Vrancea County School Inspectorate*

The National Assessment for 8th-grade students represents the method of external summative assessment of the competencies acquired throughout lower secondary education.

The exam takes place annually, in a single session. Both candidates from public education and those from private education are entitled to take the National Assessment free of charge.

The average obtained at the 8th Grade National Assessment is a decisive criterion for admission to high school education.

The national coordination of the planning, organization, and conducting of the 8th Grade National Assessment, as well as the valorization of its results, are ensured by the Ministry of Education and Research through the National Center for Policies and Evaluation in Education (CNPEE).

The preparation of specific assessment procedures is carried out by CNPEE, following consultation with the specialized departments of the ministry.

The coordination at the county/Bucharest municipality level of the organization of the 8th Grade National Assessment, as well as the valorization of its results, are ensured by the county school inspectorate.

The "School after School" Program (ȘDȘ) is a program complementary to the mandatory school curriculum, which offers opportunities for formal and non-formal learning, for consolidating skills, 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 timetable of each level of study), at the school, if it has the material and human resources necessary 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, emotional difficulties, language 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, sets up modules of activity packages by combining the activities mentioned above.

In secondary education, the SDS program includes a package of activities for accelerating learning and performance (preparation for participation in competitions and school olympiads, sports, artistic and subject-based contests, participation/organization of festivals, exhibitions, creation of school publications, participation in European cooperation activities), a package of support activities (providing psycho-pedagogical assistance for recovery of learning gaps, support activities for doing homework, remedial activities, psychological counseling) and a life preparation package (organization of personal development activities, activities aimed at developing an active attitude and student involvement, healthy lifestyle, career education, etc.).

The program can be organized modularly, on time units established at the educational unit level depending on the target group and identified needs, by combining packages of activities oriented towards the development of transferable skills.

The program is carried out in groups of students (maximum 12 students), formed according to the identified options and needs. The activities are designed, organized, and supported by teachers in primary and secondary education, counselors, support teachers, librarians, speech therapists, lab assistants, pedagogues, trainers, school mediators, volunteers from the school, from authorized partner institutions and organizations.

1. Enrollment in pre-university education

1.1. Admission conditions

1.1.1. Students from non-EU countries may 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 repatriated;
has residence in Romania by marriage;
is the holder of a residence permit in Romania;
carries out activities on Romanian territory according to legal provisions;
is studying at a state/private accredited university or postgraduate education institution in Romania.

1.2. Application file

1.2.1. The student's file is sent to the Ministry of National Education – General Directorate of International Relations and European Affairs (DGRIAE), by the County School Inspectorate/ISMB in whose area the chosen educational institution carries out its activity and contains the following documents:

Copies of the identity documents of the student and the parents/guardian/legal supporter (student birth certificate, student passport, parent passports, student residence permit, parent 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 enrollment signed by the management of the educational institution where the enrollment will take place.

1.3. Enrollment for studies

1.3.1. Enrollment is carried out based on the approval issued by MEN – DGRIAE, on the basis of the educational documents in the personal file, without equivalency exams.

1.3.2. Enrollment of students from non-EU countries, based on periods of study undertaken abroad, proven by school records, can also be done during the school year, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on the organization and operation of pre-university educational institutions, approved by the Order of the Minister of National Education no. 5115/2014

1.3.3. At the request of the parents/guardian, the student may be enrolled in a class lower than the level of studies shown by 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 countries pay tuition fees, in accordance with the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.

1.4.3. In pre-university education of all levels, foreign citizens who have obtained a form of protection in Romania may be educated under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. The class to which students in this category who do not have educational documents may be enrolled will be determined following an assessment carried out by the educational unit appointed by ISJ/ISMB.

2. Taking the baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU countries who have completed high school studies in another education system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent

2.1. Citizens from non-EU countries who have completed high school studies in another education system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent may, upon request, take the national baccalaureate exam, depending on the profile of the completed pre-university studies, in an exam center established by the County/Bucharest Municipality Baccalaureate Commission.

