Ministry of Education and Research*
Available procedures
Admission to high school and vocational education*
The admission of 8th grade graduates to public high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place according to the regulatory framework approved by the Ministry of Education.
The admission of 8th grade graduates to public high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting admission to public high school education for the 2011-2012 school year, approved by the order of the minister of education, research, youth and sports no. 4.802/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of admission to public high school education for the 2011-2012 school year.
Aptitude tests organized for admission in the 2018-2019 school year in vocational high schools are conducted in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting and the structure of aptitude tests for admission to vocational high schools, provided in annex no. 3 to the order of the minister of national education no. 4.432/2014, with subsequent amendments.
The admission of 8th grade graduates to public vocational education for the 2018-2019 school year is conducted in accordance with the Methodology for organizing and conducting admission to public vocational education, approved by Order of the minister of national education and scientific research no. 5.068/2016.
The admission of 8th grade graduates to dual vocational education for the 2018-2019 school year is conducted in accordance with the framework methodology for organizing and conducting admission to dual vocational education for level 3 professional qualifications, according to the National Qualifications Framework, approved by order of the minister of national education no. 3.556/2017.
Candidates who pass, during lower secondary education, internationally recognized exams for the certification of linguistic competences in foreign languages can request recognition and equivalence of the results obtained at these exams with the modern language proficiency test for admission to 9th grade classes with a bilingual teaching program of a modern language of international circulation.
*Enrollment in primary education*
Enrollment in primary education is based on a methodology approved by the Ministry of Education.
Thus, children who turn 6 years of age by August 31, 2018, inclusive, must be enrolled in the preparatory grade, in accordance with the Education Law.
Parents must go to school inspectorates and educational units, which are obliged to provide information and counseling regarding enrollment.
Lists of school districts must be posted at the headquarters of the inspectorates and educational units, and parents must be informed about the contents of the educational activities carried out in the preparatory grade, the teaching approach, the organization of the school schedule, etc.
Children who turn 6 years of age during the period September 1 - December 31, 2018, inclusive, may be enrolled if their psychosomatic development is appropriate.
All educational units are obliged to provide information regarding the procedure for enrolling children in primary education, regardless of whether the parents are part of the respective district or not.
*The national program Money for high school*
The Ministry of Education has been running the national social protection program "Bani de liceu" for over 12 years, through which it provides financial support for students in high schools and art and vocational schools.
For students who wish to obtain this financial support, we have launched the Bani de liceu portal, which, together with the discussion forum dedicated to this national program, represents an efficient means of information.
Beneficiaries are students who are supported by families whose monthly gross income per family member, earned in the last 3 months prior to submitting the application, is a maximum of 500 lei, as well as students who benefit from a protection measure or who are under guardianship or curatorship, provided the above-mentioned income condition is met.
The documents will be submitted as copies, provided that, when submitting the application, the applicant also presents the original documents.
IMPORTANT!
By adopting Government Decision 712/2018 (available attached), starting with the 2018-2019 school year, each beneficiary will receive monthly, throughout the duration of the courses, if all the legal conditions provided are met, the amount of 250 lei/month.
In addition to indexing this amount (from 180 lei/month), the value of the maximum ceiling for granting the scholarship was also increased from 150 lei to 500 lei/family member, given the need to correlate the ceiling for granting support with the current economic situation.
The School After School Program*
The “School after School” Program (ȘDȘ) is a program complementary to the mandatory school program, which offers opportunities for formal and non-formal learning, for consolidating competencies, remedial learning, and accelerated learning through educational, recreational, and leisure activities, and is addressed to both primary and secondary school students.
The SDS program can take place before or after the mandatory school program (depending on the schedule of each level of study), at schools, provided they have the necessary material and human resources to organize this program.
In primary education, the SDS program includes activities with specialized support (supervision and guidance in doing homework, recovery for students with cognitive or emotional difficulties, speech disorders through remedial activities, counseling, speech therapy, activities to encourage independent reading, etc.), workshops/thematic activities, and other recreational activities.
Each school, depending on the target group, creates modules of activity packages by combining the activities mentioned above.
In secondary education, the SDS program includes the package of activities for accelerated learning and performance (preparation for participation in school competitions and olympiads, sports competitions, artistic, by disciplines, participation/organization of festivals, exhibitions, creating school publications, participation in European cooperation activities), the support activities package (providing psycho-pedagogical assistance for bridging learning gaps, support activities for doing homework, remedial activities, psychological counseling), and the life preparation package (organizing personal development activities, activities aiming at developing an active attitude and student involvement, a healthy lifestyle, career education, etc.).
