Romania (RO)

Romania is the largest country in Southeastern Europe — a full Schengen EU member state blessed with the dramatic Carpathian mountains, medieval Saxon towns like Sibiu and Brasov, the legendary Transylvania region, a booming technology sector, and one of the lowest costs of living in the European Union.

Capital: Bucharest

Region: Europe

Language: Romanian

Currency: RON (lei)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 38)

Emergency: 112

Education & Schools

Schools, universities, and language courses in Romania.

👶 Childcare & Kindergarten

Creșă 300–500 RON/month (public) or 1,500–3,500 RON/month (private)

Age: 0–3 years

Subsidy available

Public creșe are subsidised by the municipality; many charge only a small food fee (taxă de hrană). Some cities make public creșă fully free. A national allowance (indemnizație de creștere a copilului) supports parents for up to 2 years (3 for a child with disability).

Apply through the municipal creșă directorate or online portal (e.g. DGASMB for Bucharest). Documents: birth certificate, parents ID, proof of residence (adeverință de domiciliu), employment certificates, child medical file.

⏱️ Places in public creșe are scarce, especially in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara and Iași. Apply as soon as the child is born; register in your sector/district where you have residence. Working parents and single parents have priority.

Grădiniță Free in public grădinițe (food fee ~200–350 RON/month); 1,500–4,000 RON/month private

Age: 3–6 years

Subsidy available

State grădinițe are tuition-free. Parents pay only for meals. Extended programme (program prelungit) is free of charge but popular and competitive. Private grădinițe may be partially reimbursed by employers through "tichete de creșă" (max 710 RON/month in 2026).

Apply online via the Ministry of Education platform or directly at the grădiniță. Documents: birth certificate, parents IDs, proof of residence, medical certificate (adeverință medicală), vaccination record.

⏱️ Register in spring (April–May) for the September intake. Catchment (arondare) applies — the closest school to your residence has priority.

🏫 Schools

Primary Free

Școala primară

Ages: 6–10 years (clasa pregătitoare + grades 1–4) · Language: Romanian (with recognised minority-language sections in Hungarian, German, Ukrainian, Serbian and others)

Register at the school in your catchment area via the Ministry of Education platform. Required documents: child birth certificate, parents IDs, proof of address (certificat de domiciliu), kindergarten completion certificate, and medical file with vaccinations.

Begins with the Clasa pregătitoare (reception year) at age 6. There are no national exams at primary level; national assessments (evaluări naționale) are held at the end of grades 2, 4 and 6 to monitor progress.

Secondary Free

Școala gimnazială (grades 5–8) / Liceu (grades 9–12)

Ages: 10–18 years (grades 5–12) · Language: Romanian (minority-language schools available)

Gimnaziu: automatic progression. Liceu: admission via Evaluarea Națională (national 8th-grade exam) and a computerised national placement based on score and preferences. Private high schools have their own admissions.

Liceu tracks include theoretical (teoretic), technological/vocational (tehnologic) and arts/sports (vocațional). The Bacalaureat (Bac) at the end of grade 12 is required for university admission.

International Schools

Bucharest hosts most international schools: American International School of Bucharest (AISB), British School of Bucharest, International British School of Bucharest, Mark Twain International School, and Lycée Français Anna de Noailles. Cluj-Napoca has Transylvania College and Timișoara has the International School of Banat. Tuition typically 8,000–20,000 EUR/year.

University

Tuition fee

Free for EU/EEA/Swiss students at state universities for the places funded by the state budget (after passing entrance exams in Romanian). Fee-paying places at state universities: 2,700–5,000 EUR/year. Private universities: 2,000–4,000 EUR/year. Medical and dental programmes are the most expensive.

Semester fee

Modest administrative fees apply (50–300 RON/semester) for registration, exam re-sits, ID card and library access. Student housing in university dormitories (cămin studențesc) costs 150–450 RON/month.

Student visa

Non-EU students need a long-stay Studies Visa (D/SD) applied for at the Romanian embassy after receiving the Letter of Acceptance from the Ministry. After arrival, they must obtain a student residence permit at IGI.

Health insurance

Students under 26 who are enrolled in accredited programmes are automatically insured by the state health fund (CNAS) free of charge. Students over 26 pay CASS (10% of minimum wage base).

Application process

Apply directly to each university; most hold admissions in July, with a second session in September. International applicants submit documents (diploma, transcripts, passport) to the Ministry of Education for recognition (CNRED) and then apply for a Letter of Acceptance. Top universities: Universitatea din București, Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca, Universitatea Politehnica București, UMF Carol Davila.

🗣️ Language Courses

Institutul Limbii Române

Provider: Institutul Limbii Române (state institute under the Ministry of Education) · Duration: 1 academic year (approx. 700 contact hours) · Levels: A1 to B2

Free preparatory year (anul pregătitor) for holders of a Romanian government scholarship; otherwise 2,200–3,500 EUR/year

Official state preparatory programme for foreign students planning to continue university in Romania. Leads to a nationally recognised language certificate.

University language centres

Provider: Universitatea din București, UBB Cluj, UVT Timișoara, UAIC Iași and others · Duration: 8–14 weeks (semester) · Levels: A1 to C1

800–1,500 RON per 60–80-hour module

Affordable semester or intensive summer courses (e.g. Cursurile de vară of UBB). Often bundle language, culture and history.

Rolang School / Cactus Language / private schools

Provider: Private language schools in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara and Iași · Duration: Flexible: 4–24 weeks or on-demand · Levels: A1 to C2

200–400 EUR/month for group courses (~4 hours/week); 25–50 EUR/hour 1-on-1

Flexible scheduling, in-person and online. Useful for working expats who need quick practical Romanian. Preparation for the state language exam is also offered.

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