Direct answer
A Canadian arriving in Craiova for medical or dental school should carry a protected document set, confirm housing and contact details, set up phone data, learn the campus route, keep original-file requirements visible, and start residence-permit planning early. The first week should be organized around evidence and deadlines, not only settling in.
Before the flight: build a travel document pack
Carry physical originals only when needed and protect them carefully. Also keep offline copies of passport, admission evidence, payment proof, insurance, accommodation details, emergency contacts, and university instructions.
Do not depend on one phone, one cloud folder, or one email thread. Travel days are exactly when batteries die, connections fail, and students forget which PDF was final.
First local setup: housing, phone, transport, and food
The practical first day is simple: confirm where you sleep, how you can be reached, how you can pay locally, how to reach campus, and where to buy basics. Those details reduce stress before university and residence steps begin.
If accommodation proof was used in a visa file, keep the evidence and contact information saved. Housing is not only comfort; it can connect to later local paperwork.
University steps: original files and official windows
UMF Craiova lists original-file submission windows for the 2026 intake. Students should not arrive with original documents scattered across bags or left at home by accident.
Make a physical folder order that mirrors the digital file: identity, school records, translations, admission documents, payment proof, visa papers, housing, insurance, and extra copies.
Residence permit: start planning before the 90-day clock feels urgent
Study in Romania explains that long-stay visa holders need residence-permit planning after entry for stays beyond the D-type visa phase. Students should treat this as part of arrival, not a distant administrative task.
Make a local checklist after arrival: address evidence, university evidence, copies, photos if required, health insurance questions, and where the immigration office process applies. Verify current instructions locally.
Keep the Canada-facing folder alive
Medical students who may return to Canada should keep official evidence from the start: program page, degree title, admission proof, transcripts later, payment records, and source-verification notes.
The students who handle arrival best are usually the ones who treat every official step as part of one long document trail.
Quick questions
What should Canadian students do first after arriving in Craiova?
Confirm housing, phone/data access, campus route, document backups, and any university or residence-permit deadlines.
Should original documents travel with the student?
Students should follow official university requirements and protect any required originals carefully.
Is the residence permit handled before or after arrival?
The long-stay visa is the entry phase; residence-permit planning happens after entry.
Can StudyROM guarantee housing or residence approval?
No. StudyROM can help organize practical questions, but official and private parties control final outcomes.