Study abroad at Iași

Iași (often written as Jassy or Iasi, internationally celebrated as the 'Cultural Capital of Romania' and Eastern Europe's fastest-growing Silicon Valley tech hub) is a magnificent, historic, and vibrant university metropolis situated in northeastern Romania, home to Iași International Airport (IAS - connecting with direct flights across London, Vienna, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul). Globally celebrated for the monumental Neo-Gothic Palace of Culture (Palatul Culturii, housing four national museums), the 17th-century Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery, Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre (the oldest national theatre in Romania), the 100-hectare Anastasie Fătu Botanical Garden (the oldest in Romania), Palas Iași (Europe's premier integrated lifestyle and business complex surrounding the Palace gardens), and its booming modern knowledge economy in software engineering, AI, automotive electronics, and biotechnology (housing major R&D software engineering centers for Amazon Development Center, Continental Automotive, Oracle, Microsoft, Endava, Bitdefender, and Ness). Iași is the flagship home of Romania's oldest and most prestigious universities: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC - founded in 1860 by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the oldest university in Romania, enrolling over 24,000 students across 15 faculties), Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF Iași - founded in 1879, world-renowned medical and dental school enrolling over 10,000 students with full English and French MBBS / MD, Dental Medicine, and Pharmacy degree pathways accredited by the EU, WFME, and GMC UK), and Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași (TUIASI - premier polytechnic institution for Computer Engineering, Electronics, and Mechanical Engineering). Degrees are taught 100% in English within the European Bologna Framework (ECTS) and automatically recognized across all EU/EEA member states, the UK, USA, and Arab countries. International students benefit from exceptionally affordable European living costs (€450–€750/month), highly competitive medical tuition (€7,500–€8,000/year), CTP Iași tram pass, and EU Schengen Area student visa benefits.

Tuition fees in Iași for international non-EU students are among the most attractive in the European Union. At Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF Iași), tuition for full English-taught 6-year General Medicine (MD / MBBS) and Dental Medicine (DMD) programs is set at €7,500 to €8,000 per academic year (€7,500/year for Pharmacy). At Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (UAIC) and Gheorghe Asachi Technical University (TUIASI), undergraduate tuition for Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Business Administration ranges between €2,400 and €3,800 per academic year. Modern on-campus university student residences (UMF & UAIC: Tudor Vladimirescu Student Campus, T1–T22 halls, Gaudeamus, Akademos - fully furnished student rooms with high-speed Wi-Fi, heating, and utilities) cost between €90 and €180 per month (inclusive of all utility bills), while private 1-bedroom apartments in Palas, Copou, and City Centre range from €280 to €450 per month. General monthly living expenses range between €450 and €750 (approx. 60% less expensive than Western European capitals).

International non-EU/EEA students require a Romanian Student Long-Stay Visa (Type D/SD). Key requirements include: the official Letter of Acceptance issued by the Romanian Ministry of Education (Ministerul Educației), proof of payment of first-year tuition fees, evidence of financial maintenance (minimum €500 per month for the duration of stay, certified in a bank account), clean criminal record certificate with apostille/legalization, valid international medical insurance, and accommodation contract in Iași. Upon arrival in Romania, students apply for the Romanian Residence Permit (Permis de Ședere) at the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI Iași). International students are legally entitled to work up to 4 hours per day (20 hours per week) without a separate work permit during their studies, and enjoy full Schengen travel mobility across Europe.