According to AISB's 2026-2027 fee schedule, high school tuition is €28,050 a year, plus enrolment fees and a capital levy. At Mark Twain's International Division, the IB Diploma costs €18,850 including meals.
Israel's Ministry of Health list includes only Carol Davila in Bucharest and Iuliu Hațieganu in Cluj from Romania. Anyone who started from 2019 onwards must study all years at a recognised institution.
An examinee aged 16 to 18 who is abroad with their parents because of a posting or a temporary job can sit written exams at an Israeli mission, in the summer session only. Registration runs from 1 September to 15 March.
According to Israel's Ministry of Education, a student who has spent at least four years abroad is a returning resident. They can sit adapted matriculation exams and receive one hour a week of extra support.
Bucharest's Jewish school was founded in 1997, is accredited by the Romanian Ministry of Education, teaches Hebrew as a school-specific subject, and both high school streams are taught in English.
International education in Romania: the short answer
A family moving to Bucharest chooses between four paths: an English-language international school (IB or a British curriculum), a French or German school run within those countries' school networks, the Jewish school Laude-Reut with Hebrew studies, or a Romanian state school. Most international schools are in the north of the city and in Voluntari, and the published fees for 2026-2027, for primary and secondary, range from roughly €15,000 to €28,000 a year, depending on the school and the year group.
Two questions that matter especially to Israeli families are not answered by the schools themselves: what happens with Israeli matriculation (the bagrut) and Hebrew, and what happens when you return to Israel. At university level there is a third: studying medicine in Romania is popular with Israelis, but Israel's Ministry of Health recognises only some of the faculties.
In plain words: first decide where your child goes after Romania, and only then choose a school. If your child is aiming for medicine, check the Ministry of Health list before registering, not after.
We have written about the Bucharest schools themselves in our guide to international schools, and about kindergartens and state schools in the north in our guide to kindergartens and schools in north Bucharest. Here is the wider picture: curricula, prices, timelines, the link to Israel, and universities.
Which curriculum fits which family
Choosing a curriculum is really choosing your child's exit ticket.
- IB (International Baccalaureate): the most "portable". It suits a family that may move again, or a child aiming for university in any country.
- British curriculum (IGCSE and A Level): a clear structure of external exams, especially suitable for children aiming for the UK.
- French or German: suit families whose children already speak the language, or who are aiming for university in that country.
- Laude-Reut: an accredited Romanian curriculum with Hebrew and English, for a family planning to stay for years for whom the Jewish connection matters.
- Romanian state school: no fees, in Romanian. It works well at a young age.
The main schools and 2026-2027 fees
The table is based on the fee schedules the schools publish on their websites. Where there is no public schedule, we wrote "on request".
| School | Curriculum | Location | Annual fees 2026-2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| American International School of Bucharest (AISB) | Full IB: PYP, MYP, Diploma | Voluntari, Bulevardul Pipera 196 | €24,850 (kindergarten) to €28,050 (grades 9 to 12) |
| British School of Bucharest | English National Curriculum, IGCSE, A Level | Voluntari, Erou Iancu Nicolae 42 | €21,294 (Nursery to Year 6), €24,683 (Year 7 to 13) |
| Mark Twain International School, International Division | IB: PYP, MYP, Diploma | Voluntari, Erou Iancu Nicolae 25 and 89 | €14,850 (primary) to €18,850 (IB Diploma), including meals and uniform |
| Cambridge School of Bucharest | British curriculum, Cambridge | Voluntari, Erou Iancu Nicolae 126C | €12,900 (Nursery) to €21,400 (Year 12 to 13) |
| International British School of Bucharest (IBSB) | English National Curriculum | Sector 2 | €18,150 (Year 1 to 6) to €22,350 (Year 10 to 13) |
| International School of Bucharest (ISB) | English National Curriculum, IGCSE, IB Diploma | Sector 3, east of the city | €10,835 (ages 2 to 5) to €19,430 (Year 10 to 13) |
| Lycée Français Anna de Noailles | French Ministry of Education curriculum (AEFE) | Bucharest | Fee schedule depends on nationality and employer. First registration fee: €2,650 |
| Deutsche Schule Bukarest (iDSBU) | German curriculum, up to the international Abitur | Bucharest, Str. Coralilor | On request |
| Laude-Reut | Accredited Romanian curriculum, bilingual English high school, Hebrew | City centre, the old Jewish quarter | On request |
Other costs come on top of tuition. At AISB, for example: a €250 application fee, a €3,500 enrolment fee for the first child, and a €1,000 capital levy every year. At the British School of Bucharest there is a place-holding deposit of €5,789 and an admission fee of €3,674 for the first child. Always compare the total cost, not just the first line.
Laude-Reut: what we checked about the Jewish school
The school many people know as Lauder-Reut now operates as Complexul Educațional Laude-Reut. According to its website, it was founded in 1997, covers kindergarten, primary, middle and high school, and has more than 600 students. It is accredited by the Romanian Ministry of Education and teaches the Romanian curriculum. In high school, both streams are taught in English, and Hebrew is taught as a subject specific to the school.
