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Grateful Future Doctor’s Mother from India

"Trying to decide what medical school is right for your child can be overwhelming. You people at SMA have made the process much easier . Your knowledge was invaluable to us. We will definitely use their services again when the time comes to send our next child to medical school in Romania"

Mrs. Kumar – mother of zeena, Class of 2014



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Frequently Asked Questions
  • Below are some of the advantages if you apply via SMA:

    •we submit your application directly to The Ministry of Education by hand

    •we carefully prepare your application to meet all requirements

    •we have been working in Romania since 2005

    •we have an international presence

    •we are experienced at working with clients from all nationalities and cultures

    •we have a physical presence in Romania

    •we maintain good relationships with Romanian Medical Schools

    •we make the application process much much easier for you, saving your time and expenses

    •we care about your application

    For a more detailed and serious response. Click on New Visitors section of our website and SMA News and Update (Get An EU Univ. Degree-the value of our service) to read about some of the difficulties you may face when applying on your own and how applying via SMA will help you overcome all these challenges.
  • The universities we work with in Romania are all registered with the Ministries of Health and Education in Romania. They are listed on the WHO directory of international medical schools http://www.who.int/hrh/wdms/media/en/Romania.pdf or the new Avicenna/WHO directory of Medical schools http://avicenna.ku.dk/database/medicine/ and are on the ECFMG/FAIMER database (http://imed.ecfmg.org/ ).
    Romania has the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS), which is an independent organization responsible for evaluating all Romanian universities. All the universities we work with have ARACIS approval and listing.

    Yes, the Romanian universities we work with are recognised and accredited internationally.We urge all our clients to do their own research on what procedures are involved in getting accredited in their own countries or countries they wish to practice in.
    We are very confident about the opportunities available internationally for graduates from Romanian faculties. Know that there will certainly be challenges, like board exams (USMLE in the US, PLAB in the UK and Board exams in most EU countries for example), residency and community service depending on which country you chose to practice in. It is best to do some research before applying.
  • No. There are no entrance exams. However some universities require E.U/EEA students to write a compulsory entrance examination (Biology or Chemistry) after obtaining the acceptance letter to study Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy in Romania. Upon passing the entrance examination, the EU/EEA student will be enrolled in the medical university and also benefit from the reduction in university tuition fees (half reduction of tuition fees). This is not a standard practice with all Romanian medical faculties. In fact, most Romanian medical universities do not require EU/EEA students to write entrance examination after obtaining the acceptance letter to study Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy and do not offer reduction in tuition fees. However, an English examination (more of a protocol) may be conducted to assess the students (EU/EEA & Non-EU/EEA) English language proficiency. To get a seat at any of the Romanian faculties (your seat and acceptance letter) does not require the applicant to complete any form of entrance exam.
  • The legislature upheld by the Health Ministry in your country or state is unique. We are unable to provide updated records on which country or which state accepts the qualification received in Romania as regulations are changing so often. We ensure that all the universities we work with are WHO listed and listed on the United States (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) ECFMG database as well as the General Medical Council (GMC) of Britain.
    The universities we work with are all accredited by the respective country's health and education authorities. There are unlimited opportunities abroad for qualified medical professionals, however we advise our clients to have a realistic idea of what they want to do after qualifying and where they want to do it.

    For students from Economic European Area different regulations will apply with GMC protocol and registering in U.K to work. For U.K nationals it will be much easier to find an employment position in the medical industry; however they will have to go through various registration procedures.

    For American and Canadian nationals, registering with the ECFMG and completing the USMLE holds more opportunities in comparison to a foreigner who does the same. Yet it should be noted that over 25% of health care professionals in the U.S have qualified abroad. The U.S has favorable immigrations policies for foreign medical graduates, who qualify in recognised medical universities.
  • Yes transfers are possible however a little more complicated. Students transferring from other European universities will benefit if they are part of the ERASMUS, SOCRATES and ECTS systems. Students transferring from Universities outside of Europe will have a little more complications with the different methods of course structure and credit systems, yet it is still possible. However, each case is viewed on an individual basis. Transfer students will also be required to take difference exams to make up for subject credits that they have not done at their previous institute of study. Please refer to the Applications section of this website and click on ‘transfer students’ for more details. SMA has successfully placed transfer students from India, Botswana, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Ghana, China, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Caribbean and Hungarian medical schools into the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th years of the medical program. Transfer students apply to the Ministry of Education in Romania like any other student in order to get the acceptance letter.

