If you are a foreigner legally residing in Romania, you have unrestricted and free access to education.
If you have received a form of protection in Romania, access to all forms of study and levels of education and professional training is made under the same conditions as for Romanian citizens. You can also benefit from the equivalence of your studies and the recognition of diplomas, certificates, attestations of professional competences and professional qualifications, in accordance with the existing regulations.
- What are the Romanian state obligations towards the foreign citizens who received a form of protection in Romania?
The Romanian state provides the necessary requirements for the integration of foreign citizens who received a form of protection in Romania, in the economic, social and cultural life of the country, as well as their access to the educational system.
The foreign citizens access to education is also guaranteed by the Romanian Constitution which stipulates this right and refers to the language used for teaching at all stages as: “teaching in Romania is done using Romanian language, using the language of national minorities, as well as using other languages of international circulation”.
- How is the Romanian education system organized?
In Romania, the compulsory education is up to the level of 10 grades and comprises the primary, secondary and high-school education.
The obligation to attend the mandatory 10-grades ceases at the age of 18.
2.1 The education system for schools teaching in Romanian language has the following structure:
- The national pre-university education has the following levels:
- Early education (0-6 years old), which comprises Nursery (0-3 years old) and Kindergarten (3-6 years old) with the youngest, middle-aged and oldest group;
- Primary education, comprising the Preparatory class 6/7 years old;
- Secondary education, comprising:
- Gymnasium: grades V-VIII (10 – 15 years old);
- High-school: grades IX-XII (15 – 19 years old), with one of the following profiles: theoretical, vocational and technological;
- Vocational School, with a duration of 6 months to 2 years;
- Post-secondary education, comprising the post-secondary education.
2.2 The national higher education system encompasses 3 levels of study:
- Bachelor studies
- Masters studies
- PhD studies
The academic year usually starts in the first working day of October and comprises two semesters.
- Can I have my study certificates recognized in Romania if I have received them in other countries?
In Romania, the National Center for the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas (CNRED) works under the Romanian Ministry of Education, with attributes to recognize diplomas obtained abroad.
If you want to continue your studies or work in Romania, it is necessary to have your diplomas issued abroad recognized and to equivalate them.
The recognition procedure takes into account the fulfilment of a set of criteria regarding the diplomas issued abroad, including that the diploma must be issued by a accredited teaching institution on the territory of the state and the level and the domain of study has a correspondent in the Romanian educational system. The original study documents presented must be authenticated by applying the legalization or Hague Apostille, on a case by case basis.
If you have been granted a form of protection in Romania:
- Equivalence of the I-X grades studies (corresponding to the general mandatory 10-year education in Romania) is performed by the County School Inspectorates / Bucharest School Inspectorate. They provide equivalence of your studies abroad, but also of the studies completed in Romania at organizations providing education according to an education system from another country.
- Equivalence of secondary studies (grades XI-XII) and the Baccalaureate certificate obtained abroad is performed by the National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas. Application files for equivalence of such studies can be registered at the County School Inspectorates / Bucharest School Inspectorate, which will send them to National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas for evaluation. The application file can also be submitted in person at the National Center for the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas or by post/courier.
- Recognition and equivalence of university certificates/ diplomas of the Bachelor, Master or PhD level obtained from accredited higher education institutions abroad can only be performed by National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas.
- What is the procedure so that my education documents are recognized in Romania?
For recognition of diplomas of vocational school, high-school graduation (baccalaureate), Bachelor, Master and PhD degree, as well as for professional qualifications, your application file must contain: your application Form, your diplomas, your identification documents, ID card, passport and the evaluation fee of 50 RON. The Application will be submitted at the Registry of the Ministry of National Education Registration Office or will be sent by courier (Romanian Post) to National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas.
After evaluating the application, the center can recognize the study documents and issue the certificate of recognition of studies corresponding to a level and study field existing in the Romanian education system. If the curriculum differs substantially, the National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas may decide to apply differential examinations or other compensatory measures, etc.
Important notice!
Diplomas and studies are automatically recognized if obtained from institutions accredited in the EU, EEA and the Swiss Confederation. Diplomas and studies from other states are only recognized in case the structure of studies in the respective country is the same as in Romania or the two countries have an agreement for mutual recognition of diplomas.
Automatic recognition is a simplified procedure applied by the National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas.
Who are the authorities in charge?
- National Center for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas
- County School Inspectorates from the county.