In the 2026 Romanian baccalaureate, according to the school, all 41 graduates passed, with an average of 9.19. Note the location: the school is in the city centre, in the old Jewish quarter, far from the north. We wrote about the community itself in the chapter The Jewish community in Romania.
Hebrew and Israeli matriculation: what is possible from Bucharest
Here it is important to separate what we checked from what we did not.
What we checked: under the Israeli Ministry of Education's rules for external examinees (September 2025, updated to February 2026), Israeli students can sit written matriculation exams at an Israeli mission abroad, under defined conditions:
- The examinee is an Israeli citizen or resident, aged 16 until the end of the year in which they turn 18.
- They are abroad with their parents because of a government posting, or a temporary private posting or job, with confirmation from the employer.
- Registration runs from 1 September to 15 March, and there is no late registration.
- The exams are held only in the summer session, only in writing, and only at a mission chosen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What we did not check: whether the embassy in Bucharest itself hosts exams, and whether there are online programmes following the Israeli curriculum that the Ministry of Education recognises. Some private bodies offer such programmes. Check with the Ministry of Education before you rely on them.
Returning to Israel: what the Ministry of Education offers
According to a document from the Ministry of Education's department for immigrant students, a "returning resident" is a student who has spent at least four years abroad. Such a student can sit adapted matriculation exams, like immigrant students. They also receive extra support: one hour a week for a year in primary school, and one hour a week for two years in middle and high school.
First decide where your child goes after Romania, and only then choose a school.
A child who returns after a year or two does not fall within this definition. So a family with a child in middle school planning a short stay needs to keep up Hebrew and the core subjects on its own. Keep all school reports from Romania, with certified translations. We wrote about certifying documents in our apostille guide.
Romanian at school
Romanian law (Law 198/2023, Article 9) guarantees equal access to education for citizens of non-EU countries who are legally in Romania. In other words, with a residence permit your child can enrol in a state school. Teaching there is in Romanian, and a child who studied in Israel is first registered as an "auditor" (a listening pupil) until the inspectorate recognises their previous studies.
At the international schools the language of instruction is English. At the German school teaching is in German throughout, with methods adapted for non-native speakers. And a school that follows another country's curriculum must be entered in a special register of ARACIIP, the Romanian agency for quality in education, and renew its authorisation every five years (Law 198/2023, Article 246). Ask the school about this authorisation.
Transport and distances from north Bucharest and Balotești
Most schools do not run buses themselves. AISB states explicitly that it has no bus service and that families use a private company. At the British School of Bucharest, door-to-door transport is provided through an outside company, for an extra charge, in Pipera, Voluntari and Sectors 1 to 4. Balotești is not on the list, so a family living there needs to ask in advance whether there is a route. At Mark Twain, too, transport is not included in the price.
From our project in Balotești, Compass on the Lake, the drive to AISB and Pipera is about 15 minutes. About 6 minutes from the project, Mark Twain is building a new campus (IB and Cambridge programmes), planned to open in 2028. At rush hour on the DN1 it takes longer, so drive the route at 7:30 in the morning before you decide. We wrote about the road itself in our guide to the commute from Balotești to Bucharest, and about the area around the schools in our Pipera guide.
Outside Bucharest: Cluj and Timișoara
The choice in other cities is smaller. In Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania College offers a choice between an enhanced Romanian curriculum and the English National Curriculum, and in secondary school students prepare for Cambridge IGCSE and A Level exams. Fees are published in the annual contract. In Timișoara there is the British International School of Timișoara, which according to public information holds IB, Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel accreditations.
Universities: medicine and dentistry in English
Four medical universities in Romania are well known among Israelis: Carol Davila in Bucharest, Iuliu Hațieganu in Cluj, Grigore T. Popa in Iași, and UMFST in Târgu Mureș. All of them teach medicine in English. The big difference between them is not the price. It is recognition in Israel.
| University | Fees 2026-2027 (medicine in English) | On Israel's Ministry of Health list? |
|---|---|---|
| Carol Davila, Bucharest | €10,000 a year (dentistry too) | Yes, "recognised" |
| Iuliu Hațieganu, Cluj | €10,000 in the first year, falling to €7,500 in years 5 and 6 | Yes, "recognised for full eligibility" |
| Grigore T. Popa, Iași | We did not find the amount in the admission documents | Not listed |
| UMFST, Târgu Mureș | €10,000, with a €5,000 deposit | Not listed |
According to the Ministry of Health's recognition page (updated July 2026), anyone who began studying medicine abroad from 2019 onwards can sit Israel's state licensing exam only if they studied all their years at a recognised school. On the list of recognised schools outside the OECD, the only Romanian entries are Carol Davila and Iuliu Hațieganu. The ministry also requires the studies to be continuous and in person, and not interrupted for more than five years.
