Studying for Bachelor’s in Romania: Application Process, Costs, Scholarships, and Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students

A Comprehensive Guide to Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Romania for Bangladeshi and Non-EU Students

Dhaka
August 13, 2024, 10:02 AM
by Shahriar Rabab

UNB News
Dhaka
Publish- August 13, 2024, 10:02 AM
Shahriar Rabab
Update- August 13, 2024, 10:52 AM

Studying for Bachelor’s in Romania: Application Process, Costs, Scholarships, and Opportunities for Bangladeshi Students

Babeș-Bolyai University

Romania is a country in the Balkan region of Southeastern Europe. The preserved medieval towns like Sighisoara, enriched with innumerable castles and fortified churches, make the architecture, traditions, culture, and history of Romania unique from the rest of Europe. Romania's modern and international education system is also praised globally. Let’s look at the detailed process of studying for a bachelor's degree in Romania.

Why Study in Romania?

More than anything, Romania is known for its affordable tuition fees. You are looking at a cost that is 50% less than in Germany, and up to 60% less than that in the UK. But beyond that, Romanian institutions are also known for their academic excellence. Two Romanian universities made it to the top 1000 list while 11 others made it into the top 1500 list of QS Ranking for 2024.

About 33,000 international students are studying in Romania from over 80 countries. The cultural diversity and the social inclusivity create a perfect academic environment.

Romania has a total of 49 internationally accredited universities that follow the Bologna Process. Additionally, each university has a robust ECTS system which makes it easy to pursue an exchange program while studying at a Romanian university.

Besides, the country offers up to 20 hours of work per week for international students which can be converted to full-time during semester breaks and holidays. There is a high demand for Romanian university graduates too. Top companies like Bosch, Oracle, and Microsoft regularly hire international graduates from Romanian universities.

How Can Non-EU Students Apply for Bachelor's Degree in Romania?

Unlike Germany and France, Romania doesn’t have a centralized application system for bachelors. This means that students will have to individually apply to the universities and their preferred programs. Here’s a step-by-step guide to applying for a bachelor's program in Romania.

Step 1: Program and University Selection

The first step is to select a program and university. Like most European universities, Romania offers a diverse discipline to study bachelors. Some of the popular majors include medicine, engineering, management, and social sciences. Specialized engineering subjects like computer sciences are also in high demand.

Students can easily search for their desired programs and universities through the Bachelors Portal (https://www.bachelorsportal.com/search/bachelor/romania) and Free Apply (https://free-apply.com/en/articles/country/798549/degree/1). Note that these websites are only good for doing some basic research into the program. For a detailed guide and application process, make sure to refer to the official portal of the university.

Step 2: Organize the Paperwork

The next step is to ready the paperwork. As Romania follows the Bologna Process, you will need a high school diploma to apply for bachelors. Romania is one of the few European countries where you can study without IELTS/TOEFL (if you choose to study in Romanian).

Here’s a list of documents that you should prepare beforehand.

- Completed Application Form
- High school diploma (SSC and HSC certificate in the case of Bangladesh)
- Transcript of the diplomas
- Passport and birth certificate (NID is also applicable)
- IELTS/TOEFL score/MOI (Not required if you apply for Romanian-taught programs)
- Proof of solvency
- Letter of recommendation
- Writing samples/ Motivation letter
- CV/Resume
- Medical Certificate.

Step 3: Application Submission

You can directly apply to the universities. Some universities accept online documents at the first stage of screening. Others might require you to send translated and notarized documents by post.

Step 4: Wait for the Decision

The last step is to wait for the admission decision. If you apply for Romanian-taught programs, you might receive a conditional offer letter where you will have to study Romanian for 1 year before the bachelor's program.

Best Universities and Popular Bachelor’s Programs in Romania

As mentioned above, there are 49 accredited universities in Romania of which 13 make it to the QS ranking. Some of the top institutes and popular programs include:

Babeș-Bolyai University

Babeș-Bolyai University is the oldest and largest public university in Romania. Tracing its roots back to 1581, Babeș-Bolyai currently has over 48,000 students in its bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs.

Bachelor's programs at UBB are taught in Romanian, Hungarian, German, English, and French. Specialized engineering, sociology, and theology-related disciplines are the most sought-after programs at UBB. Yearly tuition ranges between 3,000 to 5,000 Euros or 3,85,347 to 6,42,246 BDT depending on the discipline (1 EUR = 128.45 BDT).

University of Bucharest

The University of Bucharest is the premier advanced research and education university of Romania founded in 1864. The university offers courses in both English and Romanian depending on majors.

Currently, over 32,000 students are enrolled in the University of Bucharest with over 22,000 being undergraduate students. The faculty of Business and administration, specialized sciences, theology, and letters are prominent disciplines of the university. The tuition fee ranges between 2,500 to 4,500 Euros or 3,21,123 to 5,78,021 BDT depending on faculty.

