Overview

Last update: 18 March 2025

The right to education is guaranteed through compulsory general education, secondary and vocational education, higher education, as well as other forms of training and improvement.
The state ensures, in accordance with the law, the right to choose the language of education and training for individuals.
The study of the Romanian language is guaranteed in educational institutions at all levels.
State education is free of charge.
Educational institutions, including non-state ones, are established and operate in accordance with the law.
Higher education institutions enjoy the right to autonomy in the areas of management, structuring and functioning of the institution, teaching and scientific research activity, administration and financing.
Secondary, vocational, and higher state education are equally accessible to all, based on merit.
The state ensures, in accordance with the law, the freedom of religious education. State education is secular.
The primary right to choose the field of children's education belongs to the parents.

Key features of the education system

Governance

The Education Code of the Republic of Moldova serves as the foundational document that establishes the legal framework for the design, organisation, operation, and development of the country’s education system.

Moldova’s education system is structured across various levels, each with specific roles. The Ministry of Education and Research (MER) is the central authority responsible for education policy, curriculum standards, and strategic direction, ensuring uniform educational quality across the country. However, there has been a shift towards decentralisation, particularly in primary and secondary education administration.

At the regional level, local specialised bodies implement national policies, manage educational institutions, and ensure compliance with MER standards. This approach allows for adjustments to meet regional needs. Local authorities oversee pre-primary and primary education, managing staffing, budgets, and maintenance to better address community needs.

Higher education institutions enjoy a degree of autonomy, as guaranteed by the Constitution. They can design curricula, establish regulations, and manage finances independently, fostering innovation and responsiveness to academic and labour market trends.

The governance model balances central supervision with regional, local, and institutional autonomy, maintaining high educational standards while allowing flexibility at various levels.

Organisation and structures

National Baccalaureate Exam

The final assessment of educational performance in upper secondary education is conducted through the national examination known as the “National Baccalaureate Exam / Examenul Național de Bacalaureat”, which is organised and administered in accordance with the regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. Pupils who successfully complete upper secondary education, receive the Baccalaureate Diploma (Diploma de bacalaureat).

Dual education

The dual education system is implemented in Moldova at both the secondary vocational and higher education levels.

The introduction of dual vocational education and training (VET) in the Republic of Moldova began in 2014. Dual education is delivered through a partnership between VET institutions and companies, based on cooperation agreements. For secondary VET, the training time is divided, with 20-30% spent at the VET institution and 70-80% within the company. For post-secondary VET, the training time is equally split, with 50% spent at the institution and 50% within the company.

Within the framework of higher education (1^st cycle - Bachelor), dual education can be applied for certain specialties.

Educational Management Information Systems

Educational Management Information System (SIME) – the open data portal in Moldova which is designed for the dissemination and interactive visualisation of educational data. It integrates and consolidates information from general education, vocational education and training, and early childhood education. The SIME portal was launched in 2017. The concept of the Management Information System in Higher Education (SIMIS) was approved in 2024.

Stages of the education system

Compulsory education

Compulsory education begins with the preparatory group of preschool education (children aged 5 years) and ends with secondary education. The obligation to attend compulsory education ends at the age of 16.

The responsibility for ensuring the compulsory schooling of children up to the age of 16 lies with the parents or other legal representatives and the local public administration authorities at the first and second levels.

The Ministry of Education and Research elaborates, approves and monitors compliance with the regulations for compulsory enrolment of school-aged children.

According to the Education Code, the education system in Moldova is organised by levels and cycles in accordance with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-2011).

General education encompasses early childhood education (for children aged 0 to 6 or 7 years), primary education (Grades 1–4), lower secondary education (Grades 5–9), and upper secondary education (Grades 10–12 or 13). It also includes artistic education, special education, extracurricular education, and alternative educational approaches.

Early education

Early education refers to ISCED 0, and includes ante-preschool education (level 01) and preschool education (level 02).

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in the Republic of Moldova caters to children aged 0 to 6 (7) years, either in educational institutions or within the family. The mission of ECEC institutions is to provide quality education, address children’s educational needs, foster their overall development, and prepare them for school and social integration. ECEC institutions include: crèche (creşă) – an ante-preschool education institution for children up to 2 years, kindergarten a preschool education institution for children aged 2-6 (7), and community centres offering early education for children aged 0-6 (7).