Dentistry is different. According to the ministry, there is currently no ban on studying abroad, and the choice is the student's responsibility, provided the syllabus matches the Israeli one, the institution is recognised in its own country, and the studies are in person.
For admission to Carol Davila in English you need English at B2 level, an online interview and high school grades. Registration for 2026-2027 ran from 1 April to 6 July 2026. In Târgu Mureș admission is rolling, from 2 March to 25 August 2026, in order of application.
The checklist: what to do and when
- 12 months before: decide on your time horizon. A one-year stay is very different from a five-year stay. Choose the curriculum accordingly.
- 9 to 12 months before: tour schools, in person or online. Ask for a full fee schedule in writing, including transport and meals.
- January to April: registration opens early. At the French school, early registration for 2026-2027 opened on 10 January 2026. At ISB the early registration discount ran until 20 February. At the British School of Bucharest the deposit holds a place until 15 April.
- 6 months before: collect and translate school reports from the last two or three years. Check with the school which certifications are required.
- In parallel: start the residence permit process. Without a legal stay, even enrolment in a state school gets stuck.
- 3 months before: placement tests, transport registration, and a trial drive at rush hour.
- For Israeli 16 to 18 year olds: if you are on a posting or a temporary job, open an examinee-abroad file with the Israeli Ministry of Education between 1 September and 15 March.
- Before a medical degree: check the current Ministry of Health list before registering, not after the first year.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an international school in Bucharest cost in 2026-2027?
According to the fee schedules the schools publish, roughly €15,000 to €28,000 a year for primary and secondary. Mark Twain's International Division starts at €14,850 including meals, and AISB goes up to €28,050 in high school. Registration fees, deposits and transport come on top.
Is there a school in Bucharest that teaches Hebrew?
Yes. Laude-Reut, Bucharest's Jewish school, teaches Hebrew as a school-specific subject alongside the Romanian curriculum, and its high school has bilingual English streams. It is in the city centre, so for a family living in the north it is a longer drive.
Can my child sit the Israeli matriculation exams in Romania?
Only under certain conditions. Under the Israeli Ministry of Education's rules, an examinee aged 16 to 18 who is abroad with their parents because of a posting or a temporary job can sit written exams at an Israeli mission, in the summer session only. Registration runs from 1 September to 15 March.
Are medical degrees from Romania recognised in Israel?
Only from some faculties. Israel's Ministry of Health list includes, from Romania, Carol Davila in Bucharest and Iuliu Hațieganu in Cluj. Anyone who began studying from 2019 onwards at an institution not on the list will not, as a rule, be able to sit the state licensing exam in Israel.
What happens when we return to Israel after a few years in Romania?
A student who has spent at least four years abroad is considered a "returning resident". They can sit adapted matriculation exams, like immigrant students, and receive one hour a week of extra support. A child who returns after a shorter time joins like any other student, so keep up Hebrew throughout the stay.
The bottom line
Romania offers a real choice of education in English, French and German, and even a Jewish school with Hebrew. The right decision starts with one question: where does your child go after Romania? The curriculum, the school, the neighbourhood and the timeline follow from that. At university level, recognition by Israel's Ministry of Health matters more than any price difference.
If you are planning a move with children, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the schools in the north, the real driving times, and what to check before choosing a home.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: AISB, fees 2026-2027 · British School of Bucharest, fees · British School of Bucharest, transport · Mark Twain International School, tuition fees · Cambridge School of Bucharest, fees · IBSB, school fees · ISB, pricing · ISB, curriculum · Lycée Français Anna de Noailles, financial rules 2026-2027 · Lycée Français, admission 2026-2027 · Deutsche Schule Bukarest · Laude-Reut, about · Laude-Reut, high school · Laude-Reut, accreditations · Law 198/2023 · Israeli Ministry of Education, rules for external examinees, September 2025 (Hebrew) · Israeli Ministry of Education, returning resident students (Hebrew) · Israeli Ministry of Health, recognition of medical schools abroad (Hebrew) · Israeli Ministry of Health, recognition of dentistry and pharmacy abroad (Hebrew) · UMF Carol Davila, fees 2026-2027 · UMF Carol Davila, admission methodology · UMF Carol Davila, admission calendar · UMF Iuliu Hațieganu, fees 2026-2027 · UMF Iași, admission methodology 2026-2027 · UMFST Târgu Mureș, admission to medicine in English · Transylvania College, contract and fees · British International School of Timișoara (Wikipedia)
General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Tuition fees, admission terms, registration dates and recognition lists change every year. Correct as of 22 October 2026. Before you decide, check the details directly with the school, the university, Israel's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health.
The complete guide: relocating to Romania
- Relocating to Romania: the complete guide
- Visas, residence and legal status in Romania
- The Jewish community in Romania
- International education in Romania (you are here)
- Prominent Israelis in Romania
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
