Romania University Entrance Exam Registration Starts June 2

Romania's Ministry of Education has announced the schedule for the 2026 Baccalaureate (university entrance qualification exam). Students graduating from 12th grade this year will register for the exam from June 2-4, with written exams officially beginning on June 29.

The exam schedule is divided into two main stages: practical evaluations and written exams. Practical evaluations run from June 8-17, assessing language proficiency and digital competency. While this stage is mandatory, it does not affect final scores—students only need to participate to pass.

Four-Component Practical Evaluation, Pass/Fail Only

The practical evaluation consists of:

• June 8-10: Romanian language oral assessment
• June 10-11: Native language oral assessment
• June 11-12: International foreign language assessment
• June 15-17: Digital competency assessment

Students receive one of four proficiency levels instead of numerical scores: 'Începător' (Beginner), 'Mediu' (Intermediate), 'Avansat' (Advanced), or 'Experimentat' (Expert). While these don't affect final scores, failure to take these exams disqualifies students from the written portion.

Main Exams Begin June 29, Romanian Literature First

Written exams begin June 29 with Romanian Language and Literature. The subsequent schedule is:

• June 29: Romanian Language and Literature (required)
• June 30: Track-specific required subjects
• July 2: Major-specific elective subjects
• July 3: Native Language and Literature (applicable students only)

A distinctive feature of Romania's university entrance exam is that required subjects vary by academic track.

Humanities Track (Social Sciences & Languages)

• Required: History
• Elective: Choose one from Geography, Logic, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, or Philosophy

Science Track (Mathematics & IT, Natural Sciences)

• Required: Mathematics
• Elective: Choose one from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Computer Science

Technical Track

• Required: Mathematics
• Elective: Services majors choose from Geography/Logic/Psychology/Economics; Natural Resources & Technology majors choose from Physics/Chemistry/Biology

Arts & Physical Education Track

• Required: History
• Elective: Choose one from Geography, Logic, Psychology, Economics, or Philosophy

Same Curriculum for 10 Consecutive Years

While the 2026 exam scope hasn't been officially announced, it's expected to remain unchanged as the same curriculum has been maintained for the past decade.

For Romanian Language and Literature, the exam covers works by 14 key Romanian literary figures including Mihai Eminescu, Ion Creangă, Lucian Blaga, and Nichita Stănescu.

The science track's required subject, Mathematics, will maintain the same scope as previous years, while the humanities required subject, History, focuses on Romanian modern and contemporary history.

How Does It Differ from Korea's CSAT?

Romania's university entrance exam differs from Korea's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) in several ways.

First, practical evaluations are mandatory. While Korea's system determines admission solely through written exams, Romania requires students to pass practical assessments of language and digital competency.

Second, required subjects are clearly distinguished by track. In Korea, Korean, English, and Mathematics are common requirements for all students, but in Romania, humanities students must take History while science students must take Mathematics.

Third, the exam period is extended. Korea's CSAT is completed in one day, while Romania's system spans over two weeks with 10 days of practical evaluations and 5 days of written exams.

Digital Competency Assessment Reflects Educational Trends

A notable feature of this exam is the inclusion of digital competency assessment (proba D). This reflects the educational trend where digital literacy has become essential following the expansion of online education after COVID-19.

While assessment content hasn't been disclosed, it typically includes document creation, spreadsheet usage, online information search, and verification of information authenticity. The European Union has recommended strengthening digital education among member states through the 'DigComp 2.0' framework since 2020, and Romania's exam system reform appears to follow these guidelines.

The Romanian Ministry of Education will release detailed exam guidelines for 2026 later, and prospective test-takers can check subject-specific exam scopes on the ministry's official website.