Ministry of Education: Fee-based competitions remain prohibited

The Ministry of Education and Research has published the official lists and schedules of school competitions that will take place in Romania at international, national and regional levels, in the 2025-2026 school year, according to a statement sent by the institution. The competitions are aimed at students in middle and high school and cover both school Olympiads and other officially recognized competitions.

The Ministry of Education and Research reiterated that, in state pre-university education units, it is strictly prohibited to organize or hold school competitions and contests that require participation fees or any other type of financial contribution from students or parents. "The school competitions included in these lists are organized for students in middle and high school. In state pre-university education units, the organization and holding of school competitions and contests with a fee or for which any kind of financial contribution is requested from parents/students is prohibited," the ministry stated in a message published on Facebook.

The ban also covers situations in which participation is indirectly conditioned by the purchase of auxiliary materials, such as books, magazines, guides or compendia.

• Olympiads, scheduled outside exams and public holidays

Regarding the school Olympiad calendar, the Ministry of Education and Research announces that the competition stages have been established so as not to overlap with sensitive periods in the students' educational journey. Thus, no stages of the Olympiads have been scheduled in the intervals dedicated to: national exam simulations; aptitude tests or verification of modern or mother tongue knowledge for admission to high school; national assessment in grade 6; days that coincide with public holidays. The Ministry recognizes that there may be situations in which a student qualifies for several competitions whose county or national stages overlap in terms of calendar. In such cases, the National Commission for the Coordination of School Competitions will analyze each situation separately and will identify appropriate solutions, following a written request. The request may be made: by the parent or legal representative, in the case of minor students;by the student, in the case of adults.