Best Romanian Universities for Medicine and Dentistry: Is Carol Davila Really the Best?

Every year, thousands of Pakistani families search for study MBBS in Romania. Romania offers a six-year medical degree taught fully in English at several public universities, a recognised European qualification and tuition far below Western Europe or the UK.

But “best” is a strong word, especially when you are choosing a six-year commitment worth tens of thousands of euros for MBBS in Romania. So before naming the Best Romanian Universities for Medicine, we tested the two names families ask about most, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Bucharest) and Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Iași), against clear evidence. We have only recommended a university as “best” where the evidence supports it.

Updated October 2026: PMDC removed the MDCAT requirement for foreign admissions, including MBBS in Romania from Pakistan.

A Quick Note on “MBBS” in Romania

Students from South Asia search for “MBBS,” but Romanian universities award the Doctor of Medicine (MD) after a six-year program. The same applies to dentistry, which is also a six-year program. Education guides describe Romania’s medical schools as offering six-year MD programs fully taught in English or French, with the capital’s Carol Davila described as the oldest and most competitive medical school in the country. Both names mean the same thing in practice, a full medical degree, so MBBS in Romania and the MD are the same qualification, but use “MD” when talking to universities and authorities.

How We Judged “Best”: The Standard

For a medical university, rankings alone are not enough, but they show how a university performs on the things that matter to a future doctor who wants to study MBBS in Romania. We checked:

Carol Davila University (Bucharest): Meets the Standard

What the Evidence Shows

For anyone planning MBBS in Romania, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy clears the bar on almost every measure:

• The 2026 SCImago Institutions Rankings placed it first among all 52 universities and research organisations in Romania.
• In the 2026 NTU ranking of scientific papers, it ranked 261st worldwide in the Medicine field, and it was the only Romanian university included in that category.
• In the Round University Ranking, it ranked 610th overall and was first in Romania for teaching, 284th internationally.
• In subject rankings, an aggregator reports a 2026 QS Medicine band of 701 to 850, an ARWU Clinical Medicine band of 201 to 300 (2025) and a US News Clinical Medicine position of about 223.

A balanced view: rankings differ by method. CWUR, for example, ranks it second in Romania rather than first. But across research, teaching and medical-subject lists, Carol Davila is consistently at or near the top nationally. That is why we rate it as the strongest Romanian option on the evidence for MBBS in Romania from Pakistan.

English-Taught Medicine and Dentistry

Carol Davila offers English-taught MBBS (MD) and Dental Medicine programs, so you can study MBBS in Romania in English. According to its admission methodology, both programs are six years long. In 2025 the English-taught intake included 300 Medicine seats and 72 Dental Medicine seats, so seats are limited and competitive.

How Admission Works for Non-EU Students

Admission to the English programs for MBBS in Romania runs in three stages:

• Online registration through the university’s admission platform
• An online interview conducted in English, by appointment
• File completion and enrolment

For the 2026-2027 cycle, registration ran from April to early July 2026, with the online interviews held in the same window. Confirming your seat required paying 50% of the tuition fee. Applicants for MBBS in Romania from Pakistan also need proof of English at about B2 level. The next intake will likely follow a similar spring-to-summer timeline, but always check the current calendar.

Fees

For 2026-2027, one education report lists Carol Davila’s English-taught Medicine at €10,000 per year. The general range of fees across Romanian universities’ international medical programs is €7,500 to €10,000 per year. Dentistry fees are published separately, so verify them on the official fee page before applying to study MBBS in Romania.

Who Should Choose Carol Davila?

• Students who want the highest-ranked, research-strong medical university in Romania
• Families who see a medical degree as a long-term investment and can handle a higher budget
• Students who are academically strong and ready for a competitive, interview-based admission

Grigore T. Popa University (Iași): Did It Make the “Best” List?

We held Popa to the same standard for anyone who wants to study MBBS in Romania. The result is more mixed.

