Teach English in Romania 2026: Jobs, Salary & Requirements

You can teach English in Romania with a TEFL certificate and, ideally, a bachelor’s degree, earning roughly 1,250–4,500 RON ($285–$1,000) a month at most language centres and more at private and international schools. EU citizens can start work straight away, while non-EU teachers need an employer-backed work authorisation and a long-stay visa. This 2026 guide covers pay, visas, costs, where the jobs are and how to get hired.

Table of Contents

• Is There Demand for English Teachers in Romania?
• What Do You Need to Teach English in Romania?
• Romania Work Visa and Permit Rules for Teachers
• How Much Do English Teachers Earn in Romania?
• Types of Teaching Jobs and Where to Find Them
• Cost of Living in Romania for Teachers
• Pros and Cons of Teaching in Romania
• How to Get Hired: Step by Step
• Related Guides
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Is There Demand for English Teachers in Romania?

Yes, but it is a niche market rather than a mass-recruitment one. Romanians start English early at school, and adults need it for jobs in IT, outsourcing, finance and tourism, so private language centres in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Timișoara and Brașov hire steadily for children’s classes, exam preparation and business English.

What Romania lacks is the large, structured government programmes you find in Asia. Most jobs are with individual schools, contracts are local, and flights and housing are rarely included. Romania has been a full Schengen member since January 2025, which makes it an affordable base for travelling the rest of Europe. If you are weighing several countries, our complete guide to teaching English abroad compares the main markets.

What Do You Need to Teach English in Romania?

• TEFL certificate: expected by almost every employer. A 120-hour TEFL course is the usual minimum; a Level 5 course or CELTA with observed teaching practice helps if you have no classroom experience.
• Degree: preferred rather than universal at language centres, but public and private schools usually ask for a bachelor’s degree, and it strengthens a non-EU work authorisation file.
• Nationality: native speakers are not required; near-native fluency is accepted. Public schools in practice favour EU citizens, while private schools are more open to non-EU hires.
• Background check: non-EU applicants need a criminal record certificate for the visa, and schools working with children ask for one too.
• Experience: not essential for entry-level language-centre jobs, but better-paid roles often list prior teaching experience.

Romania Work Visa and Permit Rules for Teachers

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work in Romania without a work permit and simply register their residence after arrival.

Non-EU citizens (including Americans, Canadians, Australians and, since Brexit, Britons) must follow an employer-led process. You cannot switch from a tourist stay to a work contract inside Romania.

1. Your employer obtains a work authorisation from the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI). Romania capped non-EU work authorisations at 90,000 for 2026.
2. You apply for a long-stay employment visa (D/AM) at a Romanian embassy or consulate within 60 days, with your passport, contract, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate.
3. After arrival you apply to IGI for a residence permit, usually valid for up to one year and tied to that employer.

From 8 August 2026, Government Emergency Ordinance 32/2026 moved applications to the WorkinRomania.gov.ro platform and split the visa into D/AM1 (highly qualified) and D/AM2 (quota-based). Companies hiring D/AM2 workers directly need at least 50 employees and 24 months of activity, which many small language schools do not meet. Ask any non-EU job offer exactly which route the school will use before you resign from your current job. The Romania work abroad guide covers the permit system for other sectors.

How Much Do English Teachers Earn in Romania?

Romanian salaries are modest by Western European standards. For context, the national gross minimum wage rose to 4,325 RON (about $985) a month on 1 July 2026, and many language-centre contracts pay around that level or by the hour. Figures below use about 4.4 RON to the US dollar.

Job type	Typical pay (RON)	Approx. USD	Notes
Language centre (full-time)	1,250–4,500 / month	$285–$1,000	20–30 contact hours a week; no housing or flights
Language centre (hourly)	40–100 / hour	$9–$23	Evening and weekend classes
Public school	4,000–7,000 / month	$910–$1,600	Usually requires a degree and teaching qualification; EU citizens favoured
Private or international school	4,500–12,000 / month	$1,000–$2,700	Top end for qualified, experienced teachers
Private tutoring	50–145 / hour	$11–$33	Strongest in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca
Fulbright ETA (US citizens)	Paid in USD and RON	About $2,150 / month	9-month university placement

Some Bucharest schools advertise better packages: one language centre posted a 2026 vacancy at €1,300 net a month for 22–26 teaching hours a week. Most teachers break even on a single salary and save through tutoring or online classes. See how Romania compares worldwide in our list of the highest TEFL salaries in the world.

Types of Teaching Jobs and Where to Find Them

• Private language centres: the main employer of foreign teachers, teaching children, teenagers, exam classes and adults.
• Business English: in-company classes for corporate clients, mostly in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Timișoara.
• Private and international schools: better pay, but they usually want a teaching licence or subject degree.
• Fulbright English Teaching Assistant: about 12 university placements a year for US citizens with a bachelor’s degree, running October to June.
• Summer camps: short contracts starting in late June or early July.
• Online and private tutoring: a common way to top up income; check the requirements to teach English online before you go.

