Studies and Student Work in Romania in 2026
Third-country nationals admitted to qualifying Romanian education can use the long-stay study route and then obtain/extend temporary residence for studies.
Residence duration
Current IGI guidance states that foreign students can request extension of their residence for a period equal to the total duration of the studies. Different rules apply to pupil/student-exchange cases.
Work during studies
The current IGI studies guidance allows a foreigner with temporary residence for studies to work in Romania without a work permit only under a part-time individual employment contract of no more than 6 hours per day.
Some older English pages still show a four-hour limit. The current IGI studies page and the current employment guidance use the six-hour rule, so the current rule should be used.
After graduation
Temporary study residence can be extended for 9 months after graduation for job search, employment formalities or steps to open a business, with evidence of completion of studies.
For long-term-residence calculations, study residence is not treated the same way as ordinary work residence; see the separate settlement page.
Official starting points: IGI — Studies, Romanian MFA eVisa.
Related: Romania immigration hub, methodology, and the legal disclaimer.
Official and supporting sources
- IGI — Studiesgovernment · accessed 2026-09-22
- Romanian MFA eVisagovernment · accessed 2026-09-22