Study Abroad in Romania: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026

Study abroad in Romania: EHIC, visa, tuition fees and housing costs with official sources and guide prices, status October 2026 at a glance.

Studying abroad in Romania: your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers medically necessary treatment, but not the cost of bringing you home. Germans do not need a visa. The Federal Foreign Office strongly recommends travel health insurance with repatriation cover, because hospitals sometimes demand advance payment.

Studying abroad in Romania at a glance

Topic	Information (status October 2026)	Source
Health insurance	EHIC applies, repatriation not covered, repatriation insurance recommended	European Commission (EHIC FAQ), Federal Foreign Office
Visa	No visa requirement listed, registration after three months may be required	Federal Foreign Office, European Commission (Your Europe)
Tuition fees	Erasmus+ students are exempt from fees for study, enrolment and exams, small fees may apply	European Commission (Erasmus+)
Housing	Student hall 100 to 300 euros, flat 300 to 500 euros, northern districts 500 to 1,000 euros (undated blog post)	ESN ASE Bucharest
Food and transport	Canteen meal about 15 lei, lunch menu from about 25 lei, monthly pass 70 lei for one line (brochure status 2021)	University of Cluj-Napoca, UBB brochure 2021
Study-abroad BAföG	Possible, responsible office per DSW assignment: Studierendenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau	German National Association for Student Affairs (flyer, status January 2026)

All information is general and not individual advice. The official pages linked below are authoritative.

How are you insured in Romania?

European Health Insurance Card and statutory health insurance

Romania is an EU country, so the European Health Insurance Card applies there. According to the European Commission, treatment follows the rules of the host country. For students, the card replaces form E-128 and gives access to treatment that is necessary given the length of your stay. The Commission states that the card does not cover repatriation.

The Federal Foreign Office points out that statutory insured persons are entitled to treatment by approved doctors and hospitals, proven with the EHIC or a substitute certificate. According to the page, medical care in rural areas is not comparable to Germany.

Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your study abroad before you sign the learning agreement. Also check that the card is valid until the end of your stay. If you have private health insurance, the basics are covered in our guide Health insurance during a semester abroad.

What does the German health insurer pay?

Treatment is billed under the rules of the host country. Abroad, higher co-payments can apply, which is a cost risk. Keep all receipts. If you pay for treatment first, the German Federal Portal states that the insurer only reimburses what it would have covered for comparable treatment in the country of insurance, minus an administrative deduction.

For inpatient treatment in another EU country, your insurer must approve in advance, and the same applies to treatment that also needs prior approval in Germany. For planned outpatient treatment, the Federal Portal advises checking with your insurer beforehand.

Travel health insurance and repatriation

The card does not replace travel health insurance. Repatriation to Germany is not covered. The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance with repatriation cover for the entire stay abroad and says that without it, treatment or flight home costs must be paid yourself. Background is in our guide Travel health insurance for Erasmus, USA and work and travel.

Do you need a visa for Romania?

No. The Federal Foreign Office names no visa for Romania for German citizens. Entry is possible with a passport, a provisional passport, an identity card, a provisional identity card and a children’s passport. All documents must be valid for the entire stay, including the day of departure. An expired document prevents departure.

During the first three months, the host state may not require registration, according to the European Commission. After that, Romania may require you to register your stay. For stays longer than three months, the Commission names three conditions: enrolment at a recognised university, comprehensive health insurance and sufficient funds. Keep these documents ready:

Valid identity card or passport
Proof of enrolment at the host university
Proof of comprehensive health insurance
Proof of sufficient funds, the Commission does not name a fixed minimum amount

The Federal Foreign Office lists no travel warning and no partial travel warning for Romania (status of the page 25 October 2026). It does report several warnings about drones in Romanian airspace, and airport closures and flight delays are possible. The page recommends following warnings via RO-Alert. Pickpocketing and fraud are common at tourist sites, and vehicle theft occasionally affects high-value cars with foreign plates. The Carpathians have a large bear population with sometimes serious attacks.

