Romanian Baccalaureate Exam

In order to enter a Romanian university, all high school students must pass the Romanian Baccalaureate Exam. This exam is comprised of a number of different oral and written tests that are given towards the end of June and again at the end of September. Any one Baccalaureate Exam can consist of two to three oral examinations and four or five written examinations spanning a large number of topics.

The first exam (Exam A/1) tests students on Romanian Language and Literature. Students are asked to select a random topic during this exam, and then they are given fifteen minutes to consider the topic carefully. Following this fifteen minute time period, students must answer the examination question in ten minutes in front of three academics – this exam is also public, so anyone in any town can attend an examination.

The second exam (Exam B) is a foreign language test. Students must choose from Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, German, French, or English upon registration. On the day of the exam, a student must choose a question at random, and answer the question in a foreign language within a ten minute time period.

The third exam (Exam A/2) is a test of Romanian Language and Literature. This exam tests a student’s reading comprehension, knowledge of a classic Romanian text, and grammar. This examination can last as long as three hours.

The fourth exam (Proba D) tests a student’s knowledge of high school subjects. For example, students who study mathematics in high school are given mathematical equations to solve. This exam consists of multiple choice and short answers. The fifth exam (Exam E) tests students on a different part of high school knowledge. Usually, students choose a subject that is close to the main subject studied.

The sixth exam (Exam F) consists of a topic chosen by an exam taker. This topic must be related to topics studied in high school, though it can be a lesser topic.

Not only is the baccalaureate exam important if a student wishes to attend university, but this exam must also be taken in order for any student to graduate high school. The exam is marked on a scale of one to ten, and exams are graded by high school and university professors. Even though this exam must be taken in order to attend university, it is not the only factor taken into consideration when a student applies to a university in Romania.

The only way to study for the baccalaureate exam is to attend high school classes. Since a large portion of the exam is based upon subjects that are taught in high school, it is nearly impossible to pass this exam without attending high school. Further, since examination subjects are not made public, attempting to study for this exam is difficult.