University of Szeged

University of Szeged is a public research university located in Szeged, Hungary.

The University of Szeged traces its origins back to 1581, when the Academia was founded in Cluj (Kolozsvár) by István Báthory, Prince of Transylvania, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The Academia was a Jesuit institution that offered courses in philosophy and theology.

In 1872, the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary established the Royal Hungarian Franz Joseph University in Cluj. The university was a four-faculty institution, with faculties of arts, law, medicine, and science.

After World War I, Cluj became part of Romania, and the Franz Joseph University was relocated to Szeged in Hungary. The first academic year of the university in Szeged began in 1921.

In the early 1930s, the university buildings around Dóm Square were completed. The Botanical Garden was also established during this time.

In 1937, Albert Szent-Györgyi, a professor at the university, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of vitamin C.

During World War II, the university was relocated back to Cluj for a brief period. However, the university returned to Szeged in 1945. In 1951, the Medical Faculty was separated from the University of Szeged and became an independent university. In 1962, the University of Szeged was renamed after the poet Attila József. In 1987, the Medical University of Szeged was renamed after Albert Szent-Györgyi. In 1996, the University of Szeged, the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, and several other institutions merged to form the current University of Szeged.

Today, the University of Szeged is one of the leading universities in Hungary and Central Europe. The university has a strong reputation for teaching and research, and offers a wide range of programs in a variety of fields.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, University of Szeged is positioned as the #570 top university in the world, which makes it the #2 top university in Hungary.