"George Cosbuc" National College plays an important part in the land of Nasaud, as well as in the collective memory if its inhabitants. The institution came into being on the 4th of October 1863 with one 40-student class, graduates of the 1870-1871 school year. The upper secondary school anthem was composed by theologian and teacher Ioan Marte Lazar and its first headmaster was vicar Grigore Moisil , the future president of the Border Guards Funds and the one who allocated most of the organization financial resources to the school institution..

The main educational institution of the land of Nasaud was preceded in terms of education by The Latin-German School (1777), the Military Institute (1784), The Girls' School (1826) and Preparandia (1856). The Border Guards Gymnasium of Nasaud was officially opened on October the 4th 1863 as a result of the Agreement made between the 44 former border guards villages: "In the area of Nasaud , one must establish a National Romanian Gymnasium , which shall teach all school subjects that have been taught so far and shall also be taught in the other educational institutions. The present Gymnasium will have the right to teach any student, regardless of nationality and religion. The status of the institution clearly stipulates that its official language will always be Romanian and that Philosophy and Mathematics will be taught extensively, whereas Romanian History and Romanian Literature are to be set up as two distinctive school subjects. The advice given to the young generation in this respect is eloquent: "If you, my lads, yearn for scientific knowledge, then the knowledge of your Romanian Language and Literature should be the first and foremost learning to acquire"..

Throughout history, the educational institution of Nasaud will bear different names, but its most frequent ones were The Romanian Greek Catholic Superior Gymnasium of Nasaud (until 1891); The Romanian Border Guards Highschool of Nasaud (until 1919); "George Cosbuc" Border Guards Highschool ( until 1948), "George Cosbuc" Middle School no 1 (until 1956); "George Cosbuc" Highschool (until 1974) ; Maths-Physics Highschool (until 1990) ; "George Cosbuc" College (until 2000) ; "George Cosbuc" National College (from 2000 onwards).

The first school premises were made up of a one-storey building with four classrooms and annexes. The 1871 Foundational Instrument stipulated that a new building was going to be erected and it would be designed by two architects: Carol Kramer from Bistrisa and C. W. Friedrich Moetz from Cluj, who also established its current location. I. Gaiser and I Kelhofer Company ,with Paul Rozan as architect and Petraczek Ferencz as engineer , won the building permit . The official building plan and the blessing of its foundation took place on October the 4th 1887. The current building was completed and blessed on October the 4th 1888. Students have been using it since the 11th of May 1889. The building costs amounted to 119,966 fl and 93 cr, while the surrounding fence cost 5000 kronen. The first building restoration took place in 1905 and it was carried out by Vasvari Janos and his team from Seghedin, costing 3000 kronen. The Botanical Garden that beautifies the front yard dates back to 1896..

The impressive edifice of the highschool inspired the well-known philosopher, Nicolae Iorga , to remark: "This is the most beautiful school building of the Romanians from the north side of the mountains. Designed with sensibility and endowed with beauty, it comprises classrooms, art, music and science labs, a library and a museum"..

The year 1870 marks the setting up of "Virtus Romana Rediviva "Cultural Society of Students, where famous writers like Cosbuc and Rebreanu first presented their creations. The society magazine called " Muza Somesana", dates back to 1784 and its new issues are still in print. Numerous other funds, deposits and foundations used to offer financial support for the good management of the institution. Among them, we should mention The Central Scholastic Fund, The Fund for Students under Medical Care , The School Library Fund, The Deposit for the Local Festival of Maial, "Vasile Nascu" Foundation, The Stationery Fund, The School Trip Fund, "Vasile Nascu" Helping Society, The Poor Students Fund, The Deposit for the Bust of George Cosbuc, "Ignat Seni" Foundation, "Emil Domide" Foundation, The Yearbook Fund, The School Flag Fund, The Students, Scientific Society Foundation,The Scholarship f und, The School Committee Fund etc. Since it was opened, "George Cosbuc" National College has celebrated numerous significant events: 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 130, 140, 145, 150 years of existence ; the first monography of the Independence War by Maxim Pop and Artemiu Publiu Alexi was printed in 1878, the unveiling ceremony of George Cosbuc bust took place on June the 20th 1926, and after being destroyed by the Horty in 1940, it was replaced by the current bust in 1956. The Local School Festival of Maial has been held each year without interruption since the educational institution was established. The Day of the College is also celebrated yearly, on the 4th of October. Other important days commemorated are: Cosbuc, Eminescu and Rebreanu Days, The Day of our National Heroes, The National Day, The Day of Holochaust, Education Day, Women's Day, Children's Day, The Town's Day. The school Yearbook is still a reference document for those who want to learn about the history of this prestigious institution.

After 1989, our students showed their creativity by setting up local magazines like: O Position, Zoom, The Ecologist, Amagram. "Calusarii" traditional dance assembly has won numerous national competitions held in Bistrita, Beclean, Dej, Cluj-Napoca, Orastie. Our football, basketball and handball teams, along with the chess and the robotics clubs have successfully represented our school at the county and national level , their results adding to the list of trophies that our school has won. The 9th Graders' Prom and the Graduates' Prom are two of the most prominent educational events that promote young talents who delight the local community with theatre plays and modern dance performances.

Thousands of our College graduates have become important personalities, both locally and nationally. Among them , academicians like: Nicolae Balan, George Cosbuc, Leon Daniello, Ilie Miron Cristea, Nicolae Draganu, Emil Isac, Simeon Florea Marian, Iulian Martian, Constantin C Moisil, Iuliu Moisil,Tiberiu Morariu, Iacob Muresianu, Florian Porcius, Iuliu Prodan, Dumitru Protase, Liviu Rebreanu, Grigore Silasi, Virgil Sotropa; professors at prestigious universities in Cluj - Traian Ceuca, Tiberiu Perseca, Eugen Moraru,Gavril Scridon, Gh. Tomuta, Vasile Merutiu, Victor Onisor, Valeriu Seni s.a.; la Iasi: Gavril Istrate, Alexandru Husar, Liviu Coptil etc; in Bucuresti: Aurel Ianu, Aurel Cleja, Simion Mandrescu, Dumitru Homei, Alexandru Ciplea etc; Sibiu: Dumitru Acu, Silviu Bors s.a; Brasov: Iuliu Morariu..; Craiova: Alexandru Buia, Ovidiu Chita..; Gherla - Emil Precup; Cernauti - Sever Pop; abroad: Ioan Ciocan - in Budapest, Francisc Cabicar in Prague, Paul Tirlisan at Oxford . Numerous writers and composers were proud to have been graduates from our school: Ion Pop Reteganul, Vasile Gr. Borgovan, Iustin Iliesiu, Valentin Raus, Ioan Oarcasu, Paul Decei, Aurel Rau, Vasile Rebreanu, Valeriu Varvari, Zaharia Sangeorzan, Ioan Istrate, Domitian Cesereanu, Dariu Pop,Zaharia Barsan, Augustin Bena, Nicolae Bretan, Emil Catarig and so on.