The government approved in September the framework methodology for granting school scholarships 2025-2026, after the system was amended by Law 141/2025 on some fiscal-budgetary measures. It repeals the old article of Law 198/2023 of pre -university education and reduces the types of scholarships from five to three, to which is added a special category.
Conditions for Merit Stock Exchange and Photo Archive
Thus, starting with the school year 2025-2026, students can benefit from:
the merit scholarship – 450 lei/month;
Social scholarship – 300 lei/month;
Technological scholarship – 300 lei/month;
scholarship for minor mothers – 700 lei/month.
“For the school year 2025-2026, the amount of the scholarships is: a) for the merit scholarship-450 lei/month; b) for the social stock exchange-300 lei/month; c) for the technological stock exchange-300 lei/month.” (Art. 7, Framework Methodology)
The criteria for the merit scholarship in school year 2025-2026
The merit scholarship has the role of rewarding the school performance and the results obtained in competitions and Olympics. They can benefit from it up to 15% of the students of each high school and high school.
The main conditions are regulated by Art. 8 of the Methodology:
“(1) The merit scholarships are granted for a maximum of 15% of the number of students of each high school and high school in a pre-university education unit that have a general averages in the anteriorly higher or equal to 9.00.”
“(4) The merit scholarships are granted, in addition to the 15%, and to the students of each 9th grade who were admitted to the high school without taking the national evaluation exam, based on, during the gymnasium, of a first prize at the national stage of the school Olympics (…) or of the 1st of the Ministry of Education.
“(7) The merit scholarship is also granted under the condition that the beneficiary student has obtained the average 10 for carrying or the” very good “qualification, at the end of the previous school year.”
In short, the merit scholarship is granted automatically, not based on demand, and includes:
– students with average over 9.00;
– students admitted to high school with prizes at national/international Olympics;
– students with notes equal to the last beneficiary of the 15%percentage.
Therefore, all the students on average equality will receive a scholarship, even if the 15% percentage will be exceeded.
What conditions should students meet in order to request social scholarship
The social scholarship supports students from families with low incomes or who are in special situations (orphans, with medical conditions, single -parent families).
“Art. 12. The social scholarship represents a form of support of students from socio-economic disadvantaged environments, from vulnerable groups or with special medical situations, in order to support participation in didactic activities, as well as to prevent school dropout.”
The main criteria for the Social Stock Exchange:
Income: “Students from families who make an average net income per family member (…) less than 50% of the minimum net salary on the economy” (art. 12 paragraph 1 letter a).
Family Situations: orphans by one or both parents, students in placement.
Medical problems: disabilities, oncological or chronic disorders.
Other situations: families receiving minimum inclusion income according to Law no. 196/2016.
“(2) In order to obtain the social scholarship, the major students or parents (…) submit to the secretariat of the educational unit a request accompanied by acts that prove the right to grant the social stock exchange, in the first 25 calendar days from the beginning of the school year.”
In addition to these criteria, the beneficiaries of the social scholarship must have had the average 10 in the previous school year.
Types of scholarships that have been abolished from 2025
The reform of the school scholarships has led to the elimination of previously granted support categories. According to Law 141/2025:
– Olympic excellence scholarships were abolished;
– The scholarship system was simplified, remaining only four types: merit, social, technological and for minor mothers.
This change aims to uniform criteria and reduce differences between schools, after, in the past, educational units could establish additional criteria.
The new school scholarships 2025-2026 reflect a double direction: stimulation of performance (through merit scholarships) and supporting vulnerable students (through social and minor mothers).
However, the elimination of exchanges of Olympic excellence has generated discussions in the educational environment, because international performances are no longer rewarded by a dedicated scholarship, but only by including in the category of merit scholarships.
