Requirements & Visa for Teaching in Romania
TEFL certificate often sufficient — no degree required at many schools. EU citizens have full work rights immediately. Non-EU teachers can be sponsored but the process requires a willing employer. Romania is Europe’s most accessible entry-level TEFL market.
Requirements to teach English in Romania
Romania has the lowest formal qualification bar of any European country in this guide. At many private language schools and kindergartens, a 120-hour TEFL certificate is the only qualification formally required — no degree, no prior experience. This makes Romania the most accessible European teaching market for new TEFL teachers who are still completing or haven’t yet started university, or who hold a TEFL certificate and want to gain their first international classroom experience.
TEFL certificate
120-hour TEFL minimum; often the only hard requirement at language schools and kindergartens. CELTA required at British Council Bucharest. Most schools accept online TEFL from accredited providers. Romanian employers have used to accepting international certifications — no Romania-specific endorsement needed.
Bachelor’s degree
Preferred by most employers; required at international schools and universities. NOT required at many language schools, kindergartens, and summer camps — the explicit distinction that makes Romania unusual in European TEFL. A degree in any subject qualifies for all non-specialist teaching positions where it is required.
Teaching licence
Required at international schools. The American International School of Bucharest, British School of Bucharest, and similar institutions require formal teaching qualifications plus 2–5 years’ experience. Language schools do not require a teaching licence.
Native speaker preference
Romanian employers prefer native English speakers from the standard English-speaking countries (USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, NZ, South Africa) but there is no formal legal nationality requirement. Teachers with near-native proficiency and strong TEFL qualifications do find positions — particularly non-native EU citizens who have full work rights.
EU and EEA citizens: full work rights, no visa
Romania is an EU member since 2007. EU and EEA citizens can live and work in Romania without any visa or work permit. On arrival, EU citizens register at the local immigration authority within 3 months — a straightforward administrative registration (not a visa application) that provides a registration certificate and right to remain. With this, you can legally work for any Romanian employer, including language schools, international schools, and corporate training clients.
For EU teachers: the registration certificate (certificat de înregistrare) is obtained at the Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări (IGI) with your passport, proof of employment or means of support, and proof of address. This is standard EU free movement procedure. The process is a short appointment and does not require employer sponsorship.
The EU advantage in Romania: For EU citizens who are early in their TEFL careers, Romania is the easiest European entry point. No degree required at many schools; full work rights without any employer sponsorship; low cost of living allowing even a modest first salary to cover expenses; and the cultural and travel access of an EU member country with Schengen access and well-priced budget airline connections across Europe.
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Non-EU citizens: work permit process
Non-EU citizens (Americans, Canadians, Australians, etc.) need a work permit and long-stay visa to work legally in Romania. Unlike some Asian markets where this is a smooth employer-sponsored process, Romania’s EU membership means employers must formally demonstrate that no qualified EU citizen was available for the role — the standard EU labour market test. In practice, this means not all Romanian language schools will attempt to sponsor non-EU teachers; those that do typically have established HR processes for the work permit application.
The practical reality: non-EU teachers in Romania are most commonly found at international schools (which have the HR capacity for work permit sponsorship), at larger established language school chains, and at volunteer/camp programmes where work permit requirements may be structured differently. The TEFL Jobs Abroad live listings show several Bucharest positions that explicitly include accommodation, health insurance, airfare, and work permit assistance — these are the packaged positions worth targeting as a non-EU applicant.
For non-EU teachers who primarily want Eastern Europe, Poland or Czechia may have slightly more established non-EU teacher hiring infrastructure than Romania. Romania is still a realistic option but requires more active targeting of employers who explicitly offer work permit sponsorship.
Requirements by job type
| Position | Degree | TEFL | Licence | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language school (entry) | Often not required | 120hr required | Not needed | Not required |
| Language school (standard) | Preferred | 120hr required | Not needed | Helpful |
| International school | Education/subject | CELTA+ | Required | 2–5 years |
| British Council Bucharest | Bachelor’s | CELTA required | Not required | 2+ years |
| Summer camp / Angloville | Not required | Preferred | Not needed | Not required |
| University | Master’s preferred | CELTA | Helpful | EAP preferred |
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Romania — medieval castles in the Carpathians, one of the EU’s most affordable capitals, and a TEFL market that asks for less and gives back a great deal. TEFL Heaven places teachers across Southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin America — browse our full program range to find your best fit.
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