Romania has a long-established higher education system with public and private universities across the country, offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programmes. A significant number of programmes are delivered in English, and some in French or other languages, particularly in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering and business. For students from outside the country, that combination of recognised institutions, programmes taught in a language they already speak, and living costs below those of Western Europe is what makes Romania worth investigating.
It is worth being precise from the outset about what this page is and is not. Studying in Romania involves three separate processes, each decided by a different body. The university decides whether to admit you. The Ministry of Education issues the Letter of Acceptance to Studies that non-EU applicants need. A Romanian diplomatic mission decides your visa. And the General Inspectorate for Immigration decides your residence permit after you arrive. Being admitted does not mean you will receive a visa, and holding a visa does not remove the obligation to apply for a residence permit.
Requirements differ by nationality, by university, by programme and by individual circumstances. Everything below is general guidance. Confirm the specifics with your chosen university and with the competent Romanian authority before you commit money or time.
Several things genuinely distinguish Romania as a study destination, and they are worth separating from marketing claims.
Two cautions belong in the same list. Accreditation status matters, and you should verify it rather than assume it. And no institution or agent can promise that your Romanian qualification will be automatically accepted for professional practice elsewhere; that depends on the rules of the country where you intend to practise.
Romanian higher education follows the three-cycle structure used across the European Higher Education Area. Bachelor’s studies form the first cycle. Master’s studies form the second, building on a completed first-cycle qualification. Doctoral studies form the third and involve original research supervised within a doctoral school, usually with an admission colloquium rather than a written examination.
Programme duration is not uniform. It depends on the field and the qualification, and several regulated professions use long single-cycle programmes rather than a separate bachelor’s and master’s. Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and architecture are the usual examples. Do not assume a standard length for any programme; check the specific course.
These are among the most sought-after programmes by international applicants and among the most competitive. They are long-cycle programmes; they carry heavier clinical and laboratory components than most degrees, and the language of instruction is a defining feature: some are taught in Romanian, others in English or French, and the language you study in has consequences for your clinical placements and for your later professional recognition. Applicants intending to practise in a particular country should establish that country’s recognition requirements before applying, not afterwards.
Applicants who intend to study in Romanian but do not yet speak it can take a preparatory year of Romanian language for foreign citizens. It is a recognised part of the system, and candidates enrolling on it are not required to prove knowledge of the study language at the visa stage. Where an applicant already holds evidence of Romanian-language study, the preparatory year may not be required. This is a matter to settle with the university.
Romanian higher education uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, which supports mobility and the later recognition of study periods. Quality assurance in higher education is carried out by the national quality assurance agency, and institutions and study programmes operate either as accredited or as provisionally authorised under Romanian law.
That distinction is not academic. Romanian immigration rules require that a study visa applicant attend a full-time course at a state or private higher education institution that is accredited or provisionally authorised under Romanian law. If a programme does not hold one of those statuses, the visa route does not work, however attractive the offer looks. Verify the institution and the specific programme before you pay anything.
The National Centre assesses qualifications obtained abroad for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas, known as CNRED, which operates within the Ministry of Education. CNRED compares a foreign qualification with the Romanian system to establish its level, main field of study and, where a Romanian equivalent exists, its specialisation. Recognition may be direct, or may be granted subject to differential examinations or other compensatory measures. The document CNRED issues is an attestation of equivalence or recognition.
CNRED states a recognition period of thirty working days for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral qualifications, extendable where additional checks are needed or where a doctoral file is referred for further evaluation. Build that into your timetable rather than discovering it late.
Availability and language of instruction vary by institution. The list below describes what the system offers, not what any particular university has open in a given admission cycle.
Where you study affects your costs, your daily life and the practical arrangements around your studies as much as your academic experience. These are the principal university centres.
Nothing here should be read as a statement that a particular university has places available, a partnership with us, or employment opportunities for its graduates.
