Over 88,000 students from 150 countries applied for study scholarships in Romania in 2026

Over 88,000 young people from more than 150 countries and five continents applied this year for a study scholarship in Romania, according to an announcement made by interim foreign minister Oana Țoiu on Wednesday, July 29.

The number of applications is more than 19 times higher than four years ago and represents a record.

“I looked twice. 88,795 applications, from five continents. Young people from distant places chose to submit their applications to study here, with us,” the minister said on Facebook.

Most foreign applicants are from Pakistan (14,515), Afghanistan (8,956), Bangladesh (8,916), Nigeria (4,524), Siria (3,257), Palestina (2,677), Ciad (2,488), Indonesia (2,417), Ethiopia (2,408), and Somalia (2,108).

“What do these young people see in Romania? Beyond a country that deserves to be known, they see universities that train engineers, doctors, lawyers, IT professionals and artists, but also a chance to build their future starting from here. They most likely also see our progress over the last 30 years and, certainly, our membership in the European Union,” Țoiu emphasized.

The official said that after all stages of interinstitutional validation of the selection carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are completed, the final results will reach all candidates, and those selected will study, based on the Romanian Government scholarship, in university centers across the country.

“In a few years, many of them will return home with a Romanian diploma and with a lifelong connection to our country, while others will remain bridges between Romania and the places they came from. With these scholarships, we open new doors, connect people and build trust in Romania. And a scholarship for a young person thousands of kilometers away is one of the best investments we can make,” she concluded.

(Photo source: Asphoto777|Dreamstime.com)