School Enrollment & Credential Recognition for Foreign Children in Romania
Verified guide to tuition-free public school enrollment, academic credential equivalency (Echivalarea Studiilor) via County School Inspectorates (ISJ/ISMB), and international private schools.
📌Table of Contents
Quick Answer: Can Non-EU Children Enroll in Romanian Public Schools?
Yes. Under Romanian Ministry of Education (edu.ro) regulations, children of legally resident non-EU foreign nationals have full rights to enroll in tuition-free state public schools. The regional authority overseeing enrollment and grade placement is the County School Inspectorate (Inspectoratul Școlar Județean – ISJ) or Bucharest School Inspectorate (ISMB). If foreign transcripts are available, an equivalency evaluation (Echivalarea Studiilor) is conducted. If official transcripts are unavailable, ISJ/ISMB conducts a level assessment to place the student in the appropriate grade.
📊Public vs International Schools Options Table
| School Type | Tuition & Fees | Language of Instruction | Enrollment & Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public State Schools | Tuition-Free (Public) | Romanian (with support classes) | Credential equivalency via ISJ/ISMB or placement test |
| Private International Schools | Tuition-based (Varies; must check directly with each school) | English, French, German, etc. | Direct school application, interview & assessment |
Credential Recognition Steps (Echivalarea Studiilor) via ISJ/ISMB
Prepare Original Transcripts & Translations
Obtain certified Romanian translations of your child’s academic records and transcripts.
Submit File to School Inspectorate
Submit the application file to your county School Inspectorate (ISJ) or Bucharest (ISMB).
Evaluation Fee & Commission Review
Pay the processing fee (reported by sources around 100 RON; verify exact amount with ISJ) for commission review.
Issuance of Equivalency Certificate
Receive the official Atestat certificate declaring equivalent Romanian grade level for school registration.
Required Documents Checklist
- Student & Parent Identification Documents: Valid passports, Romanian residence permits (Permis de Ședere), and child birth certificate.
- Original Academic Transcripts & Diplomas: Original report cards and school records stamped by home country authorities.
- Certified Romanian Translation: Transcripts must be translated by a certified Romanian translator. See Certified Translation Guide.
- Apostille or Consular Legalization: Depending on country of origin, apostille or consular authentication may be requested.
- Proof of Evaluation Processing Fee: Reported around 100 RON by some sources; verify exact fee directly with your regional ISJ.
Public vs International Private Schools
Expat parents in Romania have two main schooling pathways: state public schools which are tuition-free and provide immersive Romanian language integration; and private international schools (offering British, American, French, or IB curriculums) taught in international languages. International school tuition fees vary widely based on grade level, curriculum, and extra services (ranging from a few hundred to several thousand euros per year). It is strongly advised to verify exact tuition structures directly with each individual school.
🇮🇷Iran-Specific Context
Good news for families arriving mid-school-year: under Romanian Ministry of Education (edu.ro) rules, enrollment for non-EU students is not restricted to the September start of the school year — it can happen during the year, through the School Inspectorate (ISJ/ISMB) and the Ministry's international relations directorate (DGRIAE), based on the student's existing academic records. You do not need to wait for the next school year to start — you can begin the enrollment process as soon as you arrive.
Another point: since Iran is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, transcripts and academic records issued in Iran generally cannot simply be apostilled — they need the consular legalization route, typically Iranian Ministry of Education attestation, then Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation, and finally legalization by the Romanian Embassy in Tehran, before a certified Romanian translation and notarization can happen in Romania. We recommend coordinating this chain directly with the Romanian Embassy in Tehran before you travel. Structurally, it also helps to know that Iran's current school system (since roughly 2013) is 6 years primary + 3 years lower secondary + 3 years upper secondary, the school week runs Saturday–Thursday (not Monday–Friday like Romania), and grades are calculated on a 0–20 scale — Romanian school inspectorates account for these differences during the equivalency evaluation.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
1. Missing Official Home Country Transcripts:
If official transcripts are lost or unavailable, ISJ/ISMB arranges a level assessment test/interview to determine grade placement.
2. Delays in Equivalency Processing:
Equivalency processing may take weeks. Schools often allow students to attend classes provisionally as "auditors" (Auditor) while awaiting paperwork.
Official Sources & Guidelines
For official guidelines, forms, and regulations regarding student equivalency, refer to:
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age does my child start school?
Primary education in Romania begins with a "preparatory class" (clasa pregătitoare) that comes before first grade. Under Article 31(2) of the pre-university education law (Law 198/2023), children enrol in the preparatory class if they have attended preschool and turn 6 by 31 August of that year. A point that specifically affects families newly arrived from Iran: if your child turns 6 between 1 September and 31 December, enrolment is not automatic. Per the Ministry of Education's guidance, you need either a recommendation from the kindergarten the child attended, or — and this is your situation if the child has not attended Romanian kindergarten or has just arrived from abroad — an assessment by the county psycho-pedagogical assistance centre (CJRAE/CMBRAE). This assessment has a defined application window announced each year (for the 2026–2027 school year it fell in March 2026), so if your arrival is near that window, start early.
How is the Romanian school system structured?
Early education (creșă from 3 months to 3 years, grădiniță from 3 to 6) → primary, which is five years (the preparatory class plus grades I–IV) → gimnaziu (grades V–VIII) → liceu (grades IX–XII). Something many families don't realise: kindergarten in Romania is compulsory, in phases. The senior group (grupa mare) became compulsory from the 2020–2021 school year and the middle group (grupa mijlocie) from September 2023. In practice this means your 4- or 5-year-old is legally required to attend kindergarten, while it is not yet compulsory for a 3-year-old. (Note: Making the junior group / grupa mică compulsory is planned for a future year, but the exact date has not been officially confirmed).
What happens if we arrive mid-school-year?
The child can start school immediately. While the credential-recognition (echivalare) file is being processed, the pupil is enrolled as an "audient" and their work is recorded in provisional class registers — meaning they attend and study normally; only the formal grades are pending. The county school inspectorate (ISJ) has, per procedure, 30 working days from submission of a complete file to issue the equivalence certificate, and once it is issued the pupil is entered in the official class register within 15 days at most. The file is normally submitted through the school the child is attending as an audient.
If my child doesn't speak Romanian, is there a free language course?
According to the European Commission's Eurydice description of the Romanian education system, children of migrant workers who do not speak Romanian are provided a free Romanian-language initiation course lasting one school year, organised in state schools and funded by local councils, with pupils grouped by age. A child who already speaks Romanian sits a placement test instead. But do not count on this until you confirm it yourself: we could not tie this entitlement to a specific article of the current law, the source wording refers to "children of migrant workers" and we could not confirm it extends to all foreign-national children, and — most importantly — we could not confirm that the course actually runs in every city and every school in practice. Before choosing a school, ask the school itself and the county ISJ what specific language support they provide. (A separate, clearer track exists for holders of international protection, which does not cover a family on a work or family residence permit).
What is "afterschool"?
Two different things share the name: the state-regulated "Școala după școală" programme run inside public schools with annual approval, and private commercial centres that typically include collecting the child from school, lunch, supervised homework and extra activities — mostly for primary-age children. Both are common in Romania. Note: Costs could not be verified from an official credible source and vary widely between providers; inquire directly with the specific centre or school.
Can expat children attend free public schools in Romania?
Yes, children of foreign legal residents have the constitutional right to attend tuition-free Romanian public schools.
Which authority handles school report card recognition?
School report card equivalency is processed by County School Inspectorates (ISJ / ISMB in Bucharest).
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