Requirements differ substantially according to your citizenship, the study cycle and the language of instruction. Treat what follows as a map of what may be asked, then confirm the exact list with the university.
Citizens of EU member states apply under the same conditions as Romanian citizens and are subject to the same tuition arrangements. You will generally need documents proving your citizenship and the qualification giving access to the cycle concerned: a baccalaureate diploma or equivalent for bachelor’s admission, a university diploma or equivalent for master’s admission, and a master’s diploma or equivalent for doctoral admission. Each institution sets admission methodology, so the assessment format varies.
EU citizens may compete for state-subsidised study places. Where a candidate’s file ranks above the funding threshold, the cost of education can be covered by the Romanian state, and a candidate may benefit from state funding once for each of the three cycles. Those not eligible for state funding pay a tuition fee set by the institution.
The route differs in one significant respect: alongside university admission, a Letter of Acceptance to Studies issued by the Ministry of Education is required. The university submits your application file to the Ministry, and the Letter of Acceptance is the document on which your study visa application depends. Without it, the long-stay study visa route is not available.
Files typically include the application form for the Letter of Acceptance, your previous qualifications and transcripts in certified copies with authorised translations, a copy of your passport, a birth certificate, and evidence relating to the language of instruction. Some universities also require a motivation letter, a curriculum vitae, or an entrance examination or interview.
Medical, dental and pharmacy programmes are competitive and frequently apply subject-specific assessment in biology and chemistry, an entrance examination, or admission based on prior academic results, depending on the institution. Language evidence is scrutinised closely. If you intend to practise in a specific country after graduating, establish its recognition and registration requirements before you apply.
The admission examination may be organised in Romanian, in a national minority language, or in a widely used international language, according to the language in which the programme is accredited to operate. Applicants to a Romanian-taught programme are required to present a Romanian-language certificate; the same applies on transfer. Applicants to English-taught or other foreign-language programmes must satisfy the institution’s evidence requirements for that language, which vary; some accept recognised international tests, some accept prior education in the language, and some conduct their own assessment.
Confirm the exact list with the selected university and the competent Romanian authority. Requirements change, and a document that satisfies one institution may not satisfy another.
This sequence is not identical for every nationality, and it is not identical for every institution. Treat it as the shape of the process rather than a fixed schedule.
Third-country nationals, those who are not citizens of an EU or EEA member state or of Switzerland, require a long-stay visa for studies to enter Romania for a course lasting more than three months. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not.
This point causes more difficulty than any other. A Letter of Acceptance from the Ministry of Education establishes that you have been accepted to study. It does not commit any Romanian diplomatic mission to issuing you a visa. The visa is decided separately, on the merits of your file, and the internal procedure involves the National Visa Centre approving the visa only after a favourable opinion from the General Inspectorate for Immigration.
For higher education applicants, the categories of document required are:
Certain applicants are treated differently. Holders of a Romanian state scholarship, and scholarship holders of accredited or temporarily authorised state universities, are not required to prove payment of tuition fees or means of support for visa purposes. Applicants of Romanian origin are not required to prove means of support.
Applications are made to the Romanian diplomatic mission or consular office responsible for your place of residence, and the electronic visa portal operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the route for submission. Which mission is competent for you depends on where you live, not on your nationality alone, so check that first. The long-stay visa is granted for ninety days, with one or more entries.
Regarding timing, the published internal procedure provides that the favourable opinion of the immigration authority is issued within thirty days of receiving the request, with the possibility of extending that period by fifteen days. Consular scheduling sits outside those periods. Apply early, and do not plan around a date nobody has promised you.
A visa authorises entry and an initial stay. It is not permission to remain for the duration of your degree. Non-EU students must obtain a residence permit from the territorial unit of the General Inspectorate for Immigration in the county where they live.