The program can be organized modularly, in time units established by the educational institution according to the target group and the identified needs, by combining packages of activities oriented towards developing transferable competencies.
The program is carried out in groups of students (maximum 12 students), formed according to identified options and needs. The activities are designed, organized, and delivered by primary and secondary school teachers, counselors, support teachers, librarians, speech therapists, lab technicians, pedagogues, coaches, school mediators, volunteers from the school, as well as from competent partner institutions and organizations.
*The national social program “Professional Scholarship”*
The "Professional Scholarship" is a national social program addressed to all students attending vocational education and consists of monthly financial support.
Children of foreigners who are beneficiaries of a form of protection in Romania or of foreigners, respectively citizens of the European Union/Economic European Area and of the Swiss Confederation with the right of residence in Romania, who are attending vocational education, also benefit from the "Professional Scholarship".
Students in vocational education cannot simultaneously benefit from the "Professional Scholarship" and the financial support granted to students under the National Social Protection Program "High School Money".
At the level of the Ministry of Education, a national committee is established to monitor the granting of the "Professional Scholarship".
*Issuance of duplicates of study documents*
In the case of incorrect completion due to the fault of the educational institution issuing the original study document or in the case of presenting the original study document damaged so that it can no longer produce the effects for which it was issued, based on a written request from the applicant, the educational institution that issued the respective document issues a duplicate, drawn up based on the documents found in the archive of the educational institution from which the applicant's academic situation results.
In the case of loss, destruction, or theft of the original study document, the request for the duplicate is accompanied by the following documents, which are archived with a retention period of 100 years at the school inspectorate, while the copies certified "according to the original" are kept at the educational institution:
a) notarial/consular declaration, given by the holder of the document, which contains all the necessary elements for identification, the circumstances in which the original document was lost, as well as other details to confirm the disappearance of the respective study document. The following mention is mandatory: "the original study document was not pledged/used as a guarantee at any state or private institution, from the country or abroad, and was not knowingly transferred to another physical or legal person";
b) proof of publication of the loss, destruction, or theft of the study document in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part III;
c) notarized copy of the birth/marriage certificate;
d) two color photographs, size 3 x 4 cm;
e) written approval of the administrative council of the school inspectorate for the issuance of the duplicate, following the documents submitted by the educational institution.
ORDER No. 3844/2016 of May 24, 2016 for the approval of the Regulation regarding the regime of study documents and school documents managed by pre-university educational institutions
*Certification of qualification for graduates of high school education, technological branch*
The National Baccalaureate Exam*
The Second Chance Program*
The “Second Chance” program is addressed to adolescents, young people, adults, from diverse social backgrounds and with varying ages, who have not attended or have not completed primary and lower secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the opportunity to continue and complete compulsory education without being forced to interrupt their possible professional or family activities in which they are involved.
The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also having a vocational training component.
There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they have exceeded by at least 4 years the age corresponding to the grade and who are in the following situations:
For the Second Chance – primary education program:
- have not participated at all in formal (school) education;
- were enrolled, but dropped out of primary education – regardless of the time and reasons for dropout;
- did not graduate, by the age of 14, from primary education.
For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:
- have graduated from compulsory primary education (including in the Second Chance system) but have not continued their education further
or:
- have completed some of the grades corresponding to lower secondary education (V, VI or VII), but dropped out during this education cycle – regardless of the time and reasons for dropout.
Students enrolled in the program can have very different levels and expectations. The new program ensures a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to develop competences, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that respond to their interests and needs.
Learning will take place in small groups (8–15 students in each class). Courses can take place according to several timetable options (in the afternoons or evenings during the week, Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of students and teachers. Hours are scheduled for individual consultations available to students.
The program has a flexible duration. The average schooling duration (2 years for primary education, 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student individually, depending on proven competences, both in the field of basic education and vocational training.
Graduates are entitled to continue their studies, according to the provisions of the law, as follows:
Graduates of the Second Chance – primary education program can continue their studies in lower secondary education;
Graduates of the Second Chance – lower secondary education program can pursue studies in upper secondary education (higher cycle of high school) or can take practical training stages, after which they can also obtain a Level 3 professional qualification certificate.
For young people in the program, the graduation certificate will not represent just a personal success, but the chance for another tomorrow.
