How to Apply to Universities in Romania: Requirements, Deadlines and Portals

There is no single national application portal

Unlike UCAS in the UK, Romania has no centralized system for undergraduate or master's applications. You apply directly to each university through its own admissions office or online platform, and each institution sets its own deadlines, documents and selection method, according to the official Study in Romania portal. The same portal lets you browse accredited programs and universities before you start applying.

Applying as an EU or EEA student

If you hold citizenship of an EU or EEA country, or Switzerland, Romanian universities treat you the same as a Romanian applicant for tuition and admission rules. You compete for the same state-subsidized (budgeted) places, based on your prior grades or an entrance exam set by the university, per Study in Romania.

You need a baccalaureate diploma or equivalent for a bachelor's place, or a university diploma for a master's place, translated and legalized where the university asks for it. If you apply to a program taught in Romanian and Romanian is not your first language, you need a Romanian language certificate, or you enroll in a one-year preparatory program first. If you already hold a Romanian ENIC-NARIC equivalence for an earlier qualification, attach it to speed up the review, though most universities still run their own internal check.

Some fields set extra hurdles regardless of citizenship. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy usually require an entrance exam in biology and chemistry, held on campus or online depending on the university. Art, architecture and sports programs often ask for a portfolio review or a practical skills test alongside your academic documents.

Applying as a non-EU student

Non-EU applicants, from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, follow an extra step. Once a university accepts you, the Ministry of Education issues a Letter of Acceptance, which you need before applying for a student visa. Processing takes a minimum of 30 days and can run up to 60, so apply well before your intended start date, according to Study in Romania.

You also need proof of funds, typically at least 2,000 EUR in your bank account, travellers checks or cash, health insurance, and confirmed accommodation before you enter the country. Students under 26 get health cover through the university, older students pay a modest monthly insurance fee.

Documents every applicant needs

• Completed application form for the specific university

• Baccalaureate diploma or equivalent (bachelor applicants) or degree certificate (master applicants), with certified translation

• Academic transcripts, translated and certified

• Passport copy (non-EU) or ID card (EU)

• Language certificate, Romanian or English depending on the program

• Birth certificate, and marriage certificate if your name changed

• Recent medical certificate

Requirements vary by university, so confirm the exact list against the program page before you submit anything. Politehnica University Timisoara, for example, lists this set of documents for its 2025-2026 non-EU intake, alongside a non-refundable 100 EUR application fee .

Getting your foreign diploma recognized

If your school or university qualification comes from outside Romania, the National Center for the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas (CNRED) checks and equivalates it as Romania's ENIC-NARIC contact point, per CNRED . Many universities run this check internally as part of admission, so ask your target university whether you need a separate CNRED equivalation first.

Deadlines and application fees

Deadlines split roughly into two windows: a summer round for programs starting in the October intake, and a smaller winter round for a February intake at some universities. At Politehnica Timisoara, non-EU applications for 2025-2026 ran from 15 April to 15 September, with enrollment continuing to 15 February 2026, per the university's admissions page.

Application fees are set by each university rather than nationally. Expect a processing fee ranging from tens to a few hundred euros for non-EU applicants, on top of any tuition deposit the university asks for once you accept your offer.

After you apply

Universities often issue a preliminary admission decision within about 15 days for non-EU applications, per Study in Romania, though full processing including the Letter of Acceptance takes longer. Once admitted, you pay your first tuition installment, secure accommodation, and non-EU students proceed to the visa application at a Romanian diplomatic mission in their home country.

Once you arrive and confirm enrollment, the university issues a student ID card and registers you in the national student database, which you need for library access, dorm applications and any local discounts on transport.

Tips for a smooth application

• Start translations and legalizations early, certified translations can take weeks to arrange

• Apply to more than one university if your top choice runs a competitive entrance exam

• Keep digital copies of every document, universities often ask for the same file more than once

• Budget your first tuition installment and deposit before you travel, not after

• Contact the international office directly by email if a requirement is unclear, response times run faster outside peak admission months

• Save a copy of every acceptance letter, fee receipt and visa document until after your first semester ends, universities and immigration offices sometimes ask for the same paperwork again during enrollment checks