II.2 Scholarships offered to foreign citizens by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in keeping with government Decision No 288/1993) for the 2009- 2010 academic year.

General information about this scheme can be found at www.mae.ro , section Study in Romania.

II.2.1 Useful information:

- The Romanian state grants 85 scholarships through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Department of Cultural, Educational and Scientific Relations (DRCES) to foreign students, irrespective of their country of origin and of the level of studies, by means of selection of files organized by MAE and MECI in keeping with current regulation.

- Candidates’ files are submitted to the Romanian diplomatic missions abroad or to the diplomatic missions accredited to Bucharest of the countries of origin, generically referred to as diplomatic missions.

- A successful candidate selected through this scholarship scheme is entitled to:

- free of charge access to education;

- the equivalent of 65 EURO per month, for the under graduate students;

- the equivalent of 75 EURO per month, for the post graduate students (master’s degrees)

- the equivalent of 85 EURO per month, for the post graduate students (doctor’s degree)

These scholarships do not cover personal expenses and international transport.

The accomodation of foreign students will be mainly ensured, depending on the available places in the university hostels, according to the policies of education institutions. The accomodation expenditures are provided from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs grants scholarships for three categories of students:

a) for the first cycle (licenta): This scheme is dedicated to graduates of high schools or of equivalent pre-university systems, as well as to candidates who require the recognition of the partial studies in another university/country to be continued in Romania. The complete cycle of university studies lasts for 3 to 6 years, according to the specific of the chosen faculty and ends with getting a diploma (licenta);

b) for the 2^nd cycle (master): This scheme is dedicated to graduates of university/post graduate studies; it lasts for 1,5 to 2 years and ends with a dissertation and a diploma.

c) for the 3^rd cycle (doctorate) this scheme is dedicated to the graduates of university/postgraduate studies (i.e. master); it lasts for 3-4 years, in keeping with the specific requirements of the chosen faculty, and end with a doctor’s thesis.

- The successful candidates who have applied for a scholarship including a preparatory year for learning the Romanian language must continue their studies in the Romanian language. In case they choose later on to continue their studies in Romania, in a foreign language, they do no longer benefit from the scholarship.

- The candidate’s file has to be submitted to the diplomatic mission in two copies, according to the instructions. For the files selection in MAE and MECI Commissions, the first copy of the candidate’s file contains authorized copies of the original documents and, if the documents are not in English or in French languages, authorized translations in one of the following languages: Romanian, English or French. The second file contains simple copies of the documents in the first file. As a rule, the Romanian universities require presenting, when registering for studies, the file with documents in original, authorized copies and authorized translations in Romanian language.

- It is of utmost importance to fill in the forms correctly, paying attention to the spelling of the candidate name and contact details.

- To the extent of available places, the selection criteria applied by MAE and MECI focus the candidate’s academic activity in the chosen field of studies.

II.2.2. Methodology

- The candidates will submit the COMPLETE files only to the diplomatic missions of Romania abroad or to the diplomatic missions of their countries of origin accredited to Bucharest. Any files submitted directly by the candidates to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or to the Division of Cultural, Educational, Scientific Relations of the MAE or to the Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation are not taken into account.

- Application files for 2009-2010 MAE scholarships must be registered at DRCES/MAE no later than 15 April 2009, irrespective of the diplomatic mission of origin.

- The diplomatic missions receiving the application files must:

- check that the MAE and MECI application forms are filled in correctly;

- ensure that the applicant keeps a copy of the signed application forms;

- send the complete files, containing all documents stipulated in the MAE scholarship application form;

- send until 1 September, for the graduates of high schools/pre-university, the graduation diploma or a certificate that the applicant has graduated high school, if applicable;

- send to DRCES the confirmation that the successful candidate will use the scholarship granted by the Romanian state through the MAE.

- Once the files are registered with DRCES/MAE they cannot be completed with other documents except for the copy of the graduation diploma/certificate.

- Incomplete files are not taken into consideration and are not returned.

- Application files rejected by the MAE and MECI selection boards are not returned.

- DRCES does not receive any application files for the MAE scholarships after the announced deadline (15 April 2009). All candidates interested to study in Romania can apply directly to study on their own expenses, by submitting a new file according to the instruction at item I above.

- DRCES will check the correct completion of files. After that, they will be submitted to the selection boards of the MAE and MECI. The boards will select the candidates, in keeping to the available number of places, and a number of candidates for the waiting list, in case the selected candidates give up the scholarship, for any reason.

- The MAE selection board will meet until May 15, 2009 to study the files.