Enrollment in pre-university education for non-EU (extracommunity) students*
1. Enrollment in pre-university education
1.1. Admission conditions
1.1.1. Students from non-EU states can be enrolled in pre-university education in Romania if one of the parents, guardians, or legal supporters falls into one of the following situations:
- is a repatriate;
- has, through marriage, domicile in Romania;
- is the holder of a residence permit in Romania;
- carries out, in accordance with legal provisions, activities on Romanian territory;
- is studying in accredited state/private higher or postgraduate education in Romania.
1.2. Application file
1.2.1. The student's file is sent to MEN – General Directorate of International Relations and European Affairs (DGRIAE), by the County School Inspectorate / Bucharest School Inspectorate where the educational unit for which enrollment is requested operates and contains the following documents:
Copies of the student's and the parents’/guardian’s/legal supporter’s identity documents (student's birth certificate, student’s passport, parents' passport, student’s residence permit, parents' residence permit, if available);
Copy and legalized translation of the student’s birth certificate;
Copy of the court decision regarding the custody of the minor child, if applicable;
Copies and legalized translations of school records;
Application for study enrollment, approved by the administration of the educational unit for enrollment.
1.3. Enrollment for studies
1.3.1. Enrollment is done by the approval issued by MEN – DGRIAE, based on the study documents in the personal file, without differential exams.
1.3.2. The enrollment of students from non-EU states, based on periods of study completed abroad, proven with school records, can also be carried out during the school year, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation for the organization and functioning of pre-university educational institutions, approved by Minister of National Education Order no. 5115/2014
1.3.3. At the request of the parents/guardian, the student can also be enrolled in a class lower than the educational level resulting from the documents.
1.4. Tuition fees
1.4.1. In compulsory education, foreign students benefit from schooling under the same conditions as Romanian citizens.
1.4.2. In upper secondary high school education, students from non-EU states pay tuition fees, in accordance with the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.
1.4.3. In pre-university education at all levels, foreign citizens who have obtained a form of protection in Romania can be schooled under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. The class to which students in this category who do not have study documents can be enrolled will be established following the evaluation made by the school unit appointed by the County School Inspectorate / Bucharest School Inspectorate.
2. Taking the baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU states who have completed high school studies in another educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent
2.1. Citizens from non-EU states who have completed high school studies in another educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent can, upon request, take the national baccalaureate exam, depending on the profile of the graduated pre-university studies, in an exam center established by the County Baccalaureate Commission / of the Municipality of Bucharest.
2.2. Taking the national baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU states who have completed high school studies in another educational system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent is conditional on the payment of the tuition fee, according to the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.
*Procedure regarding the organization and conduct of the language proficiency test for admission to the 5th grade with an intensive program of teaching a modern language of international circulation*
This procedure regulates the manner of organizing and conducting the linguistic competence test for admission to the 5th grade with an intensive program for teaching a modern language of international circulation, at the level of state or private pre-university educational institutions in Romania, based on the provisions of Art. 6 (2) and (3) of the Framework Regulation for the organization and operation of classes with the teaching of a modern language in an intensive, respectively bilingual regime in pre-university educational institutions, approved by OMEN no. 4797/31.08.2017.
*The National Assessment of 8th grade students*
The development of specific assessment procedures is carried out by CNEE, following consultation with the ministry's specialized departments.
The county/Bucharest municipality coordination of the organization of the National Assessment VIII, as well as the valorization of its results, is ensured by the school inspectorate.
Website dedicated to publishing results: http://evaluare.edu.ro
Special education*
Post-secondary education*
Post-secondary education is organized for professional qualifications established by the Ministry of National Education in accordance with the National Qualifications Register.
Graduates of high school with or without a baccalaureate diploma may enroll in post-secondary education, admission being carried out in accordance with the general criteria established by the Ministry of National Education.
Post-secondary education is carried out through post-secondary school and master school. Both post-secondary school and master school represent specialized training routes, lasting 1-3 years, depending on the complexity of the qualification.
Graduates of post-secondary education who pass the professional qualification certification exam obtain a level 5 qualification certificate according to the National Qualifications Framework, corresponding to reference level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework (specialist technician), and the descriptive supplement of the certificate according to Europass.
Post-secondary education is organized in post-secondary schools, within high schools with legal personality, or in colleges within accredited higher education institutions.
Schooling in state post-secondary education is financed through the local budgets of administrative-territorial units, from the amounts deducted from the state budget revenues and from local budget revenues. Schooling can also be financed by applicants, natural or legal persons, through a contract concluded with the education unit that provides the schooling.
