Branches of study

According to the Education Code, the Bachelor’s studies, called “studii superioare de licenţă”, refer to the higher education ISCED level 6 (European Qualification Framework) and are aligned to the level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

At the end of the programme, university students are awarded a Bachelor’s Degree Diploma (called Diplomă de studii superioare de licenţă) in the respective study field (fields).

The branches of studies are established by the Government Decision Nr. 412 of 12.06.2024:  https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=143592&lang=ro 

10 different fields of education based on the international ISCED classification are established:

• 01 Education:

• 02 Arts and humanities

• 03 Social sciences, journalism and information

• 04 Business, administration and law

• 05 Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics

• 06 Information and communication technologies (ICTs)

• 07 Engineering, manufacturing and construction

• 08 Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary

• 09 Health

• 10 Services

The following branches of studies are aligned to international and European Union regulations: medicine and pharmacy; veterinary medicine; architecture. 

The length of Bachelor programmes is 180-240 ECTS credits, 30 ECTS credits for each semester. The duration of studies is 3 to 4 academic years.

The Bachelor’s studies have a length that varies according to the field:

180 ECTS (3 years) – for education, art photography, film and TV production, audiovisual communication, fine arts history and theory, humanities, social sciences, journalism and information, business, administration, natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, informational management, informatics and applied informatics (computer science), services.

240 ECTS (4 years) – for arts, law, software engineering, information technology, information security, computers and networking, engineering, manufacturing, architecture, construction, agriculture, forestry, horticulture, transport services, etc. 

Higher education institutions are allowed, at the first-cycle, to deliver simultaneous training in two different study programmes in the fields of Education and Services. In this case the duration of studies will be one year longer. These double specialties studies lead to a single qualification and the issuance of a single university diploma in two specialties. 

Source:   https://mecc.gov.md/en/node/8402 

Admission requirements

All persons holding a Baccalaureate diploma, a professional studies diploma or a recognized equivalent document can participate in the admission competition for first-cycle Bachelor’s programmes or integrated programmes (cycles I and II).

The admission in public and private higher education institutions is organised only to accredited or provisionally authorised study programmes. 

Bachelor's studies can be offered on places:

• financed from the state budget, within the limits set annually by the Government;

• with tuition fees;

• with mixed financing.

The maximum number of course places is determined within the limit of registration capacity established by accreditation or provisional authorisation of the respective study programmes. The government establishes each year the state admission order/command (number of students per study programme) with funding from the state budget and without tuition fees. 

Citizens of the Republic of Moldova (students) can benefit from the right of access to higher education financed from the state budget (without tuition fees) only once, in each cycle of higher education.

The admission competition is organised by the higher education institution themselves in accordance with their own methodologies. The criteria for the organisation of the admission competition are established by the Framework Regulation for the organisation of admission in higher education bachelor and integrated studies, approved by the Ministry of Education and Research each year.

Starting with 2024, the registration of candidates for the admission competition is done online by accessing the web page eadmitere.gov.md, individually or with the support of the university admission committees. Foreign citizens can submit the file in physical format directly to the higher education institution.

Higher education institutions inform candidates of the admission methodology, by displaying on institutional web page of the following information:

• Framework regulation of the admission or institutional regulation of the admission. 

• Admission calendar (basic session and additional sessions; the period for submitting the competition file with copies of documents; the period of examinations - if applicable; dates of presentation of original documents; dates for displaying/posting intermediate and final results).

• Method of calculating the general admission average;

• Distribution of budgetary places and of those with fees (by fields of professional training, study programmes, forms of education).

• Conditions and necessary documents for registration in the competition.

• The date, place and method of conducting the competition tests (if applicable).

• Special facilities or conditions.

• Registration fees for the admission.

• Study fees.

• Other useful information for candidates.

The admission fees are not charged from young people left without parental protection and those with pronounced and severe degree of disabilities.