- The files of the candidates selected by the MAE board will be sent to the MECI selection board. After its own analysis and selection, this board will issue “the letter of acceptance to study in Romania”. This document is necessary to get the study visa and to enroll at the chosen faculty (the original document).

- In case the candidate does not specify two options for universities and the chosen university cannot offer a place, MECI will make another offer of university (same faculty), according to the availabilities of the Romanian higher education institutions. After receiving the letter of acceptance to study in Romania containing the new university, the candidates are free to accept the scholarship or to reject it, in which case they can apply to study in Romania on their own expenses, in keeping with item I above.

- The candidate will receive the original letter of acceptance to study in Romania, from the diplomatic mission that submitted the file to MAE/DRCES no later than 1 July 2009.

- Until 1 September 2009, the diplomatic missions that sent out the candidates’ application files have to send to DRCES (by fax or email):

- the confirmation of each candidate’s decision to use the scholarship granted by the Romanian state through MAE for which he or she has applied;

- where applicable, the copy or the authorized copy of the (high school or university) graduation diploma or of the certificate attesting that the applicant has graduated the respective education cycle, mentioning the date when the proper graduation diploma is issued. In case the diplomatic mission does not send out the applicant’s confirmation, the graduation diploma or the certificate specified above, the file is considered incomplete and the scholarship is taken as refused and is automatically granted to the first candidate on the waiting list.

- Until 1^st October 2009 the admitted candidates must come in person to the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation, Department of International Relations and European Affairs (str. Spiru Haret, nr. 12, room 1) to register personally to study in the Romanian system of education. They will have to present a file with all original documents (whose copies they sent in their application files) and the letter of acceptance to study in the original. The scholarship holders will present to the secretariat of the faculty that accepted them the same original documents with authorized copies, and with the authorized translations in Romanian language and the order to register issued by the MECI.

II. 2.3 List of the documents necessary for a complete application for MAE scholarships

- Cover letter issued by the diplomatic mission of the country of origin accredited to Bucharest or of the Romanian Embassy in the respective country, containing the following:

- Specification the scholarship scheme to which the candidate applies, i.e. “scholarships offered by the Romanian state through MAE,

- The candidate’s full name,

- Comments on the candidate or his/her activity if the case may be,

- A list of all documents contained in the file.

- The document attesting the last cycle of education graduated (graduation diploma) in authorized copy and authorized translation. In case the candidate is still enrolled in the last year of pre-university studies, the file must contain a certificate and its authorized translation, stating that the respective candidate will have the graduation exam at the end of the 2008-2009 school year, specifying the date when the diploma is issued. The candidate must pledge that, in case the file is selected, he /she will present to the diplomatic mission until 1 September 2009, the confirmation that he/she will use the scholarship, the authorized copy of the graduation diploma and its authorized translation, or as the case may be, the copy of the certificate attesting that he/she has graduated, mentioning the date the diploma is issued (the original diploma or the original certificate will have to be produced together will all original documents when the candidate enrolls personally in the Romanian system of education).

- Diploma supplement transcript for the graduated studies (authorized copy and authorized translation):

- The graduates of the pre-university system who will chose to study in the Romanian university system will have to produce the authorized copy of the diploma supplement transcript of the last school cycle, i.e. high school or the equivalent thereof. The candidate in the last year of study will produce the transcript of the previous years and for the first part of the 2008-2009 school year.

- The candidates requiring equalization of partial studies and the continuation of studies in Romania, the diploma supplement transcript must be accompanied by the authorized copy of the curricula and its authorized translation for the partial studies.

- The under and post graduated candidates requiring post graduate studies must necessarily produce authorized copies of study documents at all university levels, diploma supplement transcripts included.

- Birth certificate authorized copy and authorized translation,

- Medical certificate attesting that the candidate does not suffer from transmissible diseases or other illnesses incompatible with the future profession,

- MAE application form for a scholarship to study in Romania dully filled in,

- MECI application form for the letter of acceptance to study in Romania. In case the applicant’s file is selected by the MAE and the MECI boards, MECI issues the letter of acceptance to study in the Romanian system of education, based on this application form filled in personally. The letter of acceptance is sent to the candidate through MAE/DRCES and is needed for registering at the university and for getting the long stay visa,

- Passport - authorized copy

- The candidate’s CV,

- 4 recent photographs.

The candidates will submit the file in two copies: one containing the authorized copies and the authorized translations of the above documents, and the second containing the simple copies of the documents in the firs file.

Unofficial translation – DRCES