Study in Romania

Romanian higher education is governed by Higher Education Law No. 199/2023 and includes accredited public and private universities. It follows the Bologna structure with ECTS credits: • Bachelor’s (licență): usually 3 years, 4 in engineering and law, while medicine, dentistry and architecture are 6-year integrated programmes and pharmacy 5 years. • Master’s (master): 1–2 years, usually 2. • Doctorate (doctorat): 3–4 years in a doctoral school under a supervisor. The academic year usually starts on 1 October and has two semesters. The main language of instruction is Romanian, but many universities teach programmes in English, French and German, and Babeș-Bolyai University also teaches in Hungarian. If you want a Romanian-taught programme but do not speak the language, there is a Romanian preparatory year (anul pregătitor): the law requires a language certificate of at least B1, and some universities ask for B2.

1) Apply directly to the university through its online portal. The university then forwards your file to the Romanian Ministry of Education, which issues the “Letter of Acceptance for Studies” required for enrolment and for the visa. Processing takes 30–60 days, so apply early. 2) Once the letter is issued, you confirm your place by paying one year of tuition in advance (within 20 days at POLITEHNICA Bucharest), and the university gives you proof of payment for your visa file. 3) Documents: diplomas and transcripts with certified translations, birth certificate, passport, medical certificate and language proof. Documents must carry an apostille or be legalised by your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Romanian embassy. 4) Dates in the 2026 cycle (for an October 2026 start), as examples: • POLITEHNICA Bucharest: February to July. • Technical University of Cluj-Napoca: 23 March – 28 July 2026. • Transilvania University of Brașov: 20 May – 14 July 2026. • English-taught medicine at “Carol Davila”: registration 1 April – 6 July 2026, with an online interview. Application fees are non-refundable and usually range from EUR 75 to 300 (for example EUR 100 at the University of Bucharest and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, and EUR 300 at UMF Cluj).

Tuition: students from non-EU countries pay fees in euros, and Government Ordinance 22/2009 sets the minimum per month for the whole academic year: EUR 220 for social sciences, humanities and economics, EUR 270 for engineering, sciences, agronomy and sport, EUR 320 for medicine, EUR 350 for architecture, EUR 420 for music and arts, EUR 750 for music performance and theatre and EUR 950 for film, plus EUR 20 a month for doctoral studies. Each university sets its actual fees above this floor, for example: • POLITEHNICA Bucharest: EUR 2,200–2,600 per 9-month academic year for bachelor’s and master’s, EUR 3,200–3,800 for 12 months of PhD, and EUR 1,980–3,150 for the preparatory year. • Technical University of Cluj-Napoca: EUR 2,700 for engineering and EUR 3,300 for architecture. • English-taught medicine at “Iuliu Hațieganu” UMF Cluj (2026–27): EUR 10,000 in years 1–2, falling to EUR 7,500 in the final two years. Living costs are among the lowest in the EU: a bed in a shared dormitory room costs about 735 lei a month (about EUR 145) for fee-paying students in Brașov, and students typically need EUR 400–700 a month overall depending on the city, with Bucharest and Cluj the most expensive. The minimum wage is 4,325 lei gross a month since 1 July 2026.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa. Everyone else needs a long-stay visa for studies (type D/SD) from a Romanian embassy or consulate, starting the application on the eviza.mae.ro portal: 1) Documents listed by the General Inspectorate for Immigration: the Ministry of Education acceptance letter, proof that at least one year of tuition is paid, proof of funds, proof of the language of study (except for the preparatory year), a criminal record certificate and travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover. 2) Funds: at least the minimum gross wage (4,325 lei) for each month of the visa, i.e. about 12,975 lei for a 90-day visa. 3) The Inspectorate gives its opinion within 30 days, extendable by 15, before the embassy approves the visa. The Inspectorate’s page currently lists a EUR 300 visa fee, while older university guides say EUR 120, so check with the consulate. 4) The visa is valid for 90 days. During that time, at least 30 days before it expires, you apply for a residence permit for studies at your local Inspectorate office, with proof of enrolment, accommodation, a medical certificate and funds equal to the minimum wage for at least 6 months (about 25,950 lei). The permit is renewed every year. Romanian Government scholarship holders are exempt from consular and residence fees and from proving funds.

Holders of a residence permit for studies may work without a work authorisation (aviz de angajare), but only on an individual part-time employment contract of at most 6 hours a day. The minimum wage is 4,325 lei gross a month (about 25.95 lei an hour) since 1 July 2026; jobs are easier to find in Bucharest and Cluj and in IT and multilingual customer-service companies, and speaking Romanian helps a lot. After graduation: your study residence right can be extended by up to 6 months to finalise your academic paperwork and authenticate your diplomas, or by 9 months to look for a job, complete hiring formalities or start a business, on proof that you have completed your studies. Once you find a job, you switch to a work residence permit or, for highly qualified jobs, an EU Blue Card.