Primary education

Primary education, corresponding to ISCED 1, is a key stage in the education system, covering grades 1 to 4 for children aged 7 to 11 years. It is compulsory and free of charge. The curriculum focuses on fundamental skills in subjects like mother tongue, mathematics, natural and social sciences, as well as practical and artistic skills.

Primary education is delivered in primary schools, with alternatives existing such as Montessori, Waldorf, and Step by Step schools, which emphasise individual development and experiential learning. Specialised profile schools are primary schools that adopt a specialised profile in certain areas - such as art, sport etc. Education for children and pupils with special educational needs is free of charge and can take place in general education institutions, including specialised ones, or through home education. The state has an obligation to ensure the integration of children and pupils with special educational needs into the education system, either by enrolling them in specialised institutions or in mainstream education.

Secondary education

The secondary education comprises the ISCED levels 2 and 3:

Lower secondary education, cycle I (ISCED 2): gymnasium education, is provided in Gymnasiums. The age range for general lower secondary education in Moldova is 11-15 years, corresponding to grades 5 to 9 over a period of 5 school years.

General lower secondary education is structured by disciplines and different teachers teach separate profile disciplines (e.g. biology, physics, etc.).

Upper secondary education, cycle II (ISCED 3): is provided through lyceum education, which is organised in Lyceums.

In Moldova, the typical age range for upper secondary education is 14-18, with pupils enrolling at 14-15 years and completing their studies at 17-18 years. The maximum age for pupils enrolled in full-time upper secondary education is 20 years. The duration of full-time education is three academic years, while part-time (evening) education lasts four academic years, allowing pupils aged 20 and older to be part of the same class.

Upper secondary education is structured in a differentiated manner, offering both theoretical tracks (humanities and sciences) and vocational tracks (arts, sports, theology, military), in line with the national curriculum.

Gymnasiums and lyceums can either be independent educational institutions or part of larger complexes that combine various levels of education, such as (a) primary school + gymnasium + lyceum or (b) gymnasium + lyceum.

Secondary technical and vocational education and training (ISCED 3) is provided in professional (or vocational) schools and in centres of excellence (centre de excelență). The typical age range for secondary technical and vocational education is 15-18 years, with pupils enrolling at 15-16 years and completing their studies at 17-18 years.

Institutions offering secondary, post-secondary, and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational education and training programmes may form consortia with vocational education and training and/or higher education institutions in accordance with the law.

Post-secondary education

The post-secondary education comprises the ISCED levels 4 and 5:

Post-secondary technical and vocational education and training (ISCED 4) is provided in Colleges (colegii) and in Centres of Excellence (centre de excelență), with a typical age range of 15-19 years.

Post-secondary non-tertiary technical and vocational education and training (ISCED 5) is provided in Centres of Excellence (centre de excelență), with a typical age range of 17-21 years.

Higher education

Moldova's higher education system has been part of the Bologna Process since 2005 and is organised into three cycles:

Cycle I: Bachelor (Licență) – ISCED level 6;
Cycle II: Master – ISCED level 7;
Cycle III: Doctoral – ISCED level 8.

Integrated higher education studies (Cycles I and II) are offered in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry; veterinary medicine; and architecture. Higher education is provided through two main branches: academic and advanced professional.

In the Republic of Moldova, higher education institutions are primarily represented by universities, academies, and institutes. Universities offer a broad range of academic programmes across various disciplines, including humanities, sciences, and professional fields. Academies tend to focus on specific areas such as music and fine arts, economics, military, and police studies, while institutes specialise in advanced research and studies in fields such as technology or social sciences.

Adult education

Adult education is part of lifelong learning, initiated after completing the first stage of education, regardless of the point at which initial training was interrupted. It includes:

General education, promoting the overall development of adults across cultural, socioeconomic, technological, and ecological dimensions.
Initial vocational training, providing adults without qualifications with the skills needed for employment.
Continuous vocational training, enhancing skills for employees by deepening expertise or learning new methods.

Access to adult education is guaranteed for all, without discrimination.