Cheapest Universities in Romania 2026/2027

Cheapest Universities in Romania

Romania is one of the nations you should consider if you wish to study abroad. International students, especially those from outside the EU, are welcomed by higher education institutions, which offer a variety of benefits.

There are approximately 100 universities to select from, and several of them offer English-taught programs at extremely reasonable pricing. During your vacations, you will have the option of studying for one or two semesters in another country or visiting one of Romania’s neighbors.

On this occasion, we’ve put up a comprehensive guide on cheap universities in Romania to assist you in making the right decision. We’ll go through crucial features of the educational system and compile a list of the cheap Universities.

List of Cheap Universities in Romania

1. University of Bucharest (UB)

The University of Bucharest (UB) is one of Romania’s oldest public universities, having been founded in 1864. UB ranks 700 in the world according to QS university update.

International students’ tuition rates range from 1,980 EUR (about $2,300) to 2,430 EUR (approximately $3,000) per year. They also have student housing, however, there are just a few seats available for overseas students. Visit their website to learn more about admissions and programs: https://en.unibuc.ro/admission/. If you are interested, please contact us.

2. Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB)

The Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB), which is located in Cluj-Napoca, was founded in 1581 and is one of a group of prominent Romanian universities.

This Romanian institution educates around 41,000 students each year and has campuses all across the city. This comprises five museums as well as 5,280 student dormitories.

It comprises 21 faculties and 242 programs in five languages! Romanian, German, French, Hungarian, and, of course, English are among them.
Annual tuition prices range from 2,700 EUR (about $3,100) to 5,500 EUR (approximately $6,200).

Visit their admissions section https://admitere.ubbcluj.ro/en/internationalstudents/ to learn much more!

3. Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF Cluj)

The Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF Cluj) offers degrees in many areas of medicine to people interested in the profession. This low-cost Romanian university was founded in 1919 and was previously a component of Babeș-Bolyai University.

Tuition fees varies between 5k EUR ($5650) and 6k EUR ($6800).

This means paying only $2,000. Check the guide in their admission section and their tuition fees section http://www.umfcluj.ro/en/informatii-stoma-uk/avizier-sx-uk/item/6369-fees_en_20192020 to learn more.

Studying in Romania on a budget — what the fees above actually mean

Tuition is only one line in the budget, and on its own it is a poor guide to whether you can afford to study in Romania. A country with low tuition and high living costs can end up more expensive than one with higher tuition and cheap accommodation. Work out the total annual cost before you compare anywhere.

How to check a tuition figure before you rely on it

Fee figures on any website — including this one — go out of date. Universities revise tuition annually, and governments change policy. Before you rely on a number:

Open the university’s own website and find the fees page for international or non-national students. That is the only figure that counts.
Check the academic year the figure applies to. A 2023 fee table tells you very little about what you will pay in 2026/2027.
Confirm whether the price is per year, per semester or per credit. Per-credit pricing is common and makes cheap-looking programmes expensive.
Check whether international students pay a different rate. In many systems local and EU students pay far less than everyone else.
Email the admissions office and keep the reply. A written quote protects you.

A live example of why this matters: Norway’s public universities were free for everyone until 2023, when parliament introduced cost-covering fees for non-EU/EEA students — and non-European enrolment fell by roughly 80% within two years. In June 2025 the government proposed letting institutions set their own fees again, including at zero, from August 2026. Anyone relying on a five-year-old “tuition-free” article would have got it badly wrong in both directions.

Entry route: Romania is in the Schengen area, so you will apply for a national long-stay student visa (type D) at the embassy or an accredited visa centre in Abuja or Lagos, not a short-stay Schengen visa. Expect to show an admission letter, proof of funds in a blocked or verifiable account, health insurance and accommodation. A major advantage: once you hold a residence permit you can travel across the Schengen area.

Language of instruction: most degree programmes in Romania are taught in the local language, with a smaller selection available in English — usually at postgraduate level. Check the language of instruction for your specific programme before anything else, because this single detail rules out more applicants than tuition cost does. Where an English-taught programme exists, ask whether an IELTS or TOEFL waiver applies to Nigerian degree holders.

Build a realistic total-cost budget

Before applying to any institution in Romania, price all of the following. Applicants routinely underestimate the second half of this list:

Tuition for international students, for the correct academic year
Application and acceptance fees, which are usually non-refundable
Accommodation — on-campus versus private rent can differ enormously
Living costs — food, transport, data, utilities
Health insurance, which is compulsory in most study destinations
Visa or permit fees, plus biometrics and courier charges
Flights, and a return flight if the visa requires proof of one
Proof of funds — money you must show you hold, on top of what you actually spend
Document costs — transcripts, notarisation, apostille, translation, courier
The naira exchange rate, and how a further depreciation would affect year two

How to bring the cost down honestly

Apply for scholarships in parallel, not afterwards. Most funding deadlines fall before or alongside admission deadlines, not after.
Look at government scholarships from Romania itself. Many countries fund international students directly, and these are often less competitive than the famous named awards.
Ask about assistantships and tuition waivers at postgraduate level. Teaching or research assistantships can cut or eliminate tuition.
Ask about fee instalments. Many institutions allow termly payment, which matters when you are converting naira.
Check student work rights on your visa — how many hours, and whether you may work at all. Never plan a budget that depends on illegal work.
Compare smaller cities. Rent outside the capital is often the single biggest saving available.

A warning about agents

No agent can guarantee you admission or a visa. If someone promises either in exchange for money, walk away. Legitimate agents are paid by institutions, publish their registration details, and will never ask you to send money to a personal account. Apply directly to the university wherever you can — almost every institution accepts direct applications, and it is free or cheaper.

Frequently asked questions

Can Nigerians study in Romania?
Yes. Nigerian students are admitted to institutions in Romania subject to meeting the academic entry requirements, the language requirement and the immigration rules set out above.

Is the cheapest university the best choice?
Not automatically. Check that the institution is recognised by the national regulator in Romania and, if you plan to return home or move on, that its degrees are accepted where you intend to work. A cheap degree from an unrecognised institution costs you everything.

Do I need IELTS to study in Romania?
It depends on the programme and the institution. Where teaching is in English, many institutions waive the test for applicants whose previous degree was taught in English — which covers most Nigerian graduates. Always confirm in writing before paying for a test.

How much money do I need to show?
That is set by the immigration authorities, not the university, and it changes. Check the official government source for Romania shortly before you apply, because the figure is usually updated annually.

Can I work while studying?
Some countries permit limited part-time work on a student visa and some do not. Confirm the rule for your specific visa type, and treat any earnings as a supplement rather than the basis of your budget.

Related guides

Tuition fees, visa rules and proof-of-funds thresholds change every year. Always confirm the current figures on the official university and government websites for Romania before you apply or pay anything.