The Transilvania Academica Scholarship (TAS) is a fully funded Master's award from Transilvania University of Brașov in Romania. It pays your tuition, puts you in a university dormitory for free and gives you a monthly allowance of 800 lei for the whole length of your degree. It is meant for students from outside the EU and EEA, which means Pakistani students fall squarely within the target group.
It gets far less attention in Pakistan than the big-name European awards, and that is partly why it is worth a serious look. The application is short, there is no long chain of national nominations, and the selection looks at more than your grades. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide goes through how the award works in practice and where applicants tend to slip.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded: tuition, dormitory and 800 lei per month (about USD 170 or EUR 160) |
| Level | Master's |
| Host | Transilvania University of Brașov (Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov) |
| Country | Romania |
| 2026 cycle deadline | April 10, 2026 (check the portal for the next intake) |
| Nationality | Non-EU / non-EEA students |
| Official site | TAS application portal |
Who the Brașov scholarship suits, and who should look elsewhere
This award makes most sense for a student who wants a European Master's degree, is happy to live on a modest budget, and has a clear reason for picking one of the university's specific programs. Romania is an EU member state, so a Master's from Transilvania University is recognized across EU member states. If you are thinking about a career in Europe after your degree, that matters.
It is a weaker fit if you need a large stipend to send money home or to support a family, or if you cannot cover your own flights and visa. Those two costs are yours to pay, and the allowance is small. It is also a poor fit if none of the listed programs match your Bachelor's. A vague motivation letter for a program you picked only because it was funded will not get far.
The full package, and the two costs it leaves to you
The financial side is more complete than many students expect from a single-university award. For the full duration of the Master's, the scholarship covers:
- 100% of tuition fees, including registration and graduation charges
- Free accommodation in university dormitories, during holidays as well as term time
- A monthly allowance of 800 RON (approximately USD 170 or EUR 160)
- A Romanian language preparatory year, if your chosen program is taught in Romanian
The dormitory point is easy to skim past, but it is the biggest saving in the package. Many scholarships stop housing support during the summer break. Here the room stays covered through the holidays too.
What you pay yourself: travel to Romania and back, and Romanian student visa costs. Budget for a Romanian student visa (typically around USD 120) plus flights. The scholarship is renewed each academic year as long as you keep up satisfactory academic progress, so treat your grades in the first year as part of keeping the funding, not just passing the course.
What 800 lei a month really pays for in Brașov
Be realistic here. 800 lei is roughly USD 170 a month. Because your room is already paid, the allowance mainly has to stretch over food, utilities, local transport and personal spending. Brașov has one of the lowest costs of living among European university cities, but 800 lei on its own is not enough for all expenses. Most students budget an additional 300-500 lei per month from personal savings or part-time income. If your family can set aside that top-up before you leave, your first months will be far less stressful.
The programs on offer, and why your choice shapes the application
The program list is unusual. It mixes engineering and IT with law, heritage and sport. The fields listed for the scholarship are:
- Advanced Electrical Systems
- Building Services for Energy Efficient Buildings
- Cyber Security
- Engineering and Management in Luxury Hospitality
- Gastronomic Engineering
- Human Performance in Sports Training
- Internet Technologies
- Language Studies for Intercultural Communication
- Law and Diplomacy of Sustainable Development
- Multiple Purpose Forestry
- Natural Hazards and Risk Assessment in Civil Engineering
- Practical Integrated Methods for Propulsion Systems Engineering
- Project Management in Urban Regeneration
- Restoration and Conservation of Built Heritage
- Teaching, Learning and Counselling in Intercultural Context
- Virtual Engineering in Automotive Design
The majority of programs are taught in English. Confirm the language of instruction for your specific program on the portal or with the university International Office before you write your motivation letter. If it turns out to be Romanian-taught, that is not a dead end: the preparatory language year is covered, so you can apply even if you do not yet speak Romanian. Just plan for the extra year.
For Pakistani applicants, Cyber Security, Internet Technologies, Advanced Electrical Systems and the civil engineering options are the obvious matches for common Bachelor's backgrounds. The less common ones, such as Multiple Purpose Forestry or Restoration and Conservation of Built Heritage, can actually be good bets if your degree is relevant, since fewer people apply with a strong fit.
Eligibility is short, which puts the weight on your documents
There are only four requirements:
- Non-EU / non-EEA nationality
- A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
- An application for a Master's programme at Transilvania University
- A complete application submitted before the deadline
Pakistan is outside the EU and EEA, so Pakistani citizens meet the nationality rule. Final-year students should note that a provisional certificate is accepted in place of the diploma, which helps if your degree is not formally issued yet.