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  • We advise all our US and Canadian clients to verify with their state medical and dental council about registration in their state. We have had American and Canadian students who qualified and proceeded to write their USMLE exams and thereafter gained approval to practice in their chosen state. Yet each state will have its own policies so it is best that you contact your state department to confirm. The Romanian faculties we work with are ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) registered and listed on the WHO world wide database of accredited medical universities. US students will be able to write the USMLE exams.

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  • Romania has a temperate climate, similar to the northeastern United States, with four distinct seasons.
    Spring is pleasant with cool mornings and nights and warm days.

    Summer is quite warm, with extended sunny days. The hottest areas in summer are the lowlands in southern and eastern Romania where 100 F(37.7 C) is often reached in July and August. Temperatures are always cooler in the mountains.

    Autumn is dry and cool, with fields and trees producing colorful foliage, much like New England.

    Winters can be cold, especially in the mountains. While not the rule, abundant snowfalls may occur throughout the country, from December to mid-March.

    There are significant regional differences of the climate between different regions of Romania.

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  • The International Admissions office is a joint venture between Romanian Universities and an International Education Consultancy and Marketing agency (StudyMedAbroad) that serves to assist students in the successful placement in Romanian Universities.

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  • The Monthly living expenses for a foreign student range between €200-€300 euro/month. Includes accommodation, food, transport, cable/internet and miscellaneous expenses. This monthly amount can vary depending on the lifestyle of the student. Students on a tight budget usually share and this decreases the monthly rent amount. At €400EUR-€500EUR a month, a student can live very comfortably and enjoy high quality yet affordable University education.
    In Targu-Mures and Oradea, for example, the student hostels are mainly occupied by Romanian students from other cities. Whereas in Bucharest and Timisoara, the student hostels have a large number of foreign students. So yes, as a medical student you may rent a room in a student hostel, but that would depend on availability. We advise our clients to go with a shared apartment at first, allow themselves to become familiar with the environment and then look at other options.

    Apartments in Romania come fully furnished, with TV, Gas stove, Fridge, Beds and couches. Some more up scale ones come with washing machine and microwaves etc. Cable TV with 24/7 internet access is available for 20$ a month. Apartments cost between €100EUR-300EUR/month. Apartments have central heating with central hot water. Lights and water average between €30EUR-50EUR a month.

    Students who want to live on a very low budget are advice to stay in the school hostels which average between US$100-US$200 a month for rent and bills inclusive.
  • Although we have heard stories of violent incidents arising from prejudice, we have not encountered this amongst our clients nor in the medical universities or environments that we work in. Our selection of universities is based on first hand experience of the environment and social condition that surrounds the university. An open multi-cultural society is high priority in our selection of medical universities.
    “Human nature must have come much nearer perfection than it is now, or will be in many generations, to exclude from such a control prejudice and injustice, we look forward to a day when all human beings of different races with different faces can live side by side in tolerance and love, and see beyond the physical appearance of one another. We try to support groups that are about educating people about different races, different religions, different cultures and different situations so that we can break down the barriers of prejudice and bigotry.”

  • We have numerous clients who follow the Islamic faith and way of life. We do our best to research and provide information to our clients on where they find the closest mosque or supply of Halal food items. Most Romanian universities will have a Muslim community who tend to use community centres for their Friday evening prayers and as well as for other Islamic religious festivals. There will usually be a network of other Muslim students at your campus who communally buy halal food in bulk. We have placed clients from Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE and many other Islamic nations. Generally as a Muslim student you should not find it too difficult to integrate into your new environment. Yes there will be a few small compromises, like no halal Pizza parlors or restaurants, but there will always be something on the menu to suit your diet and religious practices. Remember that certain parts of Romania have strong Islamic influence coming from Turkey.