No compulsory vaccinations apply to direct entry from Germany. Hepatitis A is recommended, depending on the situation also TBE and hepatitis B, plus standard vaccinations according to the STIKO schedule, especially against measles. The page also names West Nile fever, transmitted by mosquitoes from spring to autumn.

What does a semester abroad in Romania cost?

Tuition fees

As an Erasmus+ student you are exempt from tuition, enrolment and exam fees at the host university. Small fees, for example for insurance or membership in a student union, may still apply. We have not verified their amount, so ask your host university.

Housing

A blog post by the ESN group in Bucharest gives these undated guide prices in euros, utilities not included: flats in general 300 to 500 euros, flats in northern districts 500 to 1,000 euros, student halls in general 100 to 300 euros. According to the post, the ASE Erasmus hall costs 150 euros per month for a double room. Ask your host university for current accommodation options.

Food and transport

The University of Cluj-Napoca lists in its 2021 brochure, in lei: about 15 lei for a canteen meal, lunch menus in restaurants from about 25 lei and a monthly pass for one line for 70 lei. The brochure is dated March 2021 and gives a conversion of 1 leu to 0.21 euros. Prices have probably risen since, so ask your host university for current figures.

Funding: Erasmus+ and study-abroad BAföG

Your university determines the Erasmus+ grant. The Commission describes it as a contribution to travel and living costs, with the amount depending among other things on living costs, the number of applicants and the distance. It names no fixed sum. More is in our guide Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad.

Study-abroad BAföG is possible for studying abroad. The condition is a permanent residence in Germany. Support starts in the month of application, at the earliest with the start of the study abroad. The application should be filed about six months before the start. Within the EU, the flyer of the German National Association for Student Affairs does not require at least one year of study in Germany. According to the DSW assignment, the Studierendenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau is responsible for Romania. The flyer names a one-time travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees up to 5,600 euros for at most one year. All details are in our guide Study-abroad BAföG: requirements, amounts and supplements.

Example calculation: For a five-month Erasmus+ semester, a flat at 300 to 500 euros per month, a monthly pass for one line at 70 lei (about 15 euros at the 2021 brochure rate) and canteen meals at about 15 lei each add up to a rough guide. A student hall at 100 to 300 euros lowers the housing share considerably. Electricity, mobile phone and leisure are not included, nor travel costs and travel health insurance. The sum is a guide, not a promise.

Steps before you leave

Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during the semester abroad, before you sign the learning agreement.
Check that your European Health Insurance Card is valid until the end of your stay and order a new one in time if needed.
Take out travel health insurance with repatriation cover, because the card does not cover repatriation.
Ask your health insurer whether planned treatment needs prior approval.
Check that all documents are valid for the entire stay and take your passport with you.
File the study-abroad BAföG application about six months before the start, if you are eligible.
Ask the International Office about the Erasmus+ grant, all fees and current rents.
Have your vaccination protection against hepatitis A and measles checked by your doctor.
Keep your identity card or passport and proof of enrolment and insurance ready for a possible registration after three months.

Frequently asked questions

Is my European Health Insurance Card valid in Romania?

Yes, for medically necessary treatment under the rules of the host country. Treatment that can wait until you return home and repatriation are not covered.

Do I need a visa for Romania?

No. The Federal Foreign Office lists no visa requirement for German citizens. After three months Romania may require registration.

Do I have to pay tuition fees in Romania?

As an Erasmus+ student, not for study, enrolment or exams. Small fees, for example for insurance, may apply.

How much does a flat in Bucharest cost?

An undated ESN blog post gives 300 to 500 euros for a flat in general, utilities not included. In northern districts the guide price is 500 to 1,000 euros.

Does my health insurer pay for repatriation?

The European Commission says the card has nothing to do with repatriation. Repatriation insurance covers this risk. Ask your insurer about the scope of its benefits.

Who is responsible for study-abroad BAföG for Romania?

According to the DSW assignment, the Studierendenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau is responsible.

Sources

Sources accessed on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.