According to the Education Code, higher education is organised in:

• universities, 

• academies of studies, 

• institutes, 

• higher schools, 

• higher education schools.

Depending on the type of property, higher education institutions can be:

• public or

• private

The higher education system includes 12 public and 4 private higher education institutions (in academic year 2024/2025). Source: National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. 

In the Republic of Moldova, higher education institutions are mostly represented by universities, academies, and institutes. Universities offer a wide range of academic programmes across multiple disciplines, including humanities, sciences, and professional fields. Academies typically focus on specific areas such as music and fine arts, economy, military, police etc. The institutes specialize in advanced studies and research in specific fields like technology, or social sciences. 

Following external quality assessment, accreditation of study programmes and institutional accreditation, the higher education institutions are classified in 3 categories:

• Category A - higher education institution that offers Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate higher education programmes in one or more fields of professional training; carries out research, development, innovation or artistic creation activities;

• Category B - higher education institution that offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in one or more fields of professional training; carries out research, development, innovation or artistic creation activities;

• Category C - higher education institution that offers Bachelor's degree programmes in a single field of professional training; carries out research or artistic creation activities.

The newly established higher education institution, which does not have institutional accreditation, is classified as Category C.