From Iași to Chișinău – the student who crosses the Prut daily for university
Universities in the Republic of Moldova are becoming increasingly appealing to international students. In the academic year 2025-2026, the number of foreign students rose by 376 compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 1,100. Many of these students are pursuing degrees in fields such as Medicine, Education, or Business. One example is Andrei Tudose, a student from Romania, who commutes daily between Iași and Chișinău to pursue his dream of becoming a dance teacher.
Andrei studies at the Faculty of Preschool Pedagogy, Physical Education and Dance at the “Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University in Chisinau.
“I have been doing performance dance for 18 years. Then I wanted to become a coach. In Romania, at the moment, there is no faculty or academy that can offer you a license, a diploma as a teacher, coach or specialist in dance sports”, Andrei Tudose said in an interview conducted by journalist Svetlana Bogatu for the “Zi de zi” program on Radio Moldova.
The young student from Romania was encouraged to enroll in a university in the Republic of Moldova by the experience of his friend, who had previously studied in Chisinau. She told him about the friendly environment, open professors and pleasant atmosphere in Moldovan universities, where students are supported and encouraged to actively participate in the learning process.
According to Andrei, this environment motivates him to consistently attend classes, and the openness and warmth of the people, especially those in the world of dance, facilitate easy and natural communication among colleagues.
"I don't think I've met a single teacher who wasn't friendly. At the same time, if you don't understand something, it's explained to you several times. It's a very pleasant environment, which attracts you to go to college constantly. People in the Republic of Moldova, are a little more open — both children and students — especially in communicating with foreigners. Especially since we're all from the same world, the world of dance, it's clear that there's no way we can't get along," Andrei revealed.
Although he travels between Iași and Chișinău every day, the young man says that this journey doesn't exhaust him. He manages to combine his studies with his activity in Romania, where he owns a dance school. He admits that being involved in his own business requires constant presence, which is why he prefers to return home every evening. In the future, Andrei also plans to follow a master's program in the Republic of Moldova, convinced that this will open up new professional opportunities for him.
Modernization of universities and facilities for foreign students
According to the State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research, Adriana Cazacu, educational institutions in the Republic of Moldova have become more attractive to foreign students, especially in recent years. This popularity is due to modern training and accommodation conditions, as well as the accreditation of study programs by international quality assurance agencies.
"This year, we have 376 more students compared to the 2024 - 2025 academic year. First of all, we have a project component financially supported by the World Bank, called "Higher Education in Moldova". About one million lei was allocated to support the internationalization of studies in the Republic of Moldova. This means that over 280 university teachers have improved their English language skills. To teach foreign students, knowledge of the English language is a priority,” Adriana Cazacu declared on the same show on Radio Moldova.
The official emphasized that educational institutions have developed their study programs, selecting the most attractive fields for international students, such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Translation and Interpretation, Educational Sciences, and Economic Sciences.
These programs, the curriculum, and teaching materials have been translated into English.
At the same time, universities have significantly improved accommodation conditions.
Another essential component for attracting international students is the accreditation of programs by international quality assurance agencies.
“There are educational institutions that hold international accreditation. Currently, we are working on the accreditation of an Optometry program,” Adriana Cazacu mentioned.
Most students attracted by the “Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy
The Ministry of Education and Research has also developed the Study in Moldova platform, which provides information and support to future candidates, through dedicated people who constantly communicate with them.
“All these actions allowed us to achieve this beautiful result. The internationalization component will be continued. We have a new project, additional funding within the “Higher Education in Moldova” project and we will continue all activities on the internationalization component. The increase in the number of foreign students has a positive impact both on universities and on the country's economy”, noted the state secretary.
According to the MEC representative, the “Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) is an example. The institution has consistently attracted the most foreign students, allowing it to obtain considerable financial resources, most of which come from tuition fees. These resources are used to develop infrastructure, including student dormitories and the facilities necessary for medical and veterinary training, which involve high costs.
Cazacu emphasized that local universities no longer compete only with each other, but also with institutions in the region and with European ones. Moldova’s competitive advantages include a clean environment and access to internships in specialized institutions.
*"We can attract students starting, first of all, from the advantages of our country: we have clean air, less polluted water - convincing arguments for young people from countries like India. Considering its high population density, the Republic of Moldova also offers significant advantages in terms of practice bases. In India, being an overpopulated country, not all students have access to internships in clinics, while our universities offer them these opportunities," reported Adriana Cazacu, on Radio Moldova.
According to MEC data, this academic year, over 1,100 young people from 24 countries chose to become students in the Republic of Moldova. They enrolled in bachelor's programs in various fields, such as Medicine, Educational Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Translation or Business.
The largest admission to master's programs was recorded at the "Ion Creangă" State Pedagogical University, where over 170 students chose to continue their studies in fields such as Educational Sciences, Psychology and Animation.
