Romania: recognition of education documents — who decides and in what order

What you need to do

Romania's main difference: recognition is a separate decision by a separate state centre, not a part of university admission. It is obtained before or alongside the application, and without it a university will not consider foreign education documents. So join the queue early: the decision is not issued on the same day.

Distinguish the levels. Recognition of a school certificate is needed for a bachelor's, recognition of a degree for a master's and beyond. These are different applications with different document lists, and confusing them costs a whole intake.

The order of preparing documents is the usual one: confirmation in the issuing country, translation by a sworn translator, a certified copy. For Moldovan documents this is covered separately, in the article about documents before leaving.

Where the official answers live

• The National Centre for the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas — who recognises, which lists apply, what the procedure is.
• The Ministry of Education — the frame: rules, changes, how the intake is organised.
• The network of recognition centres — a general directory of which authority is responsible in which country. Useful when documents come from several countries.

How to check that the requirement has not changed

Read the list on the recognition centre's page rather than the university's site: the university retells, the centre decides. Where they differ, the centre is who to call.

On timing: count backwards from the date the decision has to be in your hands, and add a margin. A finished folder submitted on the last day depends on the post as much as on your grades.

Timings, fees and document lists for Romania are in the facts on the country page, with a link and the date they were checked.