Documents must be submitted personally, at least thirty days before the right to stay granted by the visa expires. An online portal is also available for submission. The file for students, master’s students and doctoral candidates typically includes the application form, your travel document in original and copy, the Letter of Acceptance on the first extension, a certificate from the institution confirming full-time enrolment, proof of means of support at the level of the minimum gross national salary for a period of at least six months, proof of legal right to the accommodation you occupy, a medical certificate, and payment of the applicable charges. Beneficiaries of a Romanian state scholarship are granted residence permits with exemption from those charges.
An application is resolved within thirty days of submission, and where further checks are needed that period may be extended by no more than fifteen days. If the documents supplied are incomplete, the immigration authority will request additional information and set a deadline of up to thirty days, during which the decision period is suspended. Failure to supply what is requested can result in rejection.
Students may apply for extension of the right of residence for a period equal to the total duration of their studies. Where studies are not completed within the period initially granted, a further extension may be granted to complete them, for no longer than a year. The right of temporary residence for studies may also be extended for up to six months after graduation to complete academic formalities and authenticate study documents, and for nine months after graduation for job search, employment or business-formation formalities, on presentation of documents attesting completion of studies. Renewal must be sought at least thirty days before the current permit expires.
Missing these deadlines has real consequences, including loss of lawful residence. Diarise them the day you arrive.
A student who holds or has extended a right of residence for study may change study profile or professional specialisation in accordance with the legislation in force, provided the total length of stay required for the initial studies is not exceeded. Where the change would exceed that period, a new long-stay study visa is required.
Students holding a valid study visa or study residence permit issued by another EU member state may enter and remain in Romania for up to three hundred and sixty days without a Romanian visa, where they are participating in a European Union or multilateral mobility programme or an agreement between higher education institutions, and where the Romanian institution has notified the competent territorial immigration structure at least thirty days before courses begin.
Each institution sets tuition in Romania and varies by university, programme, study cycle, language of instruction and the applicant’s status. Medical, dental and pharmacy programmes commonly carry higher fees than most other subjects, reflecting their clinical and laboratory costs. Public and private institutions set their charges differently, and English- or French-taught programmes are frequently priced differently from the Romanian-taught equivalent.
For EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, the position is different again: they apply on the same terms as Romanian citizens, may compete for state-subsidised places, and pay institutional fees only where they do not hold a funded place.
Beyond tuition itself, budget for application and registration charges, laboratory or clinical fees on some programmes, health insurance, translation and legalisation of documents, accommodation deposits, and the charges attached to visa and residence applications. We do not publish fee figures on this page, because they are institution-specific and revised periodically. Obtain the current figure in writing from the university before making any payment, and be aware that universities may revise their charges between admission cycles.
Living costs vary substantially between cities. Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca are generally more expensive than smaller university centres such as Sibiu, Craiova or Alba Iulia, and accommodation is usually the largest single variable. Build your own budget around the following categories rather than adopting a figure quoted online.
Note that the immigration authorities apply their own financial thresholds, expressed as multiples of the minimum gross national salary, for visa and residence purposes. Those thresholds are a legal requirement, not a budget estimate, and meeting them is not the same as being comfortable.
Most students choose between university dormitories, private student residences, shared flats and independent rentals. Dormitory places are usually the cheapest and the most straightforward for a first year, but availability is limited, and allocation rules differ by institution. Private student residences offer more facilities at higher cost. Shared flats are common among returning students and often found through university networks once you are in the country.
Practical points that matter more than they appear to. Written tenancy agreements protect you; verbal arrangements do not. Deposits should be documented, with the conditions for their return stated. Your accommodation address is relevant to your residence application, and you will be asked for proof of your legal right to occupy the space you live in, so an informal arrangement that cannot be evidenced creates a genuine problem later.
On scams: never transfer a deposit for accommodation you have not verified, particularly to a private individual advertising online from abroad. If you cannot view a property yourself, ask the university’s international office what arrangements it can confirm, and prefer campus accommodation for a first year if you are uncertain.
Several routes to financial support exist, and none of them is automatic.
