Key takeaways
Romania has more internationally mobile families than ever, and finding a school that moves with them isn't straightforward. Legacy Online School is a WASC-accredited American private online school operating in 30+ countries – not a home education platform, not a set of recorded videos. Live qualified teachers, a US-recognized diploma, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses for students from elementary through high school. Whether you're an expat family settled in Bucharest or relocating across cities in Romania, the school doesn't have to be the complicated part.
- Legacy is a WASC-accredited private online school – the same accreditation standard held by top US private schools
- 19 AP courses, reviewed and approved by the College Board, school code 000114
- Three learning plans: Live Group (max 15 classmates), One-on-One, and Self-Paced
- Dual enrollment partnerships with Arizona State University (ASU) and University of South Florida (USF)
Contents
- 1 Why Families in Romania Are Choosing Online Schools
- 2 What the School Program Looks Like
- 3 AP Courses and College Prep
- 4 Homeschooling and Online School – Which One is the Best
- 5 Tuition Fees Compared to International Schools in Romania
- 6 A Real Case: Mircea and Ana’s Daughter, Bucharest
- 7 A Second Case: Daniel’s Family, Cluj-Napoca
- 8 Beyond Class: Extracurriculars and Community
- 9 How to Enroll
- 10 Top Tips from Our Expert
We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.
Why Families in Romania Are Choosing Online Schools
Not every family in Romania is looking to leave the local system. Some are expats who arrived recently and need continuity with an American curriculum. Others want AP credits that Romanian universities can recognize alongside US ones. A few simply need a school that doesn’t stop when the family relocates again.
Legacy has been operating since 2023 and now serves students in 30+ countries. The school is accredited by WASC – that’s the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the same body that accredits elite US private institutions. First mention matters here: check the accreditation record directly at acswasc.org. Secondary reference: legacyonlineschool.com/accreditation.
Romania’s international community has grown considerably, particularly in Bucharest. Families arriving from the US, UK, or other countries often find the local school system unfamiliar – different grading, different pace, different language of instruction. An online school that runs on a US academic calendar and delivers live instruction in English removes most of those friction points.
What the School Program Looks Like
Three distinct learning plans. Not one.
Live Group – daily live lessons with qualified teachers. Groups capped at 15 learners. A structured learning environment that mirrors a real school day – delivered entirely online, with real-time interaction between teachers and peers from multiple countries.
One-on-One – a fully personalized learning plan. One teacher, one student, curriculum and timing built around that child’s specific needs. Popular among families with irregular schedules or children who need a different instructional pace.
Self-Paced – no fixed class times. Teachers grade assignments and provide feedback, but the student controls the calendar. Starting from $149/month for elementary. See full tuition and fees.
The curriculum is built on FlexPoint Education Cloud, developed by Florida Virtual School (FLVS) – one of the most established virtual school curriculum providers in the US.
AP Courses and College Prep
Legacy offers 19 AP courses, all officially reviewed by the College Board. AP scores from Legacy are accepted by 500+ universities in 75+ countries worldwide. That includes universities in Romania and across Europe.
For families in Romania whose children are aiming at US universities – or who want to keep that option open – AP credits are one of the strongest signals an applicant can send. They’re standardized. They’re scored externally. And they demonstrate readiness for university-level work in a way a school grade alone doesn’t.
Explore available AP courses. For structured college planning, the college guidance program covers application strategy, essay preparation, and admission timeline. AP qualifications are recognized by British Council affiliated institutions and universities globally – not just in the US.
“College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity.”
Homeschooling and Online School – Which One is the Best
This distinction matters. Homeschooling in Romania sits in a complicated legal space – the national education law doesn’t formally recognize it as a substitute for compulsory school attendance. Many families searching for online home education options are actually looking for something different: an accredited school that operates remotely.
Legacy is not a homeschooling program. It is an accredited private online school – with qualified teachers, a recognized high school diploma, and a structured academic program. Families in Romania considering distance learning for their children should verify their specific legal situation with a qualified local education professional. Legacy does not substitute for local legal compliance and does not provide legal advice.
What Legacy can provide: an Enrolment Confirmation Letter, academic transcripts, and AP score documentation – all of which are internationally recognized.
Tuition Fees Compared to International Schools in Romania
The British School of Bucharest, along with other international schools in Bucharest, charges tuition fees that typically run into thousands of euros per academic year. Schools offering a British curriculum or Cambridge curriculum – including International GCSE (IGCSE) tracks – often price between €8,000 and €18,000 annually for the school tuition alone.
Legacy’s tuition is a fraction of that – the specific figures are on tuition and fees page. No separate campus fees. No transport. No uniform.
That’s the comparison. Not a claims game – just the math.
A Real Case: Mircea and Ana’s Daughter, Bucharest
Mircea and Ana relocated from Chicago to Bucharest in 2024 for a two-year corporate assignment. Their daughter, 14, had been enrolled in a US middle school and needed to continue without disruption. Local private schools in Bucharest either didn’t offer an American curriculum or had waiting lists.
They enrolled in Legacy’s Live Group plan in September 2024. By spring 2025, she had completed two AP courses – AP Human Geography and AP Environmental Science – and was on track to submit US university applications with a WASC-accredited transcript. Total annual cost: under $3,000. The family had previously budgeted for international school fees five times that amount.
“WASC advances and validates quality ongoing school improvement by supporting its private and public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary member institutions to engage in a rigorous and relevant self-evaluation and peer review process that focuses on equity, inclusion, and access to high-level, rigorous learning opportunities for all students.”
— WASC Accrediting Commission for Schools
A Second Case: Daniel’s Family, Cluj-Napoca
Daniel, an IT consultant from the UK, moved to Cluj-Napoca in early 2023 with his two children – ages 10 and 15. The older one needed to continue a US-aligned curriculum for a planned return to an American high school. The younger was just starting 5th grade. Daniel enrolled both: the 15-year-old in Legacy’s online high school Live Group plan, the 10-year-old in the online elementary school Self-Paced plan. Total combined annual cost came in below what a single place at a Bucharest international school would have cost. Eighteen months later, both children transferred back into the US system without repeating a grade.
Beyond Class: Extracurriculars and Community
A common concern with online private schools: what happens to the social side? Legacy includes virtual clubs and extracurricular activities across all plans. Model UN, debate, creative writing, and more – all running in the same online environment as academic classes.
Virtual field trips are part of the program too. And for pupils who need extra academic support, one-on-one tutoring is available at $25/hour.
Summer school runs separately for families who want to get ahead, recover a credit, or keep a consistent learning routine through the summer months. Part-time K-12 online courses are also an option for students who remain in a local school and want to add AP or enrichment coursework.
How to Enroll
No waitlist. Enrollment can begin within 48 hours of application. The admissions team handles onboarding and can answer questions about plan options, scheduling, and documentation.
A free trial class is available before committing. Start there.
Top Tips from Our Expert
Maya Robinson, College Prep Advisor at Legacy Online School
- Start AP courses no later than 10th grade – universities reviewing transcripts want to see sustained academic challenge, not a single AP taken in senior year
- Request your Enrolment Confirmation Letter from the admissions team as soon as you enroll – it documents your child’s academic status and is accepted by institutions in multiple countries
- If your child is in middle school, use the pre-AP track to build the skills that make AP coursework manageable later
- Check dual enrollment options with ASU and USF through our partnerships page – earning transferable university credits in high school is a concrete advantage, not a marketing phrase
We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.