The candidates have the right to register for the admission competition simultaneously at maximum 3 higher education institutions, and in each higher education institution – at maximum 3 first-cycle Bachelor’s programmes. After the completion of the admission procedures, the student can only be enrolled in a single study programme within a single higher education institution. The candidate who succeeded in the admission competition will be enrolled as a student only after submitting the original documents within the established deadline.

Admission facilities: 

a. 15% of the total number of budget places in each higher education programme is intended for the following categories of applicants aged up to 23 years:

• people without parental protection; persons with a severe or pronounced degree of disability; 

• people from families with three or more children aged up to 20 years; 

• people who have three or more children to support or have children with a severe or pronounced degree of disability; 

• people whose parents participated in the military actions to defend the integrity and independence of the Republic of Moldova, in the war in Afghanistan or in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at Chernobyl;

• military personnel/staff participating in post-conflict humanitarian operations in Iraq; 

• graduates from the administrative-territorial units on the left side of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender, who studied according to the educational programmes approved by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova; 

• people from Roma families; 

• young people who have completed their military service within the armed forces of the Republic of Moldova.

b. Admission outside the competition (within the limits of the budgetary funded places) for: 

• winners of national and international contests in the relevant fields of studies; 

• winners of European and world sports competitions.

Special conditions for admission:

• Graduates from the administrative-territorial units on the left side of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender, who studied according to the educational programmes approved by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, can participate in the admission competition for the study places with special destination for this category of candidates.

• Graduates from administrative-territorial units on the left side of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender, who hold certificates of secondary education, can participate in the admission competition for the study places with special destination for this category of candidates. Candidates who have passed the entrance exams and enrolled, will follow a year of compensatory studies and will take the national baccalaureate exams at the end of this year.

• Students, representatives of the Moldovan diaspora, do not follow a compensatory year and do not have the obligation to take the national baccalaureate exams.

Recognition of prior learning:

• Higher education institutions can accept a maximum of 60 ECTS credits accumulated in post-secondary technical vocational education and post-secondary non-tertiary education (ISCED level 5) in the relevant fields of studies.

Recognition of studies completed abroad:

• Higher education institutions have a procedure for recognition and equivalence of periods of study abroad for people applying for studies in their educational programmes. The methodology for recognition and equivalence of periods of study abroad is established by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova.

Curriculum

The curriculum in higher education institutions is developed in accordance with the provisions of the National Qualifications Framework, for each study cycle and field, and is approved by the institution's senate. The alignment between the curriculum and the qualification awarded upon graduation is a mandatory criterion for evaluating the quality of the higher education institution.

Higher education institutions are autonomous to decide on the content of their educational curricula for each specific course. 

The development, structure and implementation of the Bachelor’s study programmes are regulated by the Ministry of Education and Research through two guidelines: 

• Framework Plan for Bachelor's (cycle I), Master's (cycle II) and integrated higher studies (cycles I and II);

• Regulation for the organisation of Bachelor and integrated studies.

The Framework Plan for Bachelor's (cycle I), Master's (cycle II) and integrated higher studies (cycles I and II), adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research in 2020, establishes, among others, the requirements for the structure of study programmes. This Framework Plan is a part of the state educational standards in higher education. The study programme includes the educational plan, Curricula and Sheets of courses and modules.

Thus, the Bachelor’s study programme (cycle I) must contain:

• Fundamental (core courses), general, specialised and socio-humanistic courses (or modules) grouped by categories (compulsory, optional, free choice) 

• The fundamental and specialised courses must constitute at least 65% of the total number of ECTS credits assigned to the Bachelor’s study programme

• General courses are mandatory and must include: 

  • at least one foreign language course, applied in the professional field, starting from the first year of studies; 

  • an ICT (information communication technology) course;

  • Romanian language course for communication - for students from groups with teaching in a language other than Romanian;

  • separate course or topics related to Ethics and Professional Culture in specialty courses;

  • Educational Management course for students in the field of Educational Sciences.

