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Student health care: the facts

Bullet staff

In Romania, all students under the age of 26 who are not employed have the automatic right to medical insurance. This means they don’t have to pay for medical exams, consultations or drugs because everything is covered by the Casa Nationala de Asigurari de Sanatate (National House of Health Insurance).

One problem is that schools do not provide the necessary information regarding the steps students should take in order to benefit from the free medical facilities provided for them.

The only reference to student’s medical problems in the freshman’s guide for 2005 is that there is financial help for students with tuberculosis, diabetes, AIDS some other serious illnesses and also for pregnant students.

In order to benefit from university medical services, you have to have a valid student card for the current year. The insurance is for undergraduates and masters students aged 26 or under. After the age of 26, students have to pay a fee of 390 RON to maintain their insurance.

Fourth year student in Foreign Languages, Tamas Monica, says she has only been using the university’s medical service. “The doctors are really great” she said while waiting at the medical center for a referral.



In cases of illness, students can go for a checkup to their personal doctor or to one provided by his college. In Bucharest, most public and private universities have at least one clinic. The exceptions are the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and the Romanian-American University which do not offer any kind of medical services. The University of Bucharest has one clinic located next to the Law Faculty where there is one doctor who works six hours a day.

In Regie campus of the Polytechnic University, there are three clinics employing five doctors. The Economical Studies Academy has one clinic in its Moxa campus with two doctors working in shifts.

Private schools do not have the obligation to offer medicals services. Of course, they could provide students with a clinic for consultations, or make a contract with the Casa Nationala or with the ambulance services, but this is optional. Usually, private universities provide health assistance only in case of emergencies.

Students from “Spiru Haret” University can go to a clinic in the main building of the college, but the doctor is available only four hours a day, in the morning or in the afternoon.

Students who want to consult a college doctor must first sign up for a medical paper by presenting a student card and ID. Some universities require at least one complete check up during the time the student is enrolled. For example, the University of Bucharest asks students to present themselves at the end of the second year for a medical. This includes questions about possible health problems, a medical history and basic information like weight, height, pulse and blood pressure.

Universities do not provide specialist care. If students need such care, they must receive a reference from a university doctor. Those from private schools may run into problems, because there are cases where references from their clinics are not accepted by public medical centers.

Some colleges offer also dental care; for example, the University of Bucharest has one dentist who can be found in the Law campus. When it comes to giving out medication, many university clinics have only a drawer with some emergency drugs.

No Romanian college provides home medical assistance and do they not assure special services for students with mental problems.

There is no phone line where young people can call in case of depression or other mental issues. There is no suicide help line. Basically, students are not left to die on the campus. But the health system works mainly for emergencies and for minor problems. It does not really provide full health care for the needs of the student body.

Reporting by: Mariana Marin, Cristina Mazilu, Laura Mitran and Alexandra Zachi

Ultimul număr tipărit (mai 2007, format PDF):