     

  • Romanian universities offer several options for medical specialisations. The official language of instruction is Romanian. However, English can be used between you and your specialist in charge (in case the specialist in charge of the programme speaks English). The specialization student should learn Romanian as soon as possible. We assist candidates with preparing their application and getting accepted into the programme they desire. We will provide information on the level of English the professor in charge of the postgraduate programme has, thereby allowing you to make a more informed decision. When the professor in charge of the program speaks good English, the English speaking postgraduate candidate will be at an advantage.
    Postgraduate studies involves mainly clinical work and hence much interaction with patients and other medical staff. Foreign doctors are allowed to practice in Romania, under the supervision of the Head of the Department where they are enrolled in the specialty. Specialization students are required to do the Romanian language proficiency exam and it is their responsibility to learn Romanian. Some universities, e.g Carol Davila UMF Bucharest enrols the specialization student in a compulsory 9 months language course at the University of Bucharest before they are enrolled in their specialisation programme.
    The application process is very similar to undergraduate applicants. All postgraduate applicants, must get approval from the university, head of department for their specialisation and from the Romanian Ministry of Education. In addition the candidate must provide a CV, internship letter (if applicable), letters of experience or recommendation from academics (if applicable), copies of their transcripts and MD certification.
    The fees for all postgraduate programs are between €3420 – €5000 (EUR) per annum (depending on the University).

     

  • Unfortunately work availability for foreigners in Romania can be a little complex. Perhaps you would be successful as a consultant running your own enterprise. In the same way, earning an income while studying is more likely if you are an enterprising individual rather than someone looking for a part time job.

     

  • There are no age restrictions for applicants. You may apply as long as you are over the age of 18 at the beginning of the academic year. Different immigration regulations apply to the the various nationalities. It is best for you to contact your closest Romanian embassy regarding this matter.
    Part time work for foreigners in Romania is limited. The average monthly salary in Romania is around €250 at the time of this writing (2012).

    There are various English language private schools that foreign children may attend in both countries. Should you wish to come with your family, let us know well in advance and we will gather the information you require and assist in finding a suitable environment for your family.

    We have had mature clients, ages ranging between 35 to 57 years, and have successfully placed them at a medical university.

     

  • Romania is a relatively low crime country. Petty theft occurs occasionally without aggression. The smaller the city the lower the crime rate. We find locations that meet our high safety criteria. Some of the things we look at is violent crime, assaults, theft and burglary.
    The cities we send clients to study in are considered "university towns", with a high population of students, both foreign and local. Romania is a land of many towns, villages and small cities, all of which do not have universities. Romanian students, like foreign students, flock to "university towns" for their academic requirements.

     

  • We work mainly with Romanian universities. Clients may use our service to apply to any Romanian medical school. In Romania we recommend the universities in: Bucharest, Targu-Mures, Oradea, Iasi, Arad, Constanta and Timisoara and can process your application for any of the universities located there.
    *Note thatwe are in the process of updating our website with more information on each university. The seven medical schools we work primarily with are 90% identical with regards to the quality of education, living environment and recognition of degree.

     

  • The fees at all state funded Romanian medical schools are between €3200 – €5000 Euro per year. Will these fees increase?

    This is a difficult question to answer. The fees have not changed for many years until recently. It was $3600 USD when we first began working with Romania in 2005/2006 session. The Ministry of Education gave autonomy to the Universities to determine the tuition fee in August 2009. A minimum amount of €2880 EUR (€320 for 9 months) was approved to be the tuition fees for International Medical Students and the Universities having the right to put it at the minimum amount or a bit more. Most universities tuition fee range from €2880 EUR to €5000 EUR. However, there is no indication for any further increase in tuition fee for the next few years. We would advise students to budget for a 10-50% increase during their 6 year program (worst case scenario!).

    E.U/EEA member state students pay approximately half of the tuition fee per annum due to agreements between the various E.U/EEA member countries but have to write a compulsory entrance exam (comprising Chemistry or Biology) in some universities to be admitted and to qualify for the reduction in tuition fees. It should be noted that most Romanian medical schools do not conduct entrance examination for EU/EEA students, only an English language examination is conducted to test the candidate's knowledge of English language. Most universities who do not conduct entrance examination do not give reduction of tuition fee to EU/EEA students.

    Nonetheless the current tuition fees of €2880 – €5000 (EUR) charged by Romanian medical universities are one of the lowest we have found in an EU/EEA country.

  • Foreign students may find part-time jobs somewhat challenging to come by. However Romania has good Internet connectivity and one may use the Internet to look for online jobs as a part time alternate source of income.

    Please make sure that you do not come to Romania with expectations of financing your study expenses by working part time. Although not impossible, it may be challenging for one to find a well paid part time job in Romania that will sufficiently subsidize their living expenses and tuition costs.

    That being said, lets also understand that anything is possible! Who says that you won't get an awesome job posing as a part time model, music, dance or gym trainer, live football/sports reporting in English or writing articles for a local English language newspaper?