2.2. Taking the national baccalaureate exam by citizens from non-EU countries who have completed high school studies in another education system and do not hold a baccalaureate diploma or its equivalent, is conditional upon payment of the tuition fee, according to the provisions of Law no. 1/2011.

Special and integrated special education is an integral part of the Romanian national education system and offers all children/students/youth educational programs adapted to their degree of disability and their developmental needs.

It is organized at all levels of pre-university education, depending on the type and degree of disability, as follows: mental, hearing, vision, locomotor, associated.

Inclusive education was adopted in Romania as early as the 1990s by respecting diversity, initiating and practically ensuring access and participation in education and social life for all categories of children. Today, about half of students with disabilities are educated in mainstream education.

The legislation in the field of special education has thus been designed to respond to a wide and very varied range of special situations. Considering this reality, special, integrated special, and inclusive education has been organized at all levels of pre-university education, depending on the type and degree of disability.

Special education institutions for students with sensory impairments apply the curriculum of mainstream schools. These institutions retain only the structure and organizational form of the special education system, while in content, school preparation, and specialization they are similar to mainstream schools. Special technological high schools, high school classes, and special post-secondary classes are organized according to the model of mainstream schools (content, profiles, specializations, outcomes, objectives and/or competencies). What remains specific to these institutions are the strategies, modalities, and teaching/learning methods.

Upon graduation, students from these special education institutions take national exams (tests, baccalaureate or graduation exam) just like all graduates from mainstream education. For them, facilities and adaptations are stipulated in the methodologies for organizing and conducting exams.

For each student with severe, profound or associated disabilities, a personalized intervention plan is developed with objectives specific to their needs and psycho-individual development possibilities.

Students with special educational needs benefit from adaptations of examination procedures also in the case of ongoing evaluations.

This methodology includes rules for organizing and conducting the certification exam for the qualification of graduates of upper secondary education, technological track, hereinafter referred to as the certification exam, for obtaining the qualification certificate, in accordance with art. 31 para. (6) and art. 77 para. (6) and (7) of the National Education Law no. 1/2011, as subsequently amended and supplemented.

Graduates of upper secondary education, technological track, who take and pass the certification exam obtain the level 4 qualification certificate, according to the National Qualifications Framework, and the descriptive supplement of the certificate, in Europass format.

This procedure regulates the way of organizing and conducting the language proficiency test for admission to the 5th grade with an intensive program of teaching a modern international language, at the level of public 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 functioning of classes with intensive or bilingual teaching of a modern language in pre-university education institutions, approved by OMEN no. 4797/31.08.2017.

In order to stimulate school attendance, in 2002 the School Supplies Program was launched, which targets students from state education, primary and secondary, day courses. At the beginning of each school year, packages with school supplies specific to each class are distributed.

The composition of the school supplies packages granted to pupils is established based on the Implementation Methodology 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 Aid of 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 supplementation with backpacks of the supply packages granted to students in primary and secondary education.

The Ministry of Education has been running the national social protection program "High School Money" for over 12 years, through which it provides financial support to students in high schools and art and trade schools.

For students who wish to obtain this financial support, we have launched the High School Money portal, which, together with the discussion forum dedicated to this national program, represents an efficient means of information.

The beneficiaries are students who are supported by families whose monthly gross income per family member, earned in the last three months prior to submitting the application file, is a maximum of 500 lei, as well as students who benefit from a protection measure or are under guardianship or conservatorship, 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 the Government Decision 712/2018 (available attached), starting with the 2018-2019 school year, each beneficiary will receive monthly, for the entire duration of the courses, if all the stipulated legal conditions are met, the amount of 250 lei/month.
In addition to the indexation of this amount (from 180 lei/month), the maximum threshold for granting the scholarship has also been increased from 150 lei to 500 lei/family member, given the need to align the support threshold with the current economic situation.

