Iași is Romania's third education and research centre, and that is not a promotional formula — it is a direct consequence of the country's first modern university opening here, in 1860.
The five state universities
"Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University (UAIC)
Founded in 1860, Romania's first modern university — two years ahead of Bucharest's. Over 24,000 students and around 800 academic staff in the 2022–2023 academic year. A generalist profile: letters, exact sciences, law, economics, computer science, geography, history, philosophy, psychology.
The main building in Copou, with its Hall of the Lost Footsteps, is a sight in its own right.
"Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy
With roots in 1879, one of the strongest medical schools in the country. Around 10,400 students, with a large international student community — a phenomenon that has changed the city's make-up over the last twenty years.
"Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University (TUIASI)
The city's polytechnic: engineering, construction, automation and computing, electronics. The main supplier of graduates to the local IT industry — see the economy of Iași.
"Ion Ionescu de la Brad" University of Life Sciences
Agronomy, horticulture, veterinary medicine, animal science. It has teaching farms and glasshouses around the city.
"George Enescu" National University of Arts
Music, theatre and visual arts. Student concerts and productions are part of the city's real cultural programme.
Details, addresses and official websites: the universities page.
What it means in numbers
- 5 state universities
- 60,000+ students
- 3rd education and research centre in Romania
To these are added private institutions and a network of secondary schools, including long-established national colleges.
The effect on the city
Students are not a category separate from the city — for nine months a year, they *are* the city:
- Rents rise in September and fall in June.
- Copou functions as a campus quarter, with halls, parks and venues.
- Transport: pupils and students up to 26 in accredited pre-university education get a free 30-day CTP pass.
- Evening life is calibrated to a student's wallet — see food and going out.
See also Iași as a university city for the historical context.
For international students
Iași has a substantial international student community, particularly in medicine. Practical points:
- Residence formalities are handled through state institutions — see the essentials section.
- The cost of living is below Bucharest and Cluj.
- The city is small and compact: the centre is walkable and the tram covers the rest. See transport.
What "third university centre" means in practice
This is not a brochure classification. With more than 60,000 students in a city of 271,692 inhabitants, the ratio is roughly one student to four residents — among the highest in Romania. The effect shows not only on campus but in the economy of the whole city: rents, catering, transport, retail, events.
The simplest test: compare Iași in February with Iași in August. Same city, two different populations.
The flow into the economy
The universities produce not just graduates but the industry that employs them. The local IT sector — with operations of companies such as Amazon, AMD, Oracle and Bitdefender — was built largely on the graduate flow from "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University and the computer science faculties of UAIC.
Likewise, the network of university clinics that makes Iași the largest medical centre in Moldavia grew around the medical school with roots in 1879. Detail in the economy of Iași and in healthcare in Iași.
What we do not publish
We do not publish faculty rankings, admission rates or average graduate salaries. These change annually, vary enormously between programmes, and — quoted without a source and without a year — mislead someone making an important decision.
For official figures, the universities' own websites are on the dedicated page.
In short
- Five state universities and over 60,000 students — Romania's third education and research centre.
- UAIC, 1860 — the country's first modern university, two years ahead of Bucharest's. Over 24,000 students (2022–2023).
- "Grigore T. Popa" University, with roots in 1879 — around 10,400 students and a large international community.
- TUIASI feeds the local IT industry with engineering and computer science graduates.
- Pupils and students up to 26 in accredited pre-university education get a free CTP pass.
- Copou is the campus quarter: university, halls, Botanical Garden and park, all within walking distance.
What "third university centre" means in practice
This is not a brochure classification. With more than 60,000 students in a city of 271,692 inhabitants, the ratio is roughly one student to four residents — among the highest in Romania. The effect shows not only on campus but in the economy of the whole city: rents, catering, transport, retail, events.
The simplest test: compare Iași in February with Iași in August. Same city, two different populations.
The flow into the economy
The universities produce not just graduates but the industry that employs them. The local IT sector — with operations of companies such as Amazon, AMD, Oracle and Bitdefender — was built largely on the graduate flow from "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University and the computer science faculties of UAIC.
Likewise, the network of university clinics that makes Iași the largest medical centre in Moldavia grew around the medical school with roots in 1879. Detail in the economy of Iași and in healthcare in Iași.
What we do not publish
We do not publish faculty rankings, admission rates or average graduate salaries. These change annually, vary enormously between programmes, and — quoted without a source and without a year — mislead someone making an important decision.
For official figures, the universities' own websites are on the dedicated page.
Frequently asked questions
How many universities does Iași have?
Five state universities: Alexandru Ioan Cuza, "Grigore T. Popa" Medicine and Pharmacy, "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University, the University of Life Sciences and the "George Enescu" National University of Arts. There are private institutions too.
Which is the oldest university in Romania?
"Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University in Iași, founded in 1860 — two years ahead of Bucharest's.
How many students are in Iași?
More than 60,000, making the city the country's third education and research centre.
Do students travel free?
Pupils and students up to 26 in accredited pre-university education get a free 30-day CTP pass. For everyone else a ticket is 4 lei and a monthly pass 130 lei.
Is Iași good for medical studies?
"Grigore T. Popa" University dates from 1879, has around 10,400 students and a large international student body. It is one of the strongest medical schools in Romania.
