According to the Education Law (Law 84/1995), only high school graduates holding a diploma de
bacalaureat (or an equivalent certificate) can be admitted in higher education. The higher education
institutions establish the admission methodology, according to the general criteria set by the Ministry of
Education, Research and Youth. The selection and admission procedure can rely on: the average
mark obtained by the candidates at the national exam – examenul de bacalaureat and at various
subjects studied during high school, as well as in some cases the mark obtained at an entrance exam
entirely organised by the higher education institution. In case an entrance exam is organised, the
higher education institution has to take into consideration the high school syllabi for the examined
subjects and all the approved alternative textbooks used in high school education for the given
subjects. Candidates are allowed to undertake the entrance examination in the language they studied
the respective subjects.
The enrolment quota financed from the state/local budget(s) for all education levels is established
yearly through Decisions of the Government. The placements financed from the state budget are
allocated to the public higher education institutions through Ministerial Order. At the same time, public
higher education institutions are authorised to accept a number of students exceeding the number of
placements financed from the state-budget, subject to students’ agreement to support the costs for the
education provided (Law 441/2001). The Ministry of Education, Research and Youth approves the
exact number of paid-placements for each public higher education institution every year, based on the
propositions of the university senates and according to the national standards for academic evaluation
and accreditation. The tuitions fees are established by the university senate according to the costs of
the education provided.
Candidates may apply simultaneously to several specialisations/higher education institutions.
However, a candidate declared admitted can follow one single financed specialisation over the normal
duration of the studies. Students of private accredited higher education institutions admitted on
financed places can benefit of the recognition of the studied accomplished, according to the provisions
established by the university senate and based on the transferable credits acquired. The same
provision applies to the students of public higher education if admitted in a private accredited higher
education institution.
Graduates of private accredited higher education have the right to follow a second specialisation in
public higher education institutions, according to the provisions of the law and the conditions set by the
University Charter. Graduates of public higher education can be admitted and can partially follow a
second specialisation without tuitions fees. They have the obligation to declare if they had followed
another specialisation and the periods that they had benefited of financial support from the state
budget upon registration. The university senates establish the conditions for the short-term higher
education graduates to continue their studies in long-term higher education (credits transfer may
apply).
Within the framework provided by the Education Law (Law 84/1995), the Ministry of Education,
Research and Youth establishes yearly the general criteria for the direct matriculation (without
undertaking the admission procedure) on the financed places of the students that have obtained during
high school remarkable results in national and/or international competitions..
The Ministry of Education, Research and Youth establishes the number of financed-places for postuniversity
studies, while the university senates establish autonomously the number of paid-places.
Admission for post-university studies is organised for higher education graduates and, except for the
doctoral studies, is based on the general criteria established by the Ministry of Education, Research
and Youth and the specific criteria established by the university senates. Admission to, organisation
and functioning of the doctoral studies are regulated through decision of the Government. For all forms
of post-university studies, the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth ensures a number of study
scholarships. The institutions grant the study scholarships to the students based on a competition.
Except for the in-service post-university training courses, admission for post-university studies is
conditioned by the graduation with the diploma de licenţă of higher education. Admission for the DEA
studies, master-degree studies and academic post-university studies is on a selective basis usually
following an entrance exam. The entrance exam consists of one or two examinations in the
specialisation of the studies – as established by the university senate.
According to the provisions of the law, long-term higher education graduates holding a diploma de
licenţă may apply for doctoral studies, and admission is based on a competition. The admission
competition is organised yearly, as a general rule at the beginning of the academic year, and is
conducted by an admission commission consisting of directors of doctoral programmes and other
specialists holding a diploma de doctor and with at least lecturer or rank II scientific researcher
academic title; specialists from other countries complying with this conditions may also be members of
the admission commission. The admission competition includes besides examinations in the
specialisation of the studies, an assessment of the linguistic competences of the candidates in a
foreign language. Evaluation and ranking of the candidates is accomplished based on a marking
system established in the IOD organisation and proceeding of the doctoral studies regulation. The
admission is decided by the admission commission, according to the results obtained by the
candidates and in the limit of the number of placements established.