• Compulsory physical education course for first- and second-year students. It is not quantified by ECTS credits, but it is the prerequisite for admission to the exams for completing the Bachelor’s programme 

• 2 mandatory internships (first - specialised and second - research/creative). The internships must constitute 10-12% of the total number of ECTS credits allocated to the programme, etc.

The study programmes are subject to provisional operation authorisation and accreditation. After obtaining accreditation, at least once every 5 years, the study programmes and higher education institutions are subject to periodic external evaluation for their re-accreditation.

The Regulation for the organisation of Bachelor’s and integrated studies, adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research in 2019, establishes several requirements for the development and implementation of the study programmes:

a. The teaching-learning-evaluation process is carried out based on the curricula of the course and modules.

b. The curriculum is developed by the head of the course until August 25 and approved by the Faculty Council.

c. The modified curricula can be implemented only:

• starting from the following year of studies and 

• if the changes were made by the end of the previous year of studies and

• if the changes were made public through the institution's information system.

d. the description of the course in curriculum includes several elements, such as:

• the year and semester in which the course or module is organised; 

• the degree of obligation (compulsory, optional, free choice); 

• training category (fundamental, general, specialised, socio-humanistic); 

• the number of ECTS credits allocated to the course or module;

• the name of the author(s) and teacher(s);

• the competences and learning outcomes;

• prerequisites or requirements;

e. The content of the course unit/module must correspond to the contents of the professional training field and of the study programme. The curriculum necessarily includes several elements, such as:

• basic content of the course and the distribution of hours (lectures, seminars, practical and laboratory work, individual study, etc.);

• language of teaching;

• teaching and learning methods used;

• evaluation methods used (written/oral/combined exams, computer-assisted evaluation, essays, practical works, laboratory works, case studies, reports, projects, theses, portfolios, etc.), as well as the weight and relative importance of the different evaluation stages and methods;

• recommended bibliography, etc.

The curriculum is public information and must be placed in the institutional information system.

Linguistic variants 

Higher degree studies are organised in Romanian language. However, depending on the possibilities of the higher education institutions, some programmes offer courses in one of the languages ​​of international circulation (mostly in English, French, German, Russian, etc.) or in the languages of ​​ national minorities like Russian, Gagauz, Bulgarian or Ukrainian. 

The training of foreign students is carried out in Romanian language or, at the request of the candidates, in a language of international circulation, depending on the possibilities of the higher education institutions and within the limits of budgets allocated for this purpose.

Teaching methods

Teachers are free to choose their own teaching methods and must describe them in advance in the curriculum of the course.

The basic content of the course is organised in different types of activities: lectures for a large number of students, small group activities (seminars, practical and laboratory work, case studies, group projects), individual study, etc. Institutional regulations set the number of students in academic groups – usually between 15 and 25.

The use of new technologies and more interactive methods is increasing. The universities encourage teachers to apply new teaching and learning methods (student-centred, problem-based, research-based methods, learning outcomes approach and ICT based practices, etc.). Lecturers use multimedia presentations, interactive software, and online resources to deliver content. Special training sessions for teachers in applying new teaching and learning methods were organised at institutional and national levels in the frame of different national and international projects, implemented in higher education. 

Integration of e-learning technologies into the teaching & learning practices is increasing. Thus, in the majority of higher education institutions, the placement of course content on institutional online learning platforms has become a mandatory requirement or a criterion for the promotion of teachers.

The recommended (mandatory and additional) bibliography, necessary for acquiring the course is indicated in the course curriculum. Students have free of charge access to the bibliography in the university libraries. 

Bachelor’s study programmes involve alternating periods of academic study with practical work experience.  Internships are integral part of the educational programme and are carried out on the basis of the contract concluded by the higher education institution, students, and structures offering internships (enterprises, institutions, etc.).

