What the Romanian Government Scholarship Actually Covers
The scholarship is not “fully funded” in any practical sense. Here is what is covered, what isn't, and what your real monthly budget needs to look like.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The stipend: what it is, what it buys
The monthly stipend is set by Government Decision 844/2008 as the lei equivalent of €65, €75 or €85 a month. It is paid in Romanian lei (RON), and the lei amount is updated each quarter at the National Bank of Romania exchange rate, so what you receive moves a little with the euro.
To put this in perspective: a basic monthly grocery shop for one person in Romania costs roughly €80–120. The whole stipend covers, at best, one month of food — and nothing else. Transport, phone, toiletries, clothing and any social life come from your own money. This is not a criticism of the programme; it is information you need before deciding whether you can afford to accept.
Everything the scholarship covers
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Full tuition | Tuition for the Romanian preparatory year and for your degree is financed, for no longer than the normal length of the study cycle. |
| Dormitory, where available | Dormitory costs are financed within the subsidy from the Ministry of Education and Research, but only to the extent places are available. You must contact your host university about accommodation. If no room is offered, private housing is on you. |
| Monthly stipend (€65–85) | Paid in lei during the preparatory year and your degree. Under Government Decision 288/1993, state scholarship holders receive it for the whole calendar year, including holidays spent in Romania. Confirm the payment schedule with your university. |
| Fee waivers | No registration or application-processing fees, no fee for the Romanian language test, the doctoral admission exam or specific aptitude tests. |
| Proof of funds for the visa | Scholarship holders are generally not asked to prove separate financial means, because the scholarship and the Letter of Acceptance serve as proof. The IGI confirms this. Check the current visa list on eviza.mae.ro. |
| Access to the national health system | Students under 26 are typically covered through university student health insurance. Students 26 and older need social health insurance, according to the IGI; we estimate the contribution at about €15–30 a month. |
The Romanian Immigration Inspectorate (IGI) states that Romanian state scholarship holders are exempt from consular (visa) fees and the residence permit fee and do not have to prove means of support (see the IGI studies page). The programme rules still list, among your obligations, carrying out the visa steps and bearing “all costs inherent to a visa application”. So budget for the costs around the visa, such as translations, travel to the consulate and the travel medical insurance the visa requires, and confirm the fee exemption with the consulate when you book.
What is not covered
- Food and meals. There is no meal plan or food allowance. Groceries and eating out come entirely from your own pocket.
- International travel. Flights to and from Romania are your expense, as is travel from the border to your university city.
- Local transport. Bus or tram passes, taxis and other local transport are yours to pay. Monthly passes cost around €10–20 in most Romanian cities.
- Private housing (if no dorm). Private rooms start around €100/month in cheaper cities and €200–400/month in Bucharest or Cluj-Napoca.
- Health insurance (26 and over). Roughly €15–30 a month (our estimate) — not mentioned on the official scholarship page.
- Visa-related costs. The visa fee and residence permit fee are waived for state scholarship holders, but other costs of the visa application, such as translations and travel to the consulate, are yours.
- Personal and miscellaneous expenses. Clothing, toiletries, phone plans, textbooks and social activities are self-funded. Budget at least €50–100 a month.
Real monthly living costs by city
These figures assume you have a scholarship dormitory place. If you need private housing, add roughly €150–400 a month. All figures are approximate and based on a student lifestyle — shared accommodation, cooking most meals, limited eating out.
| City | Food | Transport | Phone & misc | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | €120–180 | €15–25 | €60–100 | €500–700 |
| Cluj-Napoca | €110–160 | €12–20 | €55–90 | €450–600 |
| Timișoara | €100–150 | €10–15 | €50–80 | €400–500 |
| Iași | €80–130 | €8–12 | €45–70 | €300–400 |
The gap between the €65–85 stipend and these monthly totals is what you have to cover from savings, family support or part-time income.
Part-time work: what the scholarship allows
The official scholarship portal doesn't mention this anywhere, but it matters enormously for financial planning. Romanian law lets foreign students — including scholarship holders — work part-time without a separate work permit, as long as they work no more than 6 hours a day on a part-time contract (see the IGI studies page and Study in Romania).
In practice, students commonly work in hospitality, customer service and call centres (particularly for international companies operating in Romania). Earnings depend on the job, the hours and the city; there is no official figure.
Working more than 6 hours a day requires a separate work permit, which means a more complicated process and employer sponsorship. Up to 6 hours daily, your student residence permit is enough.
Keeping the scholarship
The scholarship is not a one-off award: you keep it year by year only while you meet the conditions. You lose the benefits if you:
- do not attend the minimum share of classes set by your university;
- do not earn the minimum number of ECTS credits that Romanian students need to pass the preparatory year or advance to the next year (a full year carries 60 ECTS);
- are expelled, change your field of study, breach your study contract or university rules, or ask in writing to give it up.
A scholarship lost for attendance or credits can be reinstated if you meet both requirements in the following year, within the normal length of the cycle; one lost for the other reasons cannot. Working too many hours at the expense of your studies puts the award at risk.
Next: How to Apply · Back: Eligibility