The admission of 8th grade graduates to state 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 state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for organizing and conducting admission to state high school education for the 2011-2012 school year, approved by 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 in vocational high schools are carried out 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 middle school, pass internationally recognized exams for certifying language skills in foreign languages may request recognition and equivalence of the results obtained in these exams with the test for assessing knowledge of a modern language for admission to 9th grade classes with bilingual teaching programs for a modern internationally used language.

The admission of eighth-grade graduates to state 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 eighth-grade graduates to state high school education for the 2018-2019 school year takes place in accordance with the methodology for the organization and conduct of 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 concerning 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 in vocational high schools are conducted in accordance with the methodology for the organization and conduct and 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 eighth-grade graduates to state professional education for the 2018-2019 school year is carried out in accordance with the Methodology on the organization and conduct of admission to state professional education, approved by the Order of the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research no. 5.068/2016.

The admission of eighth-grade graduates to dual professional education for the 2018-2019 school year is carried out in accordance with the framework methodology for the organization and conduct of admission to dual professional education for level 3 professional qualifications, according to the National Qualifications Framework, approved by the order of the Minister of National Education no. 3.556/2017.

Candidates who pass, during lower secondary education, internationally recognized examinations for the certification of linguistic competences in foreign languages may request the recognition and equivalence of the results obtained in these exams with the modern language knowledge test for admission to the ninth grade in bilingual teaching classes in a modern internationally circulated language.

The Ministry of Education and Research informs that, in order to enroll children in pre-university educational units with preschool and/or antepreschool level groups and in complementary early education services, the following stages are carried out:

• re-enrollment of children who attend kindergarten in this school year and wish to attend it in the 2025-2026 school year - will begin on May 19;
• registration of new children will take place starting May 26.

The schedule for re-enrollment and enrollment will be set by the management of the educational unit and will be posted, in a visible place, in each kindergarten, for the information of parents and interested public, including on its website (if available), and possibly on the school inspectorate websites.
Priority is given to the enrollment/re-enrollment of all 4-year-old children in the middle group and 5-year-old children in the big group of preschool education.
In the event that, in an educational unit, the number of enrollment requests exceeds the number of available spots, general and specific selection criteria will be applied successively.
General selection criteria applied for the antepreschool level, including for educational units where the local public authority is the founder and which have opted to conduct enrollment using the software application used for registration, are as follows:

a) the child has reached the age of 2 by the end of the current calendar year;
b) the child's domicile/parent's or legal representative’s workplace is located near the educational unit where the parent/legal representative submits the enrollment application;
c) both parents of the child/the single parent/legal representative work/parent presents a certificate for returning to work, at the time of application validation/within 30 days from the start of the school year, or the parent does not benefit from child raising and care allowance; situations in which the parent/legal representative proves the existence of PFA/SRL type activity are equated with those of parents/legal representatives who work;
d) at least one of the parents/legal representative of the child is enrolled in a full-time educational program;
e) existence of a document proving benefit of guardianship or a special protection measure established under Law no.272/2004 on the protection and promotion of children's rights, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions;
f) existence of a document proving that the child is under the care of a single parent (single-parent family)/ existence of a document proving that the parent/legal representative of the child has 3 or more children (large family);
g) at least one of the parents/the single parent/legal representative of the child falls under one of the following situations:

(i) retired in accordance with the legal provisions;
(ii) with a disability certificate;
(iii) unemployed, seeking a job, with supporting documents from the Employment Agency;

h) the parent/legal representative of the child has another minor child in care (up to the 4th grade of primary education) and/or another child enrolled in the respective educational unit, in the school year for which enrollment is made.