Strengths

• Heritage: it was founded in 1879 as a faculty of medicine and is one of Romania’s oldest educational institutions
• International community: THE data shows about 28% of its students are international
• Accreditation: its Medicine and Dental Medicine programs received five-year program accreditation from IAAR in March 2026
• Local standing: it is the top-ranked university in Iași and ranked 9th nationally in the 2026 SCImago rankings

Where It Falls Short of “Best”

On this evidence, Iași is a respected, established medical university, but it does not clearly meet the “best in Romania for medicine” standard for MBBS in Romania from Pakistan. In the 2024 Round University Ranking, UMF Cluj (Iuliu Hațieganu) also ranked above it nationally, in second place behind Carol Davila.

Our verdict: we do not rank Popa among the top Romanian medical universities. It can still be a sensible choice for students who value its international student community and city when they study MBBS in Romania, but it should be chosen with eyes open, not marketed as a top-tier option.

Other Strong Contenders

If you want a shortlist of the Best Romanian Universities for Medicine beyond Bucharest, the evidence points to:

• UMF Cluj-Napoca (Iuliu Hațieganu): second in Romania in the 2024 Round University Ranking
• Târgu Mureș (George Emil Palade University): described alongside Carol Davila as holding elite status, and the source shows high fees and high demands

Carol Davila vs Popa: Side-by-Side

The Pakistani Student Checklist: Recognition Comes First

For students from Pakistan, picking the right university is only half the story when you plan MBBS in Romania from Pakistan. You must also meet Pakistan’s rules, or you may not be able to practise at home.

According to new PMDC conditions reported in June 2026 for those who study MBBS in Romania:

• Students need at least 60% in FSc and at least 50% in MDCAT (or an approved equivalent such as MCAT or UCAT)
• The foreign institution must be on PMDC’s recognised list
• Students must obtain an online registration certificate from PMDC before taking admission
• Students must complete a language course of the country where they plan to study
• The National Registration Examination (NRE) is compulsory for foreign graduates, and graduates must score at least 60% in both parts

Romania appears in the country list in the PMC’s 2022 licensing-pathways document. PMDC warns that no graduate from an unrecognised institution will be registered, so check the university-level list before you pay a deposit for MBBS in Romania. Rules change, so confirm everything on PMDC’s official website.

Romania Student Visa: What to Expect

Once admitted to study MBBS in Romania, you need a Romanian long-stay student visa (D/SD), and the university must request your Letter of Acceptance from the Ministry of Education. Then:

• Apply for the visa quickly after receiving the letter
• Prepare your passport, acceptance letter, proof of financial means, health insurance, tuition proof and attested documents
• After arrival, apply for your residence permit before your visa period expires

For medicine, universities usually expect a substantial tuition payment before visa documents are completed, so plan your finances early for MBBS in Romania from Pakistan.

Common Mistakes Medical Applicants Make

• Choosing by agent promises instead of rankings and recognition
• Ignoring PMDC’s pre-admission registration and FSc requirements
• Assuming any university with an English program is equally strong
• Leaving the English interview preparation to the last minute
• Not budgeting for living costs and the NRE
• Missing the narrow admission window

🩺 How Global Migration Advisors Can Help You Study Medicine in Romania

Choosing a medical university is one of the biggest decisions a family makes. At Global Migration Advisors, a Lahore-based study-abroad consultancy, we help Pakistani students approach study MBBS in Romania with clear eyes and a realistic plan.

What we help with for MBBS in Romania from Pakistan:

• Honest university shortlisting: matching your marks, budget and goals to the right Romanian medical university
• PMDC guidance: recognised-list verification, current registration requirements and NRE preparation advice
• English interview preparation: mock interviews for competitive programs
• Document attestation: IBCC, HEC and MOFA attestation support
• Romania student visa support: Letter of Acceptance follow-up, D/SD visa file preparation and financial documentation
• Pre-departure and arrival guidance: insurance, accommodation and residence permit steps

📩 Book a free consultation at globalmigration.pk before you pay any deposit for MBBS in Romania.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts