How to Apply for the Romanian Government Scholarship 2027

Key dates

Official dates for the 2027–2028 call have not been published yet. The windows below are expected dates based on the programme's annual pattern and the 2026 call — confirm the exact dates on the official platform once the call opens.

1. 1
   Mid-February 2027 (expected)

   Application platform opens

   The 2026 call opened on 16 February 2026.

2. 2
   Around 31 March 2027 (expected)

   Application deadline

   The 2026 deadline was 31 March 2026. Nothing can be added after you submit.

3. 3
   Around mid-July 2027 (expected)

   Results by email

   2026 results were scheduled for around 15 July 2026. Treat the date as a target.

4. Usually 1 October 2027

   Academic year starts

   Each university sets its own calendar, so check your host university's start date.

The application, step by step

1. 1
   Before anything else: get your passport

   The application requires copies of the first three pages of a valid passport. If your passport is expired, not yet issued or still processing, you cannot submit a complete application. If passports are slow in your country, start months in advance. The official FAQ is clear: without a valid passport, you cannot apply.

2. 2
   PhD applicants: secure a supervisor first

   You must upload the written agreement of a doctoral tutor who is a member of your chosen Romanian doctoral school, obtained before you submit — there is no way to add it later. The MFA offers no matchmaking. Identify a professor whose research fits yours, email them directly (English is fine), explain your research proposal and get a signed agreement. Allow 2–8 weeks, and start in December or early January at the latest.

3. 3
   Apostille and translate your documents

   All study documents (diplomas and transcripts) must be apostilled under the Hague Convention or authenticated by the relevant authorities in your home country before you upload them.

4. 4
   Register on the platform and complete the form

   Create your account at scholarships.studyinromania.gov.ro once the call opens (expected mid-February 2027), fill in your personal and academic details and preferred study fields, sign the GDPR consent declaration, and upload your documents.

5. 5
   Wait for results and watch your email

   Results are announced by email to every applicant. Check your inbox (and spam) at least weekly from July, and log in to your platform account too.

How to find a PhD supervisor

Search the websites of Romanian universities' doctoral schools in your field; faculty profiles are usually listed. Look for professors with active publications in your research area and email them a short, specific description of your proposed research. One targeted email to the right person works better than mass-emailing a whole department.

Apostille, legalisation and translations

• Hague Convention countries: get an apostille from the competent authority in the country that issued the document (usually the Ministry of Education or a notary). It is relatively straightforward but takes days to weeks.
• Non-Hague countries: documents go through multi-step legalisation — usually authentication by your home Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the Romanian embassy, and sometimes further steps after arrival. This takes weeks to months, so research your country's requirements early.
• Translations: documents not in English, French, Spanish or Romanian need an authorised (sworn) translation into one of those languages. Machine translation is not accepted. Budget €20–60 per page, depending on your country.

Rules for the online form

• Only one application per call. You cannot submit two, and you cannot change anything after submission.
• Choose your universities in order of preference from the platform's searchable list of accredited public universities. This guide understands the form allows two choices, but the published rules don’t state a number, so check when the call opens. Research each one carefully — you cannot revise this choice, and later requests to change university or field are not considered.
• Upload every document as a separate PDF scanned from the original. Prepare them all before you log in.
• Double-check everything before you submit. Incomplete applications are not considered, and no documents can be added after the deadline (31 March in the 2026 call).

The full list is on the Required Documents page.

If you're selected: what happens next

1. A
   Letter of Acceptance from the Ministry of Education and Research

   For admitted students, the Ministry issues a "Letter of acceptance for studies in Romania" naming your university and whether you must take the preparatory year. You can download a scan; the MFA sends the original to the university. If your university choice cannot be honoured, the Ministry may offer an alternative in the same field.

2. B
   Confirm or decline within the deadline

   Send your acceptance or refusal through the platform (or by email, as your notification instructs) within the term given. Missing it means losing your place, and the scholarship cannot be deferred or transferred to the next year. If you decline, say so quickly so another candidate can be selected.

3. C
   Contact your assigned university

   Email the international office about enrolment conditions (extra documents, aptitude tests, registration deadlines), dormitory availability and pre-arrival requirements. Do it as soon as you confirm — dorm rooms go quickly.

4. D
   Apply for your long-stay (type D) study visa

   Apply at the Romanian embassy or consulate in your country with your Letter of Acceptance; requirements are on eviza.mae.ro. According to the IGI studies page, Romanian state scholarship holders do not have to prove means of support and are exempt from the consular fee; other visa costs are yours. The visa needs IGI approval, which can take up to 30 days (extendable by 15), and appointment availability varies widely, so book as soon as you have the letter.

5. E
   Enrol at the university

   Bring the originals of your application documents (universities may ask for certified copies and legalised Romanian translations), your Letter of Acceptance, your passport with the study visa, and a medical certificate stating you are fit for studies and free of contagious diseases, with an authorised translation if needed.

6. F
   Get your residence permit

   Apply for a temporary residence permit at the regional Immigration Inspectorate (IGI) at least 30 days before your study visa expires. See the IGI studies page for current procedures. The permit is renewed before expiry for the length of your studies.

How selection works (and what nobody tells you)

The official minimum is a 7/10 average. Beyond that, the MFA does not publish the criteria used to rank candidates. One rule is public: the MFA’s Romanian-language page says citizens of non-EU countries with which Romania has no cultural and educational cooperation agreement have priority. There is no public information on whether GPA is the main factor or whether there are country quotas. It's a genuine information gap; don't expect a transparent scoring rubric. Previous years' results are not taken into account if you apply again.

The current call does not say how many scholarships are on offer. Government Decision 288/1993, as republished in 1994, set 80 MFA scholarships a year; no recent figure is published. Competition is real, and 7/10 is the floor, not the competitive benchmark.

There is no interview for bachelor's and master's applicants. PhD applicants must pass an admission interview at the doctoral school, whose details are set by the doctoral school, not the MFA.

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