Progression of students

Students are promoted from one stage of the Bachelor’s programme to the next based on successful completion of required courses, fulfilment of ECTS credit requirements, and compliance with institutional regulations. 

Full-time education students, who have accumulated a minimum of 40 ECTS credits in the study year, as well as part-time and distance education students, who have accumulated at least 65% of the ECTS credits planned for the respective year, may be enrolled in the next study year, provided that the remaining credits are accumulated during the year in which they were enrolled. Failing this, they will be proposed for expulsion.

Students may have two repeated attempts to pass failed exams and an additional attempt under a special decision of the faculty-level quality assurance committee. 

The normative duration of Bachelor’s programmes (cycle I) and integrated studies (cycles I and II) is:

• in the case of full-time education – 3 years for programmes of 180 ECTS credits and 4 years for programmes of 240 ECTS credits;

• in the case of parallel studies in two educational programmes, the duration is longer by one year;

• in the case of part-time and distance education the duration is longer by one year than full-time education – 4 years for programmes of 180 ECTS credits and 5 years for programmes of 240 ECTS credits;

• in the case of integrated studies (cycles I and II), the cumulative duration will correspond to at least 300 ECTS credits.

Students may suspend their studies for periods not exceeding three years in total. 

Suspension of Bachelor’s programme is also possible by granting a one-year academic leave. The academic leave can only be granted after completing at least two semesters of studies.

Reducing the length of studies: the normative duration of Bachelor's (and integrated higher studies) can be reduced by a maximum of one year:

• For graduates of higher education institutions, who apply for another specialty, the reduction of the Bachelor's length of studies (cycle I) may be conditioned by the recognition of a certain number of ECTS credits accumulated in the first Bachelor’s programme.

• For graduates of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education institutions, who continue their studies in Bachelor’s programme in the same field, the reduction of the Bachelor's length of studies (cycle I) may be conditioned by the recognition up to 60 ECTS credits, previously accumulated in upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education programmes (ISCED level 5).

Each higher education institution approves the institutional regulation for the extension of studies. In some institutions, at the end of a Bachelor’s programme, the student who has not accumulated the required number of ECTS credits may request, for a fee, an extension to follow non-promoted courses.

The terms and conditions of the final evaluation are approved by the Ministry of Education and Research in the Framework Regulation for the Final Evaluation of Bachelor’s studies (cycle I) and integrated higher studies (cycles I and II). Students can have three repeated attempts, for a fee, to pass failed exams within the next five years after graduation. Students who have failed the exams within five years after graduation, can participate in a new admission to the bachelor's programme with the possibility of reducing the duration of study by recognising a certain number of ECTS credits, according to the institutional standards.

Employability

The internships (work placements) are integrated in the Bachelor’s study programmes. Students must have two mandatory internships: the first - specialised and the second - dedicated to research or creative. The internships must constitute 10-12% of the total number of ECTS credits assigned to the Bachelor’s programme. The allocation of ECTS credits for internships is determined by the higher education institution based on the type of Bachelor’s programme and the field of study – with 1-2 ECTS credits for a full week of internship.

The terms and conditions of the internship are regulated by the Ministry of Education and Research through the Framework Regulation regarding Internships in higher education, adopted in 2014. Higher education institutions develop institutional regulations of internships. Students can have internships in the public or private sector, within the country or abroad, provided that this activity is included in the relevant Bachelor’s study programme.

Most higher education institutions include employers in the examination board for the final assessment of Bachelor’s studies (cycle I) or integrated studies (cycles I and II).

Higher education institutions are increasingly setting up University Career Guidance Centres. They combine student counselling and legal services for students with various trainings delivered by teachers or relevant professionals from the university, as well as other institutions and organisations. The University Career Guidance Centres: 

• facilitate work placement according to the partnership agreements; 

• organise Labour Fairs to familiarise future specialists, university graduates, with companies, which can become potential employers;

• intermediate the assignment of students to internships;

• intermediate the employment of students and recent graduates;

• develop analyses and research on the professional and social integration of students, etc.

