Oxbridge means Oxford and Cambridge: the oldest and most prestigious 2 British universities, with a separate UCAS deadline on 15 October. The Russell Group is the alliance of the 24 research-intensive universities in the UK, including Oxbridge, the equivalent of the Ivy League: Imperial College London, LSE, UCL, KCL, Edinburgh, Warwick, Manchester, Bristol, Durham, St Andrews, Leeds and others. Standard UCAS deadline 14 January 2026 for 2026 entry.

After Brexit (January 2021), Romanians no longer qualify for the Home fee (GBP 9,535). You pay the International fee, which varies between GBP 15,000 and GBP 45,000 per year (more for medicine, up to GBP 67,000 per year at Oxford or Cambridge). The cost of living adds GBP 12,000-18,000 per year (London more expensive). The UK Student visa costs GBP 524 plus GBP 776 per year Immigration Health Surcharge, roughly GBP 2,850 for 3 years. Merit-based scholarships are available at most universities.

The standard UCAS deadline is 14 January 2026 for most universities and programmes (it was 29 January until 2024-25). There is an earlier deadline: 15 October 2025, mandatory for Oxford, Cambridge and for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine programmes at any university. Applications are made centrally through UCAS, with a maximum of 5 universities per cycle and a single Personal Statement for all choices.

For 2026 entry, the relevant tests are: UCAT for medicine at all UK universities (BMAT was discontinued in 2024); LNAT for law at Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, KCL, LSE, Durham, Bristol, Glasgow, SOAS, Nottingham; TMUA for mathematics and sciences at Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Warwick; ESAT for engineering and sciences at Cambridge and Imperial; TARA for programmes at UCL. Oxford still uses MAT, PAT and TSA for 2026 entry (the last year), but from 2027 entry it will join the UAT-UK system with TMUA, ESAT and TARA. All are computerised and run through Pearson VUE.

The Romanian Baccalaureate is accepted at UK universities, equated to A-Levels. Typical requirements: for Oxbridge, an overall average of 9.50-9.80 with grades of 9-10 in the subjects relevant to your specialisation (equivalent to A*A*A); for the Russell Group, an average of 8.50-9.30 with grades of at least 8.50 in the relevant subjects (equivalent to A*AA or AAA). If you have the International Baccalaureate (IB), the requirements are 40-42 points for Oxbridge and 36-40 for the Russell Group. In Romania, many high schools such as International Computer High School in Bucharest, Tudor Vianu, Saint Sava and international schools have very competitive profiles. Some programmes (medicine, law, mathematics, engineering) require additional admission tests and/or interviews.

Yes, Romanians must prove their knowledge of English. IELTS Academic is the most widely accepted standard: minimum scores of 6.5 for most of the Russell Group, 7.0-7.5 for Oxbridge (with at least 7.0 in each component). Accepted alternatives: TOEFL iBT with 92-110 points, Cambridge English (CAE or CPE), Duolingo English Test at some universities. If you studied your entire high school in English (for example International School of Bucharest or British schools), some universities offer an IELTS waiver, but it must be checked case by case.

Yes, through the Graduate Route Visa. It allows graduates to stay 18 months in the UK to work or look for a job, without sponsorship from an employer. Note: the duration was reduced from 24 months to 18 months from mid-2025. PhD students can stay 3 years. The application is made online for GBP 822 plus an IHS of GBP 1,035. After the Graduate Route, if you have found a qualified job, you can apply for the Skilled Worker Visa (sponsorship required). The UK also rejoins the Erasmus+ programme from January 2027, which will allow Romanians to do EU-funded mobility in the UK during their studies.