Romanian Government Scholarship - The Real Insider Guide

Romania is an EU member state with a fast-growing economy, a massive IT sector, and one of the fastest internet speeds on the planet. The MFA scholarship is unique because of its incredible accessibility. Unlike highly restrictive Western European scholarships, the Romanian government funds hundreds of students across almost all disciplines (with the strict exception of medicine and pharmacy).

The financial package requires realistic expectations: it provides a full tuition waiver and a free spot in a university dormitory, but the monthly stipend is only 65 to 85 euros depending on your degree level. This stipend will NOT cover your food or personal expenses. You will need your own financial backing of roughly 250 to 400 euros per month to live comfortably.

So why apply? Because it provides a virtually free, fully accredited European Union university degree. Romania intentionally uses this scholarship to promote the Romanian language and culture.

For Bachelor's and Master's students, you receive a fully funded preparatory year to learn Romanian, after which you complete your degree in Romanian. This means you graduate fluent in an additional European language, possessing an EU degree, with minimal debt. For PhD students, the option to study in English is available.

Romanian universities are strong in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and oil and gas technologies (particularly at universities in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Ploiesti). The student life in cities like Cluj or Timisoara is vibrant, highly international, and incredibly affordable compared to the rest of Europe.

Romania has recently modernized its application system. You no longer have to submit physical papers to embassies; the entire process is now handled online via the Study in Romania platform (scholarships.studyinromania.gov.ro). The application window is typically from mid-January to mid-March.

You must upload high-quality scans of your educational diplomas, transcripts, birth certificate, passport, and CV. For PhD applicants, a letter of intent and an agreement from a Romanian academic supervisor are mandatory. You do not need an admission letter from a university before applying; the scholarship application serves as the university admission application.

In the portal, you select two preferred universities and fields of study. The MFA screens applications for eligibility, and the Ministry of Education makes the final academic selection. The results are announced in July, giving you time to apply for the Romanian student visa.

The selection for the Romanian MFA scholarship is heavily based on academic grades. Your transcripts need to show an average of at least 7.0 out of 10 (or the equivalent 'Good' rating in your country's system) to be competitive. Because the application is straightforward and purely document-based for undergrads and Master's, there is no interview or massive motivation essay to compensate for poor grades.

Ensure your documents are translated into English, French, or Romanian and properly certified if required. A common mistake applicants make is applying for medicine or pharmacy—these fields are explicitly excluded from this specific scholarship, and applying for them guarantees automatic rejection. Choose your universities strategically.

Everyone applies to the University of Bucharest or Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj. If you select highly respected but slightly less famous institutions like the Politehnica University of Timisoara or Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, you may face less competition for placement. For PhD candidates, securing an enthusiastic agreement from a Romanian professor beforehand is the single most critical step; without a supervisor willing to take you on, your application will fail.

A Romanian degree is recognized throughout the European Union, making it a valid credential for jobs or further studies anywhere in Europe. Romania's own job market is desperate for IT professionals, engineers, and multilingual corporate service workers. Many international tech giants have massive hubs in Bucharest and Cluj, and they frequently hire international graduates.

Learning the Romanian language during your preparatory year gives you a distinct advantage in the local job market. For students from the developing world, the Romanian scholarship is a low-cost, high-value stepping stone into the European economic sphere.