How to Actually Make Friends During Erasmus in Bucharest

Start With ESN

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) exists specifically to solve this problem, and Bucharest's universities each have their own local chapter — for example, ESN Poli at Politehnica University, or ESN ASE-CMP, which covers students at ASE, SNSPA, Carol Davila, and UTCB. These chapters run welcome events, city tours, intercultural nights, bar crawls, and day trips throughout the semester — and they're specifically designed for international students to meet each other, so there's zero awkwardness about "why are you talking to me."

Many chapters also run a buddy program: you get matched with a local student (often a former Erasmus student themselves) before you even arrive, who can answer questions and show you around in your first weeks. If your university offers this, sign up — it's one of the easiest ways to have a friendly face waiting for you on day one.

Show Up to Welcome Week

Your university's orientation or "Welcome Day" isn't just administrative box-ticking — it's genuinely one of the best chances all semester to meet people who are in the exact same position as you: new, a little nervous, and looking for friends. Go to as much of it as you can, even the parts that sound boring on paper. The people matter more than the content.

Language Exchanges

Some universities offer a Romanian language course specifically for exchange students (Politehnica's engineering faculty is one example) — worth taking even at a basic level, both for daily life and as a built-in way to meet classmates. Outside of formal courses, informal language exchange meetups (often found through Facebook groups, Meetup, or university notice boards) pair you with Romanian students wanting to practice English, French, Spanish, or whatever you speak — a genuinely low-pressure way to make local friends, not just other exchange students.

Lean Into Flatmate Culture

Your flatmates are your built-in social circle, whether you plan for it or not — so lean into it instead of treating your apartment as just a place to sleep. Cook a meal together. Host a small pre-drinks before going out. Say yes when someone asks if you want to tag along to something. The friendships that form inside a shared apartment tend to be the ones that last the whole semester and beyond, simply because you're already sharing daily life.

Find Your Clubs and Hobby Groups

If you did a sport, hobby, or activity back home, look for the Bucharest equivalent — university sports clubs, dance classes, hiking groups, climbing gyms, or informal meetups all exist here, and showing up regularly to the same group is one of the most reliable ways to build a real friendship, not just a semester acquaintance. It also gives you something to talk about with locals beyond "where are you from."

Say Yes Early, Say Yes Often

The first few weeks matter disproportionately. Say yes to the slightly random invite, the trip you're not sure about, the bar you've never heard of. Erasmus friendships often move faster than friendships back home — people are all in the same boat, away from their usual social circles and actively looking to connect — so the effort you put in during week one and two tends to pay off for the rest of the semester.

A Head Start on the Social Side

The easiest friendships to make are the ones that start before you've even landed. ErasmusPass matches you into a shared apartment with other international students from day one — so instead of showing up to an empty room, you're walking into a flat where the social side of Erasmus has already started.