Credits for education and professional training obtained in post-secondary education may be recognized for graduates with a baccalaureate diploma by universities, based on the decisions of the university senate, as transferable credit units for the bachelor's level.
*National School Supplies Program*
In order to stimulate school attendance, in 2002 the School Supplies Program was launched, addressing students in state, primary and secondary education, day courses. At the beginning of each school year, packages with school supplies specific to each grade are distributed.
The composition of the packages of school supplies provided to students is established based on the Methodology for the application of the provisions of Law no. 126/2002 for the approval of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 33/2001 regarding the granting of school supplies.
Funding request submitted by the Ministry of National Education, at the beginning of September 2017, through the Operational Program for Assistance for Disadvantaged Persons (POAD) 2014-2020, was approved. The decision allows, starting with this school year, the purchase of supplies for preschoolers, as well as the supplementing with backpacks of the packages of supplies granted to students in primary and secondary education.
*Higher education in Romania*
Higher education is organized in universities, academies of studies, institutes, schools of higher studies, hereinafter referred to as higher education institutions or universities, which have obtained the provisional authorization to operate or accreditation.
Higher education institutions are education providers that carry out teaching activities based on study programs authorized to operate provisionally/accredited under the law, for initial and continuing university-level training, programs that operate on the principle of quality and correlation of the educational offer with the labor market.
The national system of higher education includes all accredited higher education institutions. A higher education institution authorized to operate provisionally, according to the legal procedures in force, becomes part of the national higher education system only after accreditation. For more information, you can also visit the website of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education - www.aracis.ro .
Higher education institutions can be public, private, or denominational. These institutions have legal personality, are non-profit, and are apolitical. Higher education institutions are legal entities of public law or, as the case may be, legal entities of private law and of public utility.
University autonomy is guaranteed by the Constitution. Academic freedom is guaranteed by law. Public accountability is also regulated for any higher education institution, whether public or private.
By an annual government decision, the following are validated:
- The nomenclature of fields and university study specialties/programs per union
- The structure of accredited or provisionally authorized public and private higher education institutions, with:
- fields of bachelor’s university studies and accredited or provisionally authorized specialties/study programs,
- geographical locations of delivery,
- number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
- form of education and teaching language,
- maximum number of students that can be trained
The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuing training at the university level, for the purpose of personal development, the professional integration of the individual, and the satisfaction of the competence needs of the socio-economic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation, and technological transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the fields of sciences, engineering sciences, arts, literature, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as the valorization and dissemination of their results. All these are achieved with respect for the following principles:
a) the principle of university autonomy;
b) the principle of academic freedom;
c) the principle of public accountability;
d) the principle of quality assurance;
e) the principle of equity;
f) the principle of managerial and financial efficiency;
g) the principle of transparency;
h) the principle of respecting the rights and freedoms of students and academic staff;
i) the principle of independence from ideologies, religions, and political doctrines;
j) the principle of national and international mobility freedom for students, teaching staff, and researchers;
k) the principle of consulting social partners in decision-making;
l) the principle of student-centered education.
Structure of the academic year (according to Law no. 1/2011 – art. 136)
- The academic year generally begins on the first working day of October, includes two semesters, and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year.
- A semester generally lasts 14 weeks of teaching activities, usually followed by at least 3 weeks of exams.
- The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
- In allocating transferable study credits per semester, a period of at least 17 weeks is considered.
- The university senate of each higher education institution approves annually, at least 3 months before the academic year begins, the regulations regarding the professional activity of students, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to academic semesters of study.
High school admission*
The admission of 8th grade graduates to state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place according to the normative framework approved by the Ministry of Education.
The admission of 8th grade graduates to state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting the admission to state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year, approved by the Order of the Minister of Education, Research, Youth and Sports no. 4.802/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of admission to state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year.
The aptitude tests organized for admission in the 2018-2019 school year to vocational high schools are conducted in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting and the structure of aptitude tests for admission to vocational high schools, provided in annex no. 3 to the order of the Minister of National Education no. 4.432/2014, with subsequent amendments.
Candidates who, during lower secondary education, pass internationally recognized exams for certification of language competencies in foreign languages may request the recognition and equivalence of the results obtained in these exams with the modern language knowledge verification test for admission to 9th grade classes with bilingual teaching programs of a modern international language.
Teaching and research titles in higher education in Romania*
Teaching and research titles
Employment in a teaching or research position within higher education institutions is made for a fixed period or for an indefinite period. Employment for an indefinite period on any teaching or research position is possible only through a public competition, organized by the higher education institution, after obtaining the doctoral title. See also HG_457_2011 (annex 8).
