University of Craiova

About University of Craiova

The University of Craiova is an accredited public higher-education institution serving Oltenia, the historical region of southwestern Romania. Its legal foundation dates to 25 April 1947, when Law 138 established the university. Postwar constraints meant that only agronomy initially operated. The present multidisciplinary structure took shape through later integration of agricultural, scientific, pedagogical, technical, and economic education, with the reorganized university opening in 1966. Today the institution combines professional and research-oriented fields rather than specializing in one sector. Its official 2026–2027 admissions material covers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral study, including both state-funded and fee-paying places. The central address is 13 A. I. Cuza Street in Craiova, but teaching and student services are distributed among multiple faculty and campus locations. Some programmes are also identified with Drobeta-Turnu Severin, so applicants should verify the actual teaching location before choosing an option. The university's public status is confirmed by Romania's Ministry of Education, while ARACIS documentation from July 2026 identifies it as an accredited university and evaluates doctoral provision within its institutional doctoral structure. This makes it a verified independent degree-granting institution. Prospective international students should not confuse it with the separately administered University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.

Admission for 2026–2027 is organized by study cycle, faculty, programme, and applicant category. The university's Romanian-candidate portal publishes separate July and September materials for bachelor's and master's study, along with programme allocations and faculty-specific requirements. Doctoral study has its own calendar, registration conditions, selection requirements, and allocation of funded and fee-paying places. There is no single university-wide admissions test or selection formula that can safely be applied to every programme. Romanian bachelor's applicants register online and upload the required documents. The university states that 2026 high-school graduates awaiting final documents could register initially without them, but had to upload the diploma or graduation certificate by 15 July 2026 and submit originals for place confirmation by 29 July. Those dates belong to the 2026 July process and should not be reused for a later session. EU citizens holding prior qualifications from outside Romania must complete recognition or equivalence through Romania's National Centre for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas. Non-EU applicants use the EvStud platform and follow a separate international procedure. For 2026–2027, non-EU bachelor's and master's applications had sessions from 1 April to 21 May and from 8 June to 20 July 2026; doctoral applications ran from 1 April to 13 July. Required evidence varies by cycle but includes prior qualifications, transcripts, identity documents, a medical certificate, and applicable language evidence. Candidates should use the live page for any later or supplementary intake.

The University of Craiova offers study across three Bologna-cycle levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctorate. Its 2026–2027 admissions materials cover fields including engineering and computing, agriculture and horticulture, mathematics and natural sciences, economics and business, law and public affairs, humanities, education, theology, arts, and physical education. Programme availability, teaching language, attendance mode, funded-place allocation, and admission method are set at programme or faculty level; candidates should therefore use the current study offer and faculty-specific requirements rather than assume a university-wide formula. The official master's catalogue links the accredited fields and programmes authorized for the 2026–2027 academic year. Doctoral admission is organized through doctoral schools and accredited doctoral fields, with separate calendars and requirements. Non-EU applicants must obtain preliminary agreement from a doctoral supervisor before their file advances through the doctoral process described for 2026. Academic resources include a university library with specialized faculty branches, reading and lending services, electronic catalogues, interlibrary loans, and access to research databases from the campus network. The university reports a collection of about one million books. The Alexandru Buia Botanical Garden also functions as a teaching and research resource, holding living plant collections and a herbarium relevant to biology, agriculture, and horticulture. Students comparing programmes should inspect the current curriculum, language of instruction, practical components, and campus location for each option.

Key Highlights

• Public university listed by Romania's Ministry of Education
• Founded by law on 25 April 1947
• Verified bachelor's, master's, and doctoral provision
• Main address at 13 A. I. Cuza Street in Craiova
• Separate institution from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova

Student Life & Environment

Student life is spread across several university campuses rather than concentrated in one residential precinct. The university reports approximately 3,100 places in 11 halls of residence serving the Agronomy, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Physical Education and Sport campus areas. Room configurations and bathroom arrangements differ considerably by building, from shared facilities and multi-bed rooms to smaller rooms with private bathrooms. Applicants should consult the annual accommodation process because a university place is not implied by admission. Residence facilities include reading rooms, campus-network connections, and cable television. Selected halls also have laundries and self-catering kitchens. University cafeterias operate in the Mechanical Engineering and Agronomy campus areas. These arrangements can make university housing practical, but students should compare the specific hall, room occupancy, location, and current fee before accepting an allocation. The university supports student organizations, volunteering, cultural and educational activities, sport, and student clubs through its Department of Student Support. A counselling and career-orientation service is also identified on the university website. Because organizations and their contact details can change, students should use the current university directory rather than older international-information lists when seeking a group.

Location & Surroundings

The university is based in Craiova, the principal urban centre of Romania's Oltenia region. Its central building stands at 13 A. I. Cuza Street, while faculties, residences, cafeterias, and specialist facilities occupy several locations across the city. This distributed arrangement makes the address of a chosen faculty and residence important when planning a daily commute. Craiova has local bus and tram services and national rail connections. The city also has an international airport, while Bucharest provides additional air and rail connections. Students should check current operators and timetables directly because older university practical guides contain transport prices and route counts that should not be treated as current in 2026. The Alexandru Buia Botanical Garden is a notable university-managed teaching and public space in southwestern Craiova. The institution also identifies some academic provision in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, west of Craiova. Applicants should confirm whether their programme is delivered in Craiova or at that separate location before arranging accommodation.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For Romanian applicants to the 2026–2027 admission process, the university lists a RON 250 registration fee covering the first five programme choices and RON 200 for each additional package of up to five choices. A RON 200 enrolment or place-confirmation fee applies to candidates continuing after the first results. Published annual tuition for fee-paying places is RON 4,000 for bachelor's study, RON 5,000 for master's study, and RON 9,000 for doctoral study; the first half is due during admission. These figures do not mean every student pays tuition, because state-funded places are also allocated. Non-EU tuition is set separately in euros by field. For 2026–2027, published bachelor's and master's rates range from EUR 3,000 in listed humanities, social-science, law, and business fields to EUR 10,000 for the listed audiovisual-communication category. Several science, agriculture, computing, and engineering fields are EUR 3,500, while some performance programmes cost more. Doctoral rates shown for eligible fields are generally EUR 4,500. Accepted non-EU students must pay the full first-year tuition within 15 calendar days after the electronic Letter of Acceptance is sent; a non-refundable 50% confirmation payment forms part of that tuition. Housing costs were not stated on the general residence page reviewed, so students should request the 2026–2027 hall-specific tariff. The university offers counselling and career-orientation support, but no current institution-wide graduate employment rate, employer list, or salary outcome was verified. Career value should therefore be assessed through programme accreditation, curriculum, practical training, language skills, and field-specific opportunities rather than unsupported outcome claims.