; the final euro amount is calculated on set dates.^[4] Some programmes combine a base fee with a per-credit fee each semester.^[4]

Other costs

The application fee is €150, paid by transfer or card; you upload the receipt to your e-admission account.^[5] The fee page does not describe scholarships and refers to a separate scholarships page that we did not read.^[4]

How do you apply to BME?

Browse the English-language degree programmes on the international site, check the admission criteria, then apply through BME’s e-admission portal.^[9] The admission page gives these requirements:^[5]

• Entrance exam: applicants complete an electronic e-admission exam or placement test; some units require oral exams or stricter criteria, so read the programme page.
• Bachelor’s documents: CV and motivation letter, passport copy, high school certificate, English proof and the application fee receipt.
• Master’s documents: CV and motivation letter, passport copy, bachelor’s certificate, transcripts, two recommendation letters, English proof and the fee receipt.
• Doctoral programmes: contact the relevant faculty or doctoral school.

Not every programme starts in every intake.^[5] We give no deadlines because they change every year.

Which language level do you need?

Bachelor’s and master’s applicants need English at least at level B2, the upper-intermediate level of the CEFR scale (the European scale from A1 to C2). The admission page accepts, among others:^[5]

• IELTS (also IELTS Online): minimum 5.5
• TOEFL iBT (also Home Edition): minimum 72
• Cambridge B2 First: minimum 160
• Pearson PTE Academic: minimum 50
• Duolingo English Test: minimum 100
• Trinity ISE: minimum ISE II
• TOEIC: Listening 400, Reading 385, Speaking 160, Writing 150

A medium-of-instruction certificate is also accepted, and applicants who cannot take a standard test must request an internal BME English test in advance. Preparatory programmes require at least B1. Individual units may set higher requirements, and for doctoral programmes you contact the coordinator.^[5]

More about studying in Hungary

• Hungary: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Hungary

• Eötvös Loránd University
• Semmelweis University
• University of Debrecen
• University of Szeged