Selection is based on academic achievement, the quality of your motivation letter and the strength of your recommendation letters. It is not decided on GPA alone. A student with a solid but not spectacular CGPA and very strong letters has a fair chance here.
Four uploads, and the one-page letter that decides a lot
You upload the following, all in English and all as PDF files:
- A CV highlighting academic and personal achievements
- A motivation letter of no more than one page
- Three letters of recommendation
- Your Bachelor's degree diploma or provisional certificate
Three recommendation letters is more than many scholarships ask for, and this is where Pakistani applicants most often run late. Professors are busy, and a rushed letter that only confirms your marks does little. Ask early, give each referee your CV and the program name, and ask them to mention specific work you did with them.
The one-page cap on the motivation letter is strict, so every line has to earn its place. Name the program, say why it fits your Bachelor's and your plans, and explain why Transilvania University rather than anywhere else. Generic praise of Europe or of Brașov wastes space.
If a document is in Urdu, arrange an English version before you start. For a wider list of what to prepare, our document checklist for international scholarships is a useful cross-check.
Applying through the TAS portal
- Go to the TAS application portal.
- Register and log in to create your application.
- Upload the CV, motivation letter, three recommendation letters and your Bachelor's diploma or provisional certificate, all in English and in PDF format.
- Submit before the registration deadline.
- If selected, complete the standard Romanian university admission procedure.
That last step catches people out. Winning the scholarship does not finish the process. You still go through regular admission at the university afterwards, so keep your documents ready.
The rule that matters most: no documents can be added after the submission deadline, and incomplete applications are rejected. There is no chance to send a missing letter later. Upload everything in one go, and only submit when the file is complete.
How the 2026 cycle ran, and what it tells you about the next one
For the 2026 intake the dates were:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | February 23, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | April 10, 2026 |
| Evaluation period | April 13 - May 8, 2026 |
| Approval of selected candidates | May 11-25, 2026 |
| Final announcement by email | May 27, 2026 |
That cycle has now closed. Dates for the next intake are not confirmed, so check the TAS portal for the next round. The 2026 pattern still helps you plan: the window between opening and deadline was short, and not long enough to start collecting three recommendation letters from scratch. Have your letters, CV and degree documents ready before registration opens.
Visa planning for Pakistani students
Romania is in the EU but not in the Schengen zone, so you need a Romanian national visa, not a Schengen visa. The student visa is Type D. Applications from Pakistan go through the Romanian Embassy in Islamabad (House 28, Street 1, F-7/3, Islamabad, phone +92-51-2272505, islamabad.mae.ro). Apply at least 2 months before your program start date.
The final announcement came in late May in 2026, so do not leave visa paperwork until the email arrives. Have your passport valid and your financial planning sorted. A weak or rushed visa file can undo a won award, so read up on common student visa rejection reasons before you apply.
Once you are in Romania, the Embassy of Pakistan in Bucharest handles consular services such as document attestation and passport renewal.
Mistakes that cost applicants this award
- Asking for recommendation letters in the last two weeks and submitting with one missing, which means automatic rejection.
- Writing a motivation letter that runs past one page or never names the specific program.
- Uploading scans as images or documents not in English, when the portal expects English PDFs.
- Assuming the allowance covers everything and arriving with no savings for the first months.
- Forgetting to budget for flights and the visa, which the scholarship does not pay.
- Treating the scholarship result as final and missing the regular university admission step.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the Transilvania Academica Scholarship?
Yes. The scholarship is for non-EU and non-EEA students, and Pakistan is outside both. You also need a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and an application for a Master's programme at Transilvania University.
Are flights and visa fees covered?
No. Travel expenses and visa costs are explicitly not covered. A Romanian student visa typically costs around USD 120, and you pay for flights yourself.
Do I need to speak Romanian?
Not for most programs, since the majority are taught in English. If your chosen program is taught in Romanian, the scholarship covers a Romanian language preparatory year, so you can apply without knowing the language yet.
Is the funding guaranteed for the whole Master's?
It is awarded for the full duration of the degree but renewed each academic year, provided you maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Can I add a missing document after I submit?
No. Documents cannot be added after the submission deadline, and incomplete applications are rejected.
When does the next round open?
In 2026, registration opened on February 23 and closed on April 10. Dates for the next intake have not been confirmed, so watch the official portal.
Check the official TAS portal for current dates and requirements, and see the Transilvania Academica Scholarship page for the full details in one place.