In 2003, the Romanian Education Act was amended so that compulsory education is now extended from 8 to 10 years, covering the student’s 6th to 16th year. The Romanian school system is also characterized by a strong emphasis on technical and vocational education.

As one of countries starting with letter R listed on Countryaah, Romania is a parliamentary democracy with a republican constitution (since 1990). The head of state is a president who is elected every five years. Romania joined the EU in 2007.

Romania has a mainland climate with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The largest fluctuations are found in Transylvania with minus 5 ° C in January and 20 ° C in July. The most widespread religion is Romanian Orthodox Christianity, which is practiced by approx. 70% of the population. The remaining population is Roman Catholic or Protestant.

Through the Neighborhood Program, Denmark assisted Romania for several years through a number of smaller, targeted EU preparation projects. Romania’s participation in the Neighborhood Program ceased when the country joined the EU in 2007. Danish trade with Romania has seen an increase in recent years. In 2010, Denmark exported just over DKK 1,600 million. DKK goods to Romania, while Romanian exports to Denmark amounted to just over DKK 600 million.

Worth knowing

Vocational training in Romania

The Romanian school system is characterized by a strong emphasis on technical and vocational education. The 4-year upper secondary education (liceu), which builds on top of 8 years of primary school and leads to the qualifying diploma de bacalaureat, thus allows for either a general (theoretical), a technical (tehnologic) or a vocational (vocational) course.

The technical / vocational high school education (technologic) includes technical educations, trade and office educations and educations in agriculture and forestry.

The vocational / vocational high school education (vocational) includes educations in defense, theology, music / creative subjects, sports and pedagogy. Both types of education (tehnologic and vocational) also provide a vocational qualification (atestat profesional).

You can also take a 2-year craft and trade school (scoala de arte şi meserii) as an extension of the 8-year primary school. You can continue on to a third year (an de completare), which is a combined vocational and general course, and which gives access to take the last two years of the technical high school (liceu tehnologic).

After a basic vocational education, you can take a 1- to 3-year higher vocational education, which leads to either an education diploma (Certificat de Absolvire) from post-secondary schools (Scolii Postliceale) or a Master’s degree (Maistru)from Master’s Schools (Scoli Tehnice de Maistri) or post-secondary schools (Scoli Postliceale) .

Economics and education

As a foreign student from another EU country, you will be admitted on equal terms with applicants from Romania. Romania has state quotas for applicants who can be admitted to a free, state-paid education at the public educational establishments.

In addition, the individual educational institution can offer paid education if it offers additional educational places. Students with the best exam results at the entrance exam / the entrance exam are admitted to the free programs, while other students pay a smaller or larger fee depending on their exam result / result in the entrance exam.

According to topschoolsintheusa, education at private educational institutions is paid via education funds.

Work in Romania

The weekly working time is 48 hours for men and 44 hours for women. It is allowed to work a maximum of 10 hours a day. The average gross salary is 1217 RON per. month (approx. DKK 2,500), and an employee with 20 years’ seniority in a workplace is entitled to 20 annual vacation days.

The retirement age for men is between 60-65 years, while for women it is between 55 and 60 years. However, the retirement age can be lowered if you work in industries that involve special risks.

Unemployment in Romania is 6.7% (February 2013). It should be noted, however, that there is significant hidden unemployment, especially in the countryside.

Job search

It is a good idea to have knowledge of the Romanian language if you intend to apply for jobs in Romania, as many job databases and job information have not been translated into English. See, for example, the website of the Romanian Ministry of Social Affairs, where there is more information about access to jobs and legislation in the labor market, but unfortunately only in Romanian!

The Careerjet website brings together jobs from other job sites, making it easy and quick to get an overview. In addition, you can apply for Jobbank, which is an English-language job portal where you can apply for jobs in Romania. You can also search for eJobs, which contains a list of different jobs sorted by industry and company name, partly in English.

Work-and residence permit

As an EU citizen, you can stay in Romania for up to 3 months without having to apply for a residence permit. Stays of longer than 3 months require a residence permit, which you can obtain by contacting the Visa Extension Office, Str. Luigi Cazzavillan 11, Bucharest and apply for extension.

The price of a residence permit is 30 USD + a certain amount in RON. If you stay in Romania for longer than you are allowed to, you risk a fine. Contact if necessary. The Romanian Embassy in Denmark, Strandagervej 27, 2900 Hellerup, tel. No.: 39407177, e-mail: [email protected] for further information.

See also the article Visas, work and residence permits.