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University is another premier research-based public university that traces back its roots to 1640. With over 24,000 students, Ioan Cuza University is the third-largest university in Romania by volume. As per the Shanghai criteria, the university placed first in Romania consecutively for three years in 2008.

The university offers programs in Romanian, English, and French. The faculty of biology, computer sciences, mathematics, social-political sciences, history, and theology are some of the top disciplines in the university. The yearly tuition fee ranges between 2,800 to 4,000 Euros or 3,59,658 to 5,23,556 BDT depending on the faculty.

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca is another public technical university founded in 1948 based on the Industrial College founded in 1920. With over 20,000 students, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca is 4th largest university in Romania by volume.

The university offers courses in both English and Romanian. As a specialized technical university, the faculties of architecture and urban planning, computer sciences, automation, mechatronics, civil engineering, and environmental engineering attract the majority of the students. The yearly tuition fees range between 2000 to 3,500 Euros or 2,56,898 to 4,49,572 BDT per year.

Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași

The Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași traces its roots back to 1937. The university currently holds over 16 thousand students across its 11 faculties and 3 departments. As a specialized technical university, all the leading sciences and engineering programs are available. However, not all of them are available in English. the yearly tuition fee ranges from 2,500 to 4,000 Euros or 3,40,658 to 5,23,556 BDT.

Bucharest City Center

Tuition and Living Costs in Romania

Romania is known for being an affordable study destination in Europe, with relatively low tuition fees and living costs compared to many Western European countries. Here's a breakdown of the typical costs.

Tuition fees for non-EU students generally range from 2,000 to 5,000 Euros per year depending on the program and the university. Medical, dental, and engineering programs tend to be on the higher end of this scale, sometimes reaching up to 7,000 Euros or 8,99,145 BDT per year. However, if you opt for public universities, the cost will be significantly less as noted in the top 5 universities in Romania.

The living cost mostly depends on what kind of accommodation you’re choosing. For example, university dorms tend to cost 50 to 150 Euros or 6,422 to 19,267 BDT per month whereas private rentals will set you back around 200 to 400 Euros or 25,689 to 51,379 BDT per month.

Now considering the food, utilities, transportation, health insurance, and other miscellaneous expenses, the monthly cost comes to 300 to 600 Euros or 38,534 to 77,069 BDT (for dorms) or 500 to 900 Euros or 64,224 to 1,15,604 BDT (for private rentals).

Note that the cost of living is higher in Bucharest. Other cities like Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Timișoara, and Brașov are generally cheaper.

Scholarships for Non-EU students in Romania

There are several scholarship opportunities for students pursuing bachelors in Romania. Most of these scholarships are available through the university itself. Some of them are specifically geared towards students from non-EU and developing countries. For example, Babeș-Bolyai University provides scholarships to students from developing countries.

Beyond that, all the universities in Romania have some form of scholarships for the incoming students.

If you plan on pursuing a bachelor's in Romanian, there’s a scholarship that covers the expenses for the preparatory year. There are also scholarships for non-EU (https://scholarships.studyinromania.gov.ro/) students through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Romanian Student Visa Process from Bangladesh

The honorary consulate of Romania is situated at Cosmos Center in Malibagh, Dhaka. However, the consulate doesn’t process any kind of visa. Students are required to make an appointment with the Romanian Embassy in New Delhi and submit the documents there.

Here’s a checklist of documents you will need to submit at the embassy.

- Passport
- Completed application form
- Two recent photographs
- Proof of tuition fee payment
- Acceptance letter from the university
- Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself during your studies
- Proof of accommodation in Romania
- Medical insurance covering the duration of your stay
- Criminal record certificate from your home country (Police verification certificate)
- Flight itinerary.

Post Degree Work Permit Scope for Non-EU Students

Romania offers non-EU students the opportunity to stay back and work in the country. Now that it is part of the Schengen bloc, it’s more lucrative than ever to pursue a career in Romania.

As a graduate of a Romanian university, you will need to apply for a work permit visa within 60 days of graduation. For this, you will need to secure an employment contract beforehand.

There are several ways you can become a permanent resident in Romania. The most common ways are citizenship through naturalization, investment PR, PR through marriage, and PR through work visas.

PR through a work visa would require you to continuously stay and work in the country for 5 years with a maximum absence of 6 months. Citizenship through naturalization takes around 8 years after you have secured a long-stay work visa.

Some of the top jobs in Romania provide up to 200,000 Euros or 2,56,89,862 BDT a year which is on the higher spectrum among other east European countries.

Final Words

Following the aforementioned steps, Bangladeshi and non-EU students can fulfill their dreams of pursuing bachelor's degrees in Romania.

Though a modern and robust country, Romania reminds us of the history and culture of the Middle Ages with its castles and serene cityscapes. The lively environment of Bucharest or the laid-back nature of Cluj-Napoca enthralls visitors. This European country offers great education complying with global standards.

On the whole, Romania can be a great destination for Bangladeshi students who want to study in an affordable Schengen country with sound career opportunities after graduation.