Look for vacancies on TEFL.com, ESLbase, Serious Teachers, Teach Away and Dave’s ESL Cafe, on the British Council Romania careers page, and on local boards such as eJobs and BestJobs. Many schools still hire through direct applications and in-person interviews.

Cost of Living in Romania for Teachers

Romania is still one of the cheaper EU countries, but Bucharest rents have risen sharply. Smaller cities such as Iași, Craiova or Oradea are noticeably cheaper.

Monthly expense	Bucharest (2026)	Approx. USD
One-bedroom apartment (city average)	About €610 / 3,100 RON	About $700
One-bedroom, outer districts or smaller cities	1,200–2,000 RON	$275–$455
Utilities	About 580 RON	About $130
Home internet	About 50 RON	About $11
Public transport pass	About 75 RON	About $17
Groceries (cooking at home)	900–1,300 RON	$205–$300
Cheap restaurant meal	25–50 RON	$6–$11

A teacher sharing a flat or living outside central Bucharest can manage on roughly $800–$1,100 a month. Bring $600–$1,500 in start-up money to cover a deposit and your first weeks before payday.

Pros and Cons of Teaching in Romania

Pros	Cons
Low living costs outside Bucharest	Low base pay; saving needs extra tutoring
Native speaker status not required	Non-EU visa route is slow and got stricter in 2026
Motivated adult and teenage learners	Housing and flights rarely provided
Schengen member: easy travel across Europe	Interviews often require being in the country
Safe, with mountains, castles and Black Sea coast	Bucharest rents rising quickly

If Romania’s pay looks too low, compare it with neighbouring markets: teaching English in Bulgaria has a similar cost profile, while teaching English in Hungary offers a larger private-school market in Budapest.

How to Get Hired: Step by Step

1. Get certified. Complete a 120-hour or Level 5 TEFL course with some observed teaching practice.
2. Check your visa route. EU citizens can job-hunt freely. Non-EU applicants should target larger schools or the Fulbright ETA, which can handle the 2026 permit rules.
3. Prepare documents. Degree and TEFL certificate copies, a criminal record certificate and an up-to-date CV with a professional photo.
4. Apply in July–August or November–December for September and January starts, and for summer camps in spring.
5. Interview and demo. Expect a demo lesson, often in person; some schools interview online first.
6. Read the contract. Confirm net pay, contact hours, paid holidays and who pays permit and visa fees before you sign.

Teachers looking further east sometimes ask about Ukraine; read our guide to teaching English in Ukraine for the current safety position and safer alternatives, including teaching Ukrainian learners who now live in Romania.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do English teachers earn in Romania?

Most language-centre teachers earn about 1,250–4,500 RON ($285–$1,000) a month in 2026, or 40–100 RON an hour. Private and international schools pay roughly 4,500–12,000 RON ($1,000–$2,700) for qualified teachers. Private tutoring at 50–145 RON an hour is the usual way to increase savings.

Do I need a degree to teach English in Romania?

Not always. Many language centres hire TEFL-certified teachers without a degree, especially EU citizens. Public, private and international schools usually require a bachelor’s degree, and non-EU applicants have a much stronger work authorisation case with one, so a degree widens your options considerably.

Can non-native English speakers teach in Romania?

Yes. Romanian employers generally accept non-native teachers with near-native fluency and a TEFL certificate. Some advertisements still ask for native speakers, and the Fulbright ETA requires native English, but EU citizens with strong English are among the easiest teachers for Romanian schools to hire legally.

How do Americans get a work visa to teach in Romania?

Americans need a job offer first. The employer obtains a work authorisation from Romania’s immigration inspectorate, you apply for a D/AM long-stay visa at a Romanian consulate, then apply for a residence permit after arriving. Since August 2026, many small employers cannot sponsor general workers directly, so confirm the route.

When is the best time to apply for teaching jobs in Romania?

Schools hire mainly for September and January starts, so apply in July–August and November–December. Summer camps recruit in spring for late June and July. Many interviews happen in person, which suits EU citizens who can travel to Romania and job-hunt without a visa.

Is Romania a good place to save money as a teacher?

Only modestly. A standard language-centre salary usually covers living costs, with Bucharest one-bedroom rents averaging around €610 in 2026. Teachers who save tend to add private tutoring or online classes, or live in cheaper cities such as Iași, Craiova or Oradea instead of central Bucharest.

Conclusion

Romania suits EU citizens and adventurous teachers who value low costs and easy European travel over high pay, while non-EU teachers should secure a sponsor that can handle the 2026 permit rules. Get your TEFL certificate, then compare Romania with other markets in our guide to teaching English as a second language abroad.