Although public education in Romania is free to all residents, expats generally choose to send their children to one of Bucharest’s international or private schools, especially as Romanian is the language of instruction in public schools.
Private schools in Bucharest
In the past, private education was abolished under the communist regime. Since then, a number of private schools in Bucharest have opened and flourished.
Private schools in Romania are available from kindergarten level to high school and do not usually follow the national curriculum. These schools adopt modern approaches to education and can be expensive.
International schools in Bucharest
International schools are the most popular choice for expats in the city. Most of the international schools in Romania are situated in Bucharest and, while there isn’t an extensive selection, all of them offer quality education for the young expat community.
Schools also offer an important tool for parents who wish to make new acquaintances and form social connections in a foreign country.
International schools in Bucharest usually offer one or more of several curricula, including the International Baccalaureate programme and the British IGCSE and A-Level programmes. French and American international schools can also be found in Bucharest.
Special-needs education in Bucharest
Children with special needs, depending on the severity of their needs, can enrol in either specific special needs schools or mainstream schools. The Romanian government has implemented a policy of inclusion with the aim of integrating special-needs children into mainstream schools, and therefore providing all children with the same educational opportunities.
The majority of the schools in Bucharest, including international schools, have facilities and teachers that can assist children with a variety of special needs. Many schools also have specialised occupational therapists and other special needs professionals in place to help these children. Only if a child is not able to adapt to mainstream schooling, will they be transferred to a special-needs school.
Tutors in Bucharest
Private home or online tutors are available in Bucharest to assist children with particular subjects and additional school support. It may be useful for expats to hire a tutor to help their child adapt to their new school curriculum, if different from their schooling at home, as well as the language of instruction. Romanian can be a difficult language to learn and, depending on the age of the child, it may be useful to have extra Romanian lessons with a tutor.
There are many websites and companies that advertise private online or home tutors in Bucharest. These companies include Verbling, Tutoroo and TeachMe2.