General selection criteria applied for the preschool level are as follows:

a) the child is 4 or 5 years old on September 1;
b) the child's domicile/residence/parent's or legal representative's workplace is located near the educational unit;
c) at least one of the parents/legal representative of the child is enrolled in a full-time educational program;
d) existence of a document proving benefit of guardianship or a special protection measure established under Law no.272/2004, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions;
e) existence of a document proving that the child is under the care of a single parent (single-parent family)/ existence of a document proving that the parent/legal representative of the child has 3 or more children (large family);
f) both parents/the single parent/legal representative of the child work or at least one of them is in one of the following situations:

(i) retired in accordance with the legal provisions;
(ii) with a disability certificate;
(iii) unemployed, seeking a job, with supporting documents from the Employment Agency;

g) existence of a medical certificate classifying the child in a degree of disability and/or a school and career guidance certificate issued by CJRAE/CMBRAE;
h) existence of a brother/sister enrolled in the respective educational unit, in the school year for which enrollment is made.

Specific selection criteria (developed by each preschool educational unit, approved by its Board of Directors and approved by the County School Inspectorate/the municipality of Bucharest by May 20) cannot be discriminatory and cannot include pre-enrollment lists.

Also, specific selection criteria will be applied only after general criteria are exhausted.
To ensure the transparency of the re-enrollment/enrollment process, the management of preschool educational units will display, visibly, for all interested parties, the following information:

• the name and address of the educational institution;
• the capacity of the institution (number of children it was designed for);
• the number of places approved by the school plan for the 2025-2026 school year (by age groups: small, middle, big and antepreschool/preschool level);
• general and specific criteria for enrolling children;
• number of children re-enrolled/enrolled daily (during the set period) from the total available;
• other information that allows parents/legal representative of the child to know the activities of the educational institution;

We mention that private educational units will display in a visible place information regarding their status, namely whether they are authorized to operate provisionally or are accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education (ARACIP).

The National Baccalaureate Exam 2023 is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Methodology for organizing and conducting the Baccalaureate examination - 2011 (approved by the order of the Minister of Education no. 4.799/2010 regarding the organization and conduct of the Baccalaureate examination - 2011, with subsequent amendments), and with the provisions of the attached ministerial order.

The dedicated portal http://bacalaureat.edu.ro offers updated information regarding methodology, calendar, and the results of the Baccalaureate examination.

Enrollment in primary education is done based on a methodology approved by the Ministry of National Education.

Thus, children who turn 6 years old by August 31, 2025, inclusive, must be enrolled in the preparatory class, in accordance with the Education Law.

Parents must go to the school inspectorates and educational institutions, these having the obligation to ensure information and counseling regarding enrollment.

At the headquarters of the inspectorates and educational institutions, lists with school districts must be displayed, and parents must be informed about the educational activities that take place in the preparatory class, the teaching approach, the organization of the school schedule, etc.

Children who turn 6 years old between September 1 - December 31, 2025, inclusive, can be enrolled if their psychophysical development is appropriate.

Children who turn 6 years old between September 1 - December 31, 2025 and have attended kindergarten can be enrolled in the preparatory class, upon written request from the parents, based on the recommendation issued by the kindergarten.

Children who turn 6 years old between September 1 - December 31, 2025 and have not attended kindergarten or who have returned from abroad can be enrolled on the written request of the parents, based on the recommendation issued by CJRAE.

All educational institutions are required to provide information regarding the procedure for enrolling children in primary education, whether the parents are part of that school district or not.

Teaching and research positions

Employment in a teaching or research position within higher education institutions is based on a fixed-term or indefinite-term contract. Indefinite-term employment for any teaching or research position is only possible through a public competition, organized by the higher education institution, after obtaining the doctoral degree. See also HG_457_2011 (Annex 8).

Only individuals who meet the minimum and mandatory standards for applying to the competition for teaching and research positions in higher education, approved by Order no. 6560/2012 regarding the approval of the minimum and mandatory standards for granting the teaching titles in higher education and the professional grades for research and development, with subsequent amendments and completions, may apply for teaching and research positions in higher education. (Annex 9)

The following teaching and research positions are found in higher education institutions:

- teaching positions:

a) university assistant;

b) university lecturer/laboratory chief;

c) 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 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 Joint Order (MENCS/MMFPSPV) no. 6419/2858/2011 (Annex 10).

