Tutoring Franchise in Romania: The Complete 2026 Guide

In Romania, meditații, paid private lessons outside school, are a rite of passage. Many families arrange them well before the big exams and intensify them in the eighth and twelfth grades, when results decide which high school and which university a student can enter. For anyone considering a tutoring franchise in Romania, that makes the demand easy to see. The challenge is to offer something better than the teacher who gives lessons at the kitchen table.

This guide covers the Romanian school system and its national exams, what drives tutoring demand, how a tutoring franchise works and compares with the alternatives, the franchise law that applies in Romania, practical points on premises and staff, and how Success Tutoring approaches the Romanian market.

The Romanian school system: Evaluarea Națională and the Bacalaureat

Romanian students move through primary school (ciclul primar), lower secondary (gimnaziu, grades V to VIII) and upper secondary (liceu, usually grades IX to XII). Two national exams, organised by the Ministry of Education, frame almost every family's decisions about extra lessons.

• Evaluarea Națională (EN). At the end of grade VIII, students sit written exams in Romanian language and literature and in mathematics (students taught in a minority language also sit their mother tongue). The EN result drives admission to high school: according to Edupedu and Euronews Romania, for the 2025 admissions the admission average was based on the national exam grades, with the grade V–VIII average used only to separate students with equal averages. A fraction of a point can decide whether a student gets into a sought-after colegiu național.
• The Bacalaureat. At the end of liceu, the Bac decides access to university. According to Ministry of Education results reported by Edupedu and TVR, the final pass rate for the June–July 2025 session was 76.5 per cent after appeals, while the August 2025 resit session had a final pass rate of 31.9 per cent. A pass is not guaranteed, and the grade matters for university places, so the last years of liceu are a peak period for meditații.

International results add to the pressure. According to the OECD, Romanian 15-year-olds scored 428 points in mathematics in PISA 2022, against an OECD average of 472. For parents, the message is that the fundamentals, especially maths and reading comprehension, need attention early.

Why tutoring demand is strong in Romania

There is no official measure of the size of the Romanian meditații market, and readers should be sceptical of round numbers quoted without a source. What is clear, qualitatively, is how the market works:

• Most tutoring is informal. Lessons are typically given privately by schoolteachers, students or recent graduates, at home or online. That is the main competitor for any centre, and it shapes what parents expect to pay.
• Demand is concentrated around exams. Lessons build up in grades VII–VIII ahead of the EN and in grades XI–XII ahead of the Bac, with maths and Romanian the core subjects. English is a strong additional subject, both for school and for families planning study or work abroad.
• After-school is a mainstream category. In Romanian cities, after school programmes that supervise homework after classes are a familiar paid service, so parents are already used to paying a local centre for structured support.
• Parents want transparency. A centre that can show what a child is learning, how they are progressing and how that maps to the national exams offers something private lessons rarely provide.

What a tutoring franchise is

A tutoring franchise licenses you to run a learning business under an established brand, using its curriculum, systems, training, technology and marketing. You own the local business, employ the team and serve families in a defined territory; the franchisor provides the playbook and ongoing support in return for an initial fee and ongoing fees set out in the franchise agreement.

Tutoring franchises usually charge either per lesson or by membership, where families pay a recurring fee for a set number of weekly sessions. Success Tutoring uses the membership model in physical, retail-style centres, which makes revenue more predictable and keeps the business focused on retention and results. For a broader introduction, see our complete tutoring franchise guide.

Tutoring franchise vs worksheet centres, private tutors and independent centres

• A tutoring franchise (centre-based). A branded centre with a curriculum, trained tutors and launch support. You build a business with a recognisable brand and support behind it.
• A Kumon-style worksheet centre. Kumon describes its method as individualised self-learning through worksheets, with each student advancing step by step at their own pace. It is a well-known approach that suits families who value daily practice and independence. A tutor-led membership centre is different: students work with tutors on a personalised programme linked to their schoolwork. Our Success Tutoring vs Kumon comparison explains the differences.
• Private lessons (meditații). Flexible and cheap to start, but income stops when you stop teaching, and growth is capped by your own hours.
• An independent centre or after-school. Full control and no franchise fees, but you must build the curriculum, brand, systems and marketing yourself.

