Document Students will no longer receive scholarships of Olympic/International Excellence. To how much the scholarships that should motivate them to choose a teaching career are reduced

Students registered in university degree programs, financed from the state budget, will no longer receive scholarships of Olympic and international excellence, which could reach 3,700 lei for the 1st prize, and the scholarships meant to stimulate a career in education will be reduced by over 1500 lei to the minimum of the minimum, published Monday in the Official Gazette.

The Ministry of Education issued on Thursday, July 31, two orders by which it significantly reduced the students' scholarships invoking the provisions of Law 141/2025 (the first package of fiscal measures assumed by the Ilie Bolojan government) and the need to eliminate the risk of financial support by the state.

A first act modifies the Order of the Minister of Education no. 7.296/2024 regarding the approval of the amounts of scholarships for students registered in university studies, organized with financing from the state budget, to the form of frequency, in the state higher education institutions, in the academic year 2024- 2025.

The main changes:

• The amount of the study scholarship granted from the state budget to the students registered on places financed from the state budget to the programs of university studies with double specialization or didactic master's degree will be equal to the net minimum wage, worth 2,165 lei. Currently, the amount of these scholarships meant to stimulate the students' choice of a career in education, are equal to the net salary of a beginner teacher, guaranteed on October 1, 2024, worth 3,700 lei. In other words, these scholarships will be reduced by 1535 lei.
• The article that aimed at what scholarships of I/International Olympic Excellence is repealed, the students enrolled in university degree programs, organized with financing from the state budget, to the form of frequency, respectively: respectively: respectively:
  a) 3,700 lei for the first prize;
  b) 2,775 lei for the second prize;
  c) 1,850 lei for the third prize.

A second act modifies the annex to the Order of the Minister of Education no. 6.463/2023 regarding the approval of the general criteria for granting scholarships for students from higher state education.

The main changes:

• Scholarships of Olympic /International Excellence are eliminated.
• For academic results, only performance scholarships, study scholars, didactic masters and dual education scholarships will be granted.
• The scholarships will be granted only during the period of conduct of didactic activities, through which courses, seminars, laboratories, projects, practical activities, exam session, according to the graph of activities, only for the students from the frequency education registered on the places financed from the state budget. So far, the scholarships, regardless of the category, were granted throughout the academic year (12 months), except for occasional social scholarships.
• The performance scholarships will be granted to students from the state higher education registered on places financed from the state budget, for frequency university studies. So far, these scholarships were granted to students from higher state education, registered in frequency university studies, regardless of the form of financing.
• The amount of the study scholarship granted from the state budget to the students registered at the programs of university studies with double specialization or with the didactic master will be equal to the net minimum wage on the economy. So far, these scholarships were equal to the net salary of a debutant teacher, who was paid on October 1 of each year, ie 3,700 lei, as we informed above.
• The social scholarships will be granted during the period of conduct of didactic activities, through which courses, seminars, laboratories, projects, practical activities, exam sessions, according to the graph of activities, only for the students from the frequency education registered from the places financed from the state budget, to the 35 year, are understood. So far, the social scholarships were granted during the legal duration of the study program, until the age of 35.
• The value of the standard cost for the scholarship and social protection fund in lei/month/student will be the equivalent of 10% of the minimum net basic salary in the country guaranteed. So far, this cost was the equivalent of 10% of the minimum gross basic salary in the country guaranteed.
• I cannot constitute criteria for granting any type of scholarships from funds from the state budget: age, sex, religion, race, nationality, citizenship, sexual orientation, political affiliation of the candidate or family, belonging to legally constituted organizations, or with activity in accordance with the European legislation, abroad and no access to scholarships from other sources. So far it has not mattered the “form of financing”, but this criterion has been eliminated.

Minister of Education: “We no longer allow this system financially”

The Minister of Education, Daniel David, announced on June 25 that the school scholarship system for students is to be reorganized.

“The spectacular growth of recent years cannot be sustained. I think it was a good intention, but it is unsustainable!

According to the minister, the school scholarships cost 7 billion lei annually, that is “almost a quarter of the deficit for which we return the country on the back and everywhere the research-development-invitation budget”.

“More importantly, honestly and directly said, especially now in crisis, we will not allow this system financially!”, Said Daniel David.

The new formula proposed by the ministry involves the preservation of only two categories of scholarships:

• Social scholarships, intended for students from vulnerable environments, will continue to include the support given to minor mothers. These scholarships will be managed by the local social assistance authorities, based on a methodology initiated by the ministry.
• The merit scholarships will be awarded to students with averages of at least 9 (currently 9.50), within 15% of the total students in a class (currently a 30% limit). After the reorganization of the Olympics and competitions, the winners' prizes will be increased.