Higher education institutions with available positions can be found here: www.jobs.edu.ro

In the case of incorrect completion due to the fault of the issuing educational institution of the original study document or in the case of presenting the original study document that is so damaged 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 of it, drawn up based on the documents found in the archive of the educational institution from which the applicant's academic situation can be established.

In case of loss, destruction or theft of the original study document, the request for the issuance of the duplicate is accompanied by the following documents, which are archived with a retention period of 100 years at the school inspectorate, and the copies certified “according to the original” at the educational institution:

a) notarial/consular statement given by the document holder, containing all necessary identification elements, the circumstances in which the original document was lost, as well as other details that confirm the disappearance of the respective study document. The following mention must be made: "the original study document has not been pledged/used as a guarantee at any state or private institution, in the country or abroad, and has not been knowingly transferred to another natural 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 board of directors of the school inspectorate for the issuance of the duplicate, following the documents submitted by the educational institution.

For more details please consult:

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

I. PRE-UNIVERSITY EDUCATION:

Methodology for the schooling of Romanians everywhere in the Romanian state pre-university education on study places without paying tuition fees, but with scholarship, respectively without paying tuition fees, but without scholarship starting with the school year 2017-2018

1. Pre-university enrollment form 2018-2019

2. Pre-university education places offer 2018-2019

Both the enrollment form and the offer of places in pre-university education will also be published on the School Inspectorate's website.

II. HIGHER EDUCATION:

1. In the 2018 - 2019 academic year, the Romanian state higher education institutions organize the admission competition for Romanians everywhere, including citizens of the Republic of Moldova, for undergraduate/master's/doctoral studies, based on university autonomy, similar to the previous year, according to the provisions of the schooling methodology in higher education;

2. Candidates will be able to opt for any field of study and any Romanian state higher education institution or, in the case of candidates from the Republic of Moldova, within the extensions opened by Romanian universities in Chișinău, Cahul and Bălți;

3. For ensuring compliance with the submission deadline established by higher education institutions, we recommend exclusively sending the application files to universities, to avoid delays in processing in case they are sent through other channels;

4. Enrollment in accredited Romanian state and private higher education institutions, on tuition-paying places in lei, is done based on the provisions of MEN order no. 4294/29.06.2017;

5. Additional information regarding admission to Romanian universities can be obtained by accessing the links of each higher education institution in the informative document attached to this procedure.

Educational incentives are granted to children from disadvantaged families if the following criteria are met cumulatively:

a) the child is enrolled in a preschool education unit, according to LEN no. 1/2011, with subsequent amendments and completions;

b) the monthly income per family member is up to twice the level of the guaranteed minimum income for a single person, provided by Law no. 416/2001 regarding the guaranteed minimum income, with subsequent amendments and completions.

Law no. 248/2015 regarding the stimulation of participation in preschool education of children from disadvantaged families; GD 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 of children from disadvantaged families and the procedure for granting social vouchers for kindergarten.

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 provisional operating authorization or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are education providers that carry out educational activities based on study programs authorized to operate provisionally/accredited under the law, for initial and continuous university-level training, programs that operate on the principle of quality and the correlation of the educational offer with the labor market.

The national higher education system 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 access 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. Also, public accountability is regulated for any higher education institution, public or private.

By an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The nomenclature of areas and specializations/university study programs per union
• the structure of accredited or provisionally authorized public and private higher education institutions, with:
  • fields of undergraduate university studies and accredited or provisionally authorized specializations/study programs,
  • geographical locations of operation,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and language of instruction,
  • maximum number of students who can be enrolled

The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuous training at the university level, for personal development, individual professional insertion and satisfying the competence needs of the socioeconomic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation and technology transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the fields of science, engineering sciences, arts, letters, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as the valorization and dissemination of their results. All these are achieved in compliance with 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 freedom of national and international mobility of students, teaching staff and researchers;

k) the principle of consulting social partners in decision-making;

l) the principle of student-centered education.