    We want to convey that it is better for you to have your finances taken care of before embarking on your study program. Your principal activity in this adventure is to study not to work! Besides studying medicine requires full time focus.

  • Although Romanian students are given preference in the allocation of the student hostels, foreign medical students can apply if they arrive early in August or September prior to the beginning of the academic year which starts on first Monday of October (of every year). So yes, as a medical student you may rent a room in a student hostel, but that would depend on availability. We advise our clients to go with a shared apartment at first, allow themselves to become familiar with the environment and then look at other options.

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  • Since Romania's ascension into the E.U, E.U/EEA member country passport holders are no longer required to apply for a student visa and are allowed entry into Romania without a visa.

    However, students are requested to contact their Romanian embassy or consulate to find out about any changes and confirm the procedure for their country. E.U/EEA member state students have to apply for the temporary residency permit, however the application and processing is much simpler compared to the process for non E.U students.

    E.U/EEA member state students may enter Romania for a maximum of 3 months without a visa, after which they will have to either apply for the temporary residence permit or exit the country and re-enter.

  • Tuition is required to be paid in advance for the first year once the Ministry of education has issued acceptance letter. Tuition is paid directly via bank wire transfer to the bank account of your university in Romania. The University bank account details and amount of your tuition fee will be written on your acceptance letter. It includes all tuitions for University education, lab work and hospital rotations, as well as examinations. Some universities, e.g. Carol Davila, UMF Bucharest accepts instalmental payment, up to 3 instalments. For example,Carol Davila UMF Bucharest tuition fee is: €5000 EUR for EU/EEA students, this can be paid three times. i.e., €2000 EUR, €2000 EUR and €1000 EUR (every three months).

     

  • Click the Apply now for session 2012 button on the home page and create an account for yourself on this website and follow the instructions. More information is available once you create an account and log in to your application profile.

     

  • There are two dates of application deadline. The first set of applications has a deadline by the end of July. Applications must be submitted by the end of the deadline date. However, SMA grants deadline extensions but are processed as late applications and may attract a ‘late fee’ charge of €100-€250 EUR because of more visits to Ministry of education and extra courier charges. Applications after July 31 are late. In this case, the receipt of the applicants’ acceptance letters may be in September.

     

  • Yes. You can make change(s) only to your profile after you filled your profile information through the site registration form. After applying online via your student log-in page,your application,for example, to a Romanian University or course of your choice; might be changed only on request by email however you can upload your documents all over again. All these will be done on your student log-in page which is unique to your Username. SMA will change your application status on your applicant log-in page from 'pending' or 'partial' to 'Complete' as soon as we are satisfied with the submitted documents.

     

  • The locals speak Romanian, as well as Hungarian but the language of instruction is English delivered by patient, able and hardworking professors. It should be noted that over 50% of the Romanians below age 40 speak and understand English. Most Romanians are multi-lingual and English is widely spoken and understood by the youth population.

     

  • There is an average of 60-100 students in a class, making learning very interesting. The class is divided into 6-13 groups of 7-10 students per group. Some lecture classes may comprise the entire student in a class. However, most practical classes are done in groups. This enables medical students to interact easily with their colleagues, patients and teachers. The academic session begins on first Monday of October (of every year) and ends in June.
    There are 2 semesters: the first (1st) semester is between October to February and the second semester starts at the end of February until the end of June. There is always 1-2 weeks holiday between the 1st and 2nd semester. There is a rich blend of students from various countries in the world; Germany, Iran, India, United States of America, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Sweden, Morocco, Israel, Nepal, Botswana, South Africa, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, Ethiopia, Kenya, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Mauritius, Ghana, Japan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirate, Norway, Finland, Indonesia, Cuba and many other countries of the world.

     

  • All Romanian Medical faculties offer a 6 year medical school program. There is no internship required as this is included in the 6 year course in the form of clinicals. After completing the program the student will be required to write the license exam and will then receive their Bachelor of Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy (MD/MBBS, MDS or B.Pharm respectively) degree after passing the license exam.
    Romanian Medical Schools use the European Credit Transfer System; A student needs to complete the total of 60 credits in each academic year. For students in year 1 and year 2, a minimum of 30 credits (half of the total credits) are needed in order to move to the next academic year. However, for a student to promote into the 4th year of study, a student must clear all the credits from the first 3 years of medical school, that is: 180 credits before they would be enrolled into the 4th year.
    Sometimes, there are students who are unable to complete the academic year or don't have sufficient credits to qualify them to move to the next academic year. In such cases the programme can take longer (repeating the class). However, this is in rare cases. Any serious average medical student should be able to complete the credits needed to enrol for the next year of study.

