The Romanian Government Scholarships are funded by Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and pay for Bachelor's, Master's and PhD study at Romanian public universities for students from outside the European Union. Pakistani students qualify on the citizenship side, since the requirement is simply that you are a non-EU citizen. The catch, and it is a big one, is the language. Bachelor's and Master's programmes funded under this scheme are taught in Romanian, not English. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide is about whether the scheme actually fits you and how to apply without wasting a cycle.
My honest view: this is a good deal for a student who is open to living in Romanian for several years and wants an EU degree without paying for it. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants an English-taught degree, or anyone hoping to study Medicine, Dental Medicine or Pharmacy, which are excluded.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded (tuition waiver and monthly stipend) |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | All fields except Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy |
| Provider | Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Country | Romania |
| Application window | Roughly February 16 to March 31 (confirm each year) |
| Results | Around mid-July |
| Official site | scholarships.studyinromania.gov.ro |
The Romanian-language condition comes first
Most Pakistani students who look at European scholarships assume the teaching will be in English. Here it is not. For Bachelor's and Master's students, the government-funded seats are taught in Romanian, and that is the reason the scholarship includes a free preparatory year of Romanian language instruction before your degree begins.
Romania does have English-taught programmes. They sit on a separate track that is generally self-funded, and this scholarship does not cover them. If you apply here expecting to switch into an English programme later, you are applying for the wrong thing.
Think about what this means in practice. You spend a year learning a new language from scratch, then sit lectures, write assignments and take exams in it. Plenty of students manage this. But it is a real commitment, and you should decide on it before you start collecting documents, not after you get an offer.
The source information describes the preparatory year as part of the Bachelor's and Master's route. It does not spell out the teaching language or preparatory arrangements for PhD candidates, so if you are applying at doctoral level, check this with the official portal or your intended university before you apply.
What the tuition waiver and stipend cover
The scholarship is listed as fully funded and covers three things:
- A tuition waiver at the Romanian university
- A monthly stipend
- A free preparatory year of Romanian language instruction (for Bachelor's and Master's students)
The amount of the monthly stipend is not stated in the information we have, so do not plan your budget around a figure you saw on a forum. Look for the current amount on the official portal when the call opens. Romania's cost of living is relatively low compared with Western Europe, which helps a stipend go further, but you should still arrive with some savings of your own for the first weeks, deposits and anything the stipend does not stretch to.
Nothing in the listed coverage mentions flights, health insurance or housing as separate benefits. Treat those as costs you may need to handle yourself unless the official call says otherwise.
Eligibility: the 7 out of 10 grade rule
There are two stated requirements:
- You must be a citizen of a country outside the European Union.
- You need a minimum grade average of 7 out of 10, or an equivalent "Good" rating, in your prior studies.
The citizenship part is straightforward for Pakistanis. The grade part needs more thought, because Pakistani marks are not reported on a 10-point scale. Matric and Intermediate results come as percentages or grades, and university results usually as a CGPA out of 4. The scholarship talks about an "equivalent" rating, but it does not publish a conversion table. If your marks are comfortably strong, you are probably fine. If you are near the line, do not guess. Check how the official platform asks you to report grades and whether a conversion or equivalence document is expected.
Field matters too. Every subject is open except Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy. A lot of Pakistani students look at Romania for MBBS, so be clear: this scholarship will not fund that.
The five documents and how to prepare them
The document list is short:
- Academic transcripts
- Diploma
- Passport copy
- Medical certificate
- Online application form
Short does not mean quick. For Pakistani applicants, transcripts and degrees often need attestation before they are accepted abroad, and that process takes weeks, not days. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the steps. Whether translations into Romanian or certified copies are required is not specified in the information here, so read the official call carefully when it is published and follow its format exactly.
Your passport is the other common bottleneck. Make sure it is valid well beyond your intended start date, because a renewal halfway through the application window is avoidable stress. The medical certificate is also easy to leave until the last minute. Find out early what it must state so you are not running to a clinic in the final week.
How the application works
The process itself has two stages:
- Apply online through the official scholarships platform during the announced window, uploading your documents and completing the online form.
- If you are selected for a Bachelor's or Master's place, complete the Romanian-language preparatory year before starting your degree.
Everything runs through that one portal. There is no separate paper route described, and the call is a fixed annual cycle, not rolling admissions. If you miss the window, you wait a year.
Timing: a February to March window and a mid-July result
The application window usually opens in February and runs roughly from February 16 to March 31. Results come out around mid-July. These dates are approximate, and the exact ones are set each year, so confirm them on the official portal as soon as the call is announced.
Working backwards, the sensible plan is to have your attested transcripts, diploma and passport ready before February. The window is about six weeks long, and most of that time should go into filling in the application carefully, not chasing paperwork. The gap between March and July is long, so keep your other options alive in the meantime.
Where applicants go wrong
The biggest mistake is not reading the language condition properly. Students apply, get selected, and only then realise they are committing to a degree taught in Romanian. Decide early whether you are willing to do that.
The second is applying for an excluded field. If your plan is MBBS, dentistry or pharmacy, this scholarship is not the route.
The third is treating the deadline as flexible. It is a fixed annual cycle. Start attestation in the autumn or early winter so that a slow office does not cost you a full year.
Finally, do not assume the stipend covers everything. The amount is not given here, and you will want a cushion of your own. If you are unsure how to show funds or plan a budget for a visa, our proof of funds guide is a useful starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Are programmes under this scholarship taught in English?
No. Bachelor's and Master's instruction under this government scholarship is in Romanian, which is why a free preparatory language year is included. English-taught programmes in Romania are a separate track and are generally self-funded.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes, in terms of citizenship. The scholarship is for non-EU citizens, which includes Pakistanis. You still need to meet the academic requirement of a 7 out of 10 average or an equivalent "Good" rating.
Can I study Medicine with this scholarship?
No. Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy are excluded. All other fields are open.
How much is the monthly stipend?
The scholarship includes a monthly stipend, but the amount is not stated in the information available to us. Check the current figure on the official portal when the call opens.
When will I know if I have been selected?
Results are usually announced around mid-July, after an application window that runs roughly from February 16 to March 31. Confirm the exact dates for your year on the official portal.
Before you apply, check the current call on the official Study in Romania scholarships portal and review the full Romanian Government Scholarships page for the latest details.