The structure of the academic year (according to Law no. 1/2011 – art. 136)

• The academic year usually begins on the first working day of October, includes two semesters and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year.
• A semester usually has a duration of 14 weeks of teaching activities followed, as a rule, by at least 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• When awarding transferable study credits for a semester, a period of at least 17 weeks is taken into account.
• The university senate of each higher education institution approves annually, at least 3 months before the start of the academic year, the regulations regarding students' professional activity, as well as the calendar of specific educational activities for academic study semesters.

The "Professional Scholarship" is a national social program aimed at 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, i.e., citizens of the European Union/the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation with the right of residence/stay in Romania, who attend 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 Ministry of Education level, a national commission is formed to monitor the granting of the "Professional Scholarship".

The “Second Chance” program is aimed at adolescents, young people, and adults from various social backgrounds and ages, who did not attend or did not complete primary and secondary education. The program offers these categories of people the possibility to continue and finish compulsory education without having to interrupt their possible professional or family activities they are engaged in.

The program is structured on two levels: Second Chance – primary education and Second Chance – lower secondary education – the latter also having a professional training component.

There is no upper age limit for those who wish to enroll in this program. The condition is that they must be at least 4 years older than the age corresponding to the class and find themselves 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 dropping out;
• have not graduated from primary education by the age of 14.

For the Second Chance – lower secondary education program:

• have graduated compulsory primary education (including through the Second Chance system) but did not continue their education further

or:

• have completed some of the classes corresponding to secondary education (V, VI or VII), but dropped out during this educational cycle – regardless of the time and reasons for dropping out.

The Second Chance program is flexible, so as to motivate learners and determine them to complete it, to offer more autonomy to schools regarding its implementation, as well as the necessary support to all those involved, through teacher training programs and educational materials for learners and teachers. Through the program, innovative elements have been introduced in the educational process, such as: modular curriculum and the credit system for basic education, evaluation, certification and recognition of competencies previously acquired by the learners, and ensuring an individualized preparation program.

Enrollment in the Second Chance program can be done each year in two sessions: October and February.

Students enrolled in the program may have very different levels and expectations. The new program provides a transparent offer of modules that students can follow to acquire skills, as a result of participating in cooperative learning activities, in real contexts and with tasks and topics that meet their interests and needs.

Learning will take place in small groups (8-15 students in each class). Courses can be conducted according to several schedules (during the week in the afternoon or evening, on Saturdays or during school holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the learners and teachers. Individual consultations are planned and available to students.

The program has a flexible duration. The average period of schooling (2 years for primary education, respectively 4 years for lower secondary education) can be shortened for each student, depending on the competencies demonstrated, both in basic education and professional training.

Graduates have the right to continue their studies, according to legal provisions, as follows:

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - primary education can continue their studies in secondary education;

Graduates of the Second Chance Program - lower secondary education can continue their studies in upper secondary education (upper cycle of high school) or undertake practical training periods, after which they have the possibility to obtain a level 3 professional qualification certificate.

For young people in the program, the graduation certificate will not only represent a personal success, but the chance for another tomorrow.

Post-secondary education is organized for professional qualifications established by the Ministry of National Education in accordance with the National Register of Qualifications.

In post-secondary education, high school graduates with or without a baccalaureate diploma can enroll, 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 foremen's school. Both post-secondary school and foremen's school represent specialized training routes, lasting 1-3 years, depending on the complexity of the qualification.

Post-secondary education graduates 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 amounts separated from the revenues of the state budget and from the revenues of local budgets. Schooling can also be financed by applicants, natural or legal persons, through a contract concluded with the educational institution that provides schooling.

Credits for education and professional training obtained in post-secondary education can be recognized for graduates with a baccalaureate diploma by universities, based on senate decisions, as units of transferable study credits for the bachelor's level.

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