What to look for in a tutoring franchise in Romania

1. Curriculum adaptation. Ask how the programme maps to the Romanian school curriculum, the EN and the Bac, and whether materials will be available in Romanian.
2. Launch support. Ask what marketing help is given to a new centre and how it is adapted for Romanian families. See our launch support page.
3. Tutor recruitment and training. Ask how tutors are recruited, contracted and trained, and how quality stays consistent across centres.
4. Territory. Ask how territories are defined and what exclusivity you receive. The franchise territories page shows Romanian cities and indicative territories when you read it in the Romanian locale.
5. Pre-contract information. Romanian law requires a franchisor to give you information before you sign (see below). Read it carefully and speak to existing franchisees.
6. Day-to-day support. Ask who supports you, in which language, and how support is organised.

Franchise regulation in Romania

Unlike Poland, Romania has a franchise-specific law. Government Ordinance No. 52/1997 on the legal regime of franchising, approved by Law No. 79/1998, defines franchising and sets out the main obligations of franchisor and franchisee. Among other things, it requires the franchisor to give a prospective franchisee pre-contract information that allows an informed decision before the agreement is signed.

Other points to keep in mind:

• Competition law. As an EU member state, Romania applies EU competition rules, including the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (Regulation 2022/720), which governs restrictions common in franchise agreements such as non-compete clauses and territorial arrangements.
• Industry body. The Romanian Franchise Association (Asociația Română de Franciză) promotes good practice in franchising. Membership is voluntary, so ask a franchisor about its standards.
• Other law. Romanian employment law, consumer law and the GDPR apply to a centre that employs tutors and handles children's data.

Have the agreement reviewed by a Romanian franchise lawyer and an accountant before signing or paying anything. This section is general information, not legal advice.

Practicalities: company, premises, staff and trademark

• Company. Most franchisees trade through a limited liability company (SRL). Your accountant will advise on tax and payroll.
• Premises. A retail-style centre needs a lease that permits educational use, good visibility and easy access for parents. Check fire safety and building authorisations with the landlord and your fit-out contractor. Success Tutoring outlines its leasing support and fit-out support for partners.
• Child safeguarding. Romanian law requires people working with children to provide proof of a clean record with respect to offences against minors. Take local legal advice on what applies to your centre and staff.
• Trademark. A brand can be protected in Romania through the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM) or through an EU trade mark registered with the EUIPO. Ask what protection is in place.

How Success Tutoring approaches Romania

Success Tutoring was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 2017 by Michael Black and has been franchising since around 2020. It has announced international markets including New Zealand, the United States, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and India. Romania is not one of the announced markets: at the time of writing (October 2026), Success Tutoring is looking for franchise partners and a master franchise partner in Romania, and it has not announced any launch or open centre there.

The model is the Australian one: membership-based, retail-style learning centres for K–12 students. Support for partners may include site selection, leasing and fit-out, tutor recruitment and online tutor training, learning resources, launch and ongoing marketing, and ongoing support from head office. Under Romanian franchise law, the pre-contract information and the agreement describe what is provided. Adapting the programme to the Romanian curriculum would be a topic for discussion with a master franchise partner.

Franchise partners do not need to be teachers. Success Tutoring is a member of the Franchise Council of Australia and the International Franchise Association. We do not publish fees in articles; see the investment schedule. For neighbouring markets, read our guides to a tutoring franchise in Hungary and Bulgaria.

Frequently asked questions

Is there demand for a tutoring franchise in Romania?

Yes. Evaluarea Națională drives high-school admission and the Bacalaureat decides access to university, and meditații are a long-established part of family life. Most of that demand is still served informally, which leaves room for structured centres.

Is franchising regulated in Romania?

Yes. Government Ordinance No. 52/1997, approved by Law No. 79/1998, regulates franchising and requires pre-contract information for the prospective franchisee. EU competition rules also apply. Take advice from a Romanian franchise lawyer.

Do I need to be a teacher to run a tutoring centre in Romania?

No. Franchisor support typically covers the curriculum, systems and tutor training. Your role is to lead the team, build local relationships and grow the centre.

Is Success Tutoring open in Romania?

Not yet. Success Tutoring has not announced a launch in Romania. It is seeking franchise partners and a master franchise partner for the Romanian market.

How much does a tutoring franchise cost in Romania?

Costs depend on the territory, premises and fit-out. The structure of the investment is set out on our investment schedule page, and every figure is provided in writing before you sign anything.

Next steps

A tutoring franchise in Romania meets strong, exam-driven demand that is still served mostly by private lessons, inside a clear legal framework for franchising. Read why us to see how Success Tutoring supports franchise partners, then follow the process from first enquiry to opening day.

All third-party trademarks belong to their respective owners. Figures about other franchises are taken from their public websites, disclosure documents or reputable franchise directories at the time of writing and may have changed; verify them directly before making any decision. This article is general information, not financial or legal advice.