Only persons who meet the minimum and mandatory standards for registration for the competition to occupy teaching and research positions in higher education, approved by Order no. 6560/2012 regarding the approval of the minimum and mandatory standards necessary for the awarding of teaching titles in higher education and professional research-development degrees, with subsequent amendments and completions (annex 9), can apply for teaching and research positions in higher education.
The following teaching and research positions are found in higher education institutions:
- teaching positions:
a) university assistant;
b) university lecturer/laboratory chief;
c) university associate professor;
d) university professor.
- research positions:
a) research assistant;
b) scientific researcher;
c) scientific researcher grade III;
d) scientific researcher grade II;
e) scientific researcher grade I.
The equivalence of research positions with teaching positions is as follows:
a) scientific researcher is equivalent to university assistant, for persons holding a doctoral degree;
b) scientific researcher grade III is equivalent to university lecturer/laboratory chief;
c) scientific researcher grade II is equivalent to university associate professor;
d) scientific researcher grade I is equivalent to university professor.
The general nomenclature of teaching and auxiliary research positions in higher education is approved by the Joint Order (MENCS/MMFPSPV) no. 6419/2858/2011 (annex 10).
Higher education institutions with available positions can be found here: www.jobs.edu.ro
*Social vouchers for kindergarten*
Educational incentives are granted to children from disadvantaged families provided that the following criteria are cumulatively met:
a) the child is enrolled in a preschool educational institution, according to LEN no. 1/2011, with subsequent amendments and completions;
b) the monthly income per family member is up to twice the minimum guaranteed income level for a single person, as provided by Law no. 416/2001 regarding the minimum guaranteed income, with subsequent amendments and completions.
Law no. 248/2015 regarding the stimulation of participation in preschool education for children from disadvantaged families; Government Decision No. 15/2016 for the approval of the Methodological Norms for the application of the provisions of Law no. 248/2015 regarding the stimulation of participation in preschool education for children from disadvantaged families and the procedure for granting social vouchers for kindergarten.
*Procedures and calendar regarding enrollment/re-enrollment in preschool education in the year 2018*
The Ministry of National Education informs that, with the aim of including children aged between 3 and 6 years in preschool education, the following stages will take place successively at the level of each educational institution:
- re-enrollment of children who attend kindergarten in this school year and wish to attend it in the 2018-2019 school year as well - will begin on May 7;
- enrollment of newly arrived children
will take place starting May 21.
The schedule for re-enrollment and enrollment will be set by the management of the educational institution and will be posted, in a visible place, in each kindergarten, for the information of parents and the public, including on its website (if it exists), and possibly on the websites of the school inspectorates.
The filling of vacant spots, after the completion of the re-enrollment process, will be done, as a rule, in descending order of age groups, as follows: large group (5-year-old children), middle group (4-year-old children), and small group (3-year-old children). Based on Government Decision no. 1.252/2012 and within the limits of available spots, children aged between 2 and 3 years may also be enrolled in the small group.
In the situation where, in an educational institution, the number of enrollment requests is greater than the number of available spots, general and specific separation criteria will be applied successively.
The general separation criteria are as follows:
- the existence of a document that proves a child is orphaned by both parents (the situation of a child coming from an orphanage/a placement center/family placement is assimilated with the situation of a child orphaned by both parents);
- the existence of a document that proves the child is orphaned by one parent;
- the existence of a brother/sister enrolled in the respective educational institution;
- the existence of a medical certificate classifying the child as having a disability.
The specific separation criteria (developed by each preschool educational institution, approved by its Board of Administration and endorsed by the County School Inspectorate/the Bucharest Municipality by May 18) cannot be discriminatory and cannot include pre-registration lists. Additionally, the specific separation criteria will be applied only after the general criteria have been exhausted.
To ensure transparency of the re-enrollment/enrollment process, the management of preschool educational institutions will display, in clear view, for all interested, the following information:
- the institution's capacity (the number of children it was designed for);
- the number of spots approved through the schooling plan for the 2018-2019 school year (by age groups: small, middle, large);
- the general and specific criteria for the enrollment of children;
- the number of children re-enrolled/enrolled daily (during the set period) from the total available.
We mention that private preschool educational institutions also have the obligation to display, in a visible place, information regarding their status, namely whether they are authorized to function provisionally or are accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education (ARACIP).
*