Particular measures for specific groups of bachelor graduates

The Ministry of Education and Research supports young graduates of Bachelor's or Master's programmes, assigned by competition to work as a teacher in a school or kindergarten. The winners of competition will benefit from:

• a single allowance of 160,000 lei or 200,000 lei (about 8000 or 10000 euro);

• compensations in the amount of 4000 lei (about 200 euro) annually for the procurement of didactic materials and equipment;

• in the first 5 years of activity in the rural environment or in the district centres: compensated expenses for: renting the residential space of 1000 lei (about 50 euro) per month; compensated costs for thermal and electrical energy of 3000 lei (150 euro) annually;

• 62 calendar days of annual leave;

• assistance from a teaching mentor during the first 5 years of activity.

Student assessment

Each university developed its own regulation of the procedures and methods for students' assessment. However, ministerial regulation establishes basic requirements in this field. 

The evaluation of the learning outcomes is done with marks from "10" to "1". The maximum grade "10" is awarded for outstanding results. The continuous assessment can also be done through “admitted" and "rejected" qualifications.

The grading scale recommended in the European Transferable Credit System (A, B, C, D, E, FX, and F) applies to completing the diploma supplement and facilitating academic mobility.

Continuous evaluation is done during seminars, practical and laboratory work. The marks obtained in the continuous evaluation are recorded in the register of the academic group.

Periodic evaluations: during a semester, at relatively equal time intervals, one or two periodic assessments are organised, which aim to estimate the student's intermediate success situation/progress. The marks obtained are recorded in the register of the academic group.

Evaluations at the end of each semester, at the completion of the course, are scheduled in exam sessions, according to the university studies calendar. During this exam’s session, an assessment test can only be taken once.

The student prepares a year thesis or a research project, according with the programme of studies. The defence of research projects (year theses) is organised before the start of the exam’s session. The committee composed of at least two teachers, set up at the level of the university department, assesses the research projects (year theses).

Students can take one exam in one day, and the interval between two exams must be at least two days. In the case of distance learning, exam sessions can be organised in a more compact manner. The results of the semester evaluation are recorded in the report cards.

The methods of assessing students – written, oral or combined exams, computer-assisted assessment, reports, practical work, and laboratory work, case studies, essays, projects/theses, portfolios, etc. The weight and relative importance of the different evaluation stages and methods are taken into account.  

The student who obtained a grade of less than 5 in an assessment test, or was absent at an exam is admitted to the following exams. Two sessions to take failed exams will be scheduled each year. Students may have two repeated attempts to pass failed exams and an additional attempt under a special decision of the faculty-level quality assurance committee.

The Senate of the higher education institution establishes the format of the graduation exam. The final assessment for Bachelor’s (cycle I) and integrated higher studies (cycles I and II) consists of passing the examination (examen de licenţă) and/or defending thesis (teza de licenţă) or diploma project. The defence of the final project, Bachelor's thesis or graduation thesis is usually organised within a public defence event. 

Certification

Bachelor’s studies (cycle I) conclude with the issuance of higher education Bachelor’s Diploma (Diplomă de studii superioare de licenţă), according to the models approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. The diploma is accompanied by the diploma supplement according to the Europass model. The diploma supplement is written in Romanian and English. 

The diploma issued upon completion of integrated higher studies (cycles I and II) is equivalent to the master's diploma.

In the case of joint higher education programmes, the joint diploma is issued in one of the following formulas:

• Joint diploma, in addition to one or more national diplomas;

• Joint diploma, issued by the institutions that offer the common study programme, without issuing the national diploma;

• One or more national diplomas, accompanied by a certificate attesting the qualification awarded jointly.

Joint diplomas and certificates are issued in the communication languages ​​established within the partnership and in English.