Eligibility differs by scheme, nationality and study cycle. Deadlines are firm and frequently fall well before the general admission period. No scholarship covers every cost; read carefully what is and is not included, because items such as travel, visa charges, translation, some insurance and personal expenses are commonly excluded. Do not plan your finances on the assumption that a scholarship will be awarded.
The framework distinguishes between citizenship groups. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have free access to the Romanian labour market and are not subject to student-specific work restrictions.
Third-country nationals holding a temporary right of residence for studies may be employed in Romania without a separate work authorisation, but only under an individual employment contract for part-time work lasting no longer than six hours per day. That limit is a condition of your residence status, not a guideline, and exceeding it puts your right of residence at risk.
Employers taking on students in this category still carry obligations, including notifying the immigration authority of the employment within the period the law prescribes and applying the same pay and conditions as to a Romanian worker in the same role. Your study status must remain valid throughout: employment does not substitute for enrolment, and losing student status affects your right to work.
Two honest cautions. Nobody can promise you will find work, and part-time earnings within a six-hour daily limit should not be assumed to cover tuition and living costs. Plan your finances on the basis that they will not. And verify the current rules with the immigration authority before you accept a job, because this area of Romanian law has recently been rewritten.
Insurance is required at more than one stage: travel medical insurance is part of the visa file, with the minimum cover the legislation specifies, and evidence of insurance is relevant again at the residence stage.
Arrangements differ by age and status. International students below a certain age are generally covered within the Romanian public health insurance system in connection with their studies. In contrast, students above that age are typically required to contribute to social health insurance to extend their right of residence. Because the thresholds and contribution arrangements are set by health legislation and can change, confirm your own position with your university’s international office and with the immigration authority rather than relying on what another student tells you.
Practically: register with a family doctor after you arrive, since the family doctor is the entry point to the public system and the route to specialist referral. Emergency care is available through the national emergency number, 112. Whatever policy you hold, read what it actually covers; several private policies sold to students exclude pre-existing conditions, dentistry, or treatment beyond emergencies.
Campus life varies by institution and city, but student associations, faculty societies, sports facilities and cultural events are a normal part of university life, and they are the fastest route into a social circle for someone arriving alone. Public transport in the larger cities is inexpensive, and student discounts are widely available; in smaller centres, walking and cycling often serve better.
On language: many programmes are taught in English, but daily administrative life the immigration office, the family doctor, a landlord, a bank is conducted largely in Romanian. Learning some of the language is not merely courteous; it materially reduces friction, and it is worth starting before you arrive.
On adaptation: expect the first weeks to involve more paperwork than study. On safety: Romanian university cities are generally safe, and the usual precautions that apply in any European city apply here. On budgeting: the students who struggle are usually those who arrived with exactly enough money and no contingency. On academic responsibilities: attendance and assessment requirements are set by the institution and matter for your residence status as well as your degree. And on documents: keep your passport, permit, contracts and receipts secure, keep your own copies, and never hand your passport to a third party for safekeeping.
We provide education-related information, documentation coordination and application support for students considering Romania. In practice that covers an initial consultation about your objectives and academic background; research into programmes and institutions that fit them; a document checklist built for your nationality, qualification and chosen programme; coordination of translation and legalisation; support in completing and assembling the university application; guidance on the documents a study visa file requires; help with accommodation and relocation arrangements; pre-departure guidance; and arrival and onboarding information.
The limits are as important as the services. Universities make admission decisions. The Ministry of Education issues or declines the Letter of Acceptance. Romanian diplomatic missions decide visas. The General Inspectorate for Immigration decides residence permits. AtoZ Serwis Plus is not a university, a government authority, an embassy or a visa decision-maker, and cannot guarantee acceptance, appointments, processing times, visas, scholarships or employment. Anyone who offers you those guarantees is not telling you the truth.
These are general guidelines. Additional documents may be requested at any stage, and requirements vary by nationality, university and programme.
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