     

  • No. scholarships are not offered by SMA, however Romanian Government offer Scholarships. Foreign students can apply for scholarships once they are registered with the University and provided that they have a minimum of 8.0 (80%) or higher average pass rate. Only 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th year medical students of Non-EU Countries are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

     

  • Yes. You need to send your documents to us again. This is due to our privacy policy. We keep your academic details and documents for as long as we may need it to process your acceptance letter. After we receive your acceptance letter, you may request to delete all your details/documents. However, all applicants details are removed from our system a few months after the academic year begins.

     

  • The university fee for undergraduate studies towards a Bachelor of Medicine ranges from €2880 - €5000 (EUR) per year (depending on the University). This includes all lab, practical/clinical and tuition fees. Books, accommodation and other expenses are the responsibility of the student.
    At the end of the 6 year programme, students are required to write the Romanian licence exam at no extra cost.

    E.U/EEA citizens pay between €1600 EUR and €5000 EUR (depending on the University) for tuition fees due to agreements amongst E.U/EEA member countries. Some faculties have an entrance exam for E.U students after which the successful completion of, will allow the candidate to receive a small reduction in tuition fees. However most universities do not give reduction for EU/EEA students that wish to study Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy at the English section. These universities (who does not give reduction) may give reduction for EU/EEAstudents who wants to study Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy at the Romanian section (this will require the EU/EEA student to learn and understand the Romanian language to an acceptable level).

     

  • Citizens arriving from the EU countries, the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), as well as from Canada, Croatia, Japan, Moldova, South Korea, Switzerland, USA and Serbia are exempt from visa requirements. Please contact your country’s Romanian Embassy for more information.
    As a student coming from one of these countries, you can enter the Romanian territory only with a simple customs stamp and you can reside here for up to 90 days. After this period, your residence permit is to be extended by the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, for periods between one to six years (decision would be made by the Romanian immigration police based on each case). Application for residence permit will be done within Romania (in your city of study).

    All other nationals are required to apply for a student visa prior to arrival. Student visas are issued 30-90 days within which period the student is required to complete their registration at the university and apply for their student residence permit which is valid for 1 year and renewable every year. Student visas may take up to 1 month to process and one can only apply for a student visa once the Ministry of Education in Romania has issued the letter of acceptance to study. It's best to apply early for the letter of acceptance.

     

  • In Romania the qualification is MD or Doctor de Medicina (For: Medicine). For Dentistry, the qualification is: MDS-Doctor de Medicina stomatologie (Dentistry). For Pharmacy: Diploma de licenta de farmacie (Pharmacy).
    MBBS signifies Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery. It is the title most often given in Commonwealth nations. Another name for it is MBChB. The abbreviation comes from the Latin: Medicinae Baccalaureus et Baccalaureus Chirurgiae.
    MD is commonly used in the US and Canada and in some European nations like Romania.

    MD, MBBS and MBChB are all equivalent qualifications and hold the same international status.
    The actual qualification received from students complete medical schools are in essence 2 degrees in one. A Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of surgery. Qualified candidates then have the right to prefix their name with Dr.

     

  • No. The status of the student applicant on their log-in page will be: ‘Pending or partial’ after submission. As soon as we receive the student’s application and uploaded documents, we double check it to ensure all the documents are complete. Incomplete documents are usually detected at this stage and we immediately get in touch with the applicant to provide us with the missing detail(s)/document(s).SMA will update your status as: ‘Complete’ as soon as we are sure you have provided us with all necessary information to begin processing your acceptance letter. You should log in to your account with your SMA username and password within 24 hours to check for your application status.

     

  • StudyMedAbroad is a registered company. StudyMedAbroad has been offering its services for the last 5 years and we have established a solid reputation in a somewhat challenging industry sector. We have worked hard to get where we are today and will not do anything to tarnish the reputation of our company.

    You will notice we maintain the highest level of transparency in our operations and are happy to answer any questions you have. All the testimonials on our website are from real people who are clients of ours.

    We maintain accountability for all our actions. You will notice the friendly and personal service you get from our team. As a company we are here to stay and are committed to growing our reputation and reach of our service.






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