End of an era for Moldovan students in Romania as financial support is slashed amid budget reforms
A significant shift in Romania’s educational funding policy has left thousands of Moldovan students facing unexpected financial hardship. Recent austerity measures have eliminated the possibility of combining merit-based scholarships with ethnic-origin grants, a dual support system that previously sustained the largest foreign student community in the country.
The Ministry of Education has implemented a new calculation formula for scholarship funds, shifting from a gross minimum wage benchmark to a net minimum wage basis. This technical adjustment has resulted in a 40% contraction of the total scholarship fund, forcing universities to scrap benefits such as summer stipends.
"I used one scholarship for rent and utilities, and the other for daily essentials," explains Fulguța Carauș, a student at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC). "The sudden removal of this support has forced me to rely on my parents, putting them in a difficult financial position."
The impact is particularly severe in university hubs like Iași, where rising dormitory fees and inflation have already increased the cost of living. For many, the "lucky generation" of students who could afford to travel and focus solely on academics has come to an abrupt end.
Liviu Maha, Rector of UAIC, points to a systemic flaw in the funding logic. He notes that the current budget is calculated based solely on the number of domestic Romanian students. "If Romanians from abroad were included in the foundational calculation, the fund would increase, making them eligible for performance scholarships without these restrictive caps," Maha explained.
Romania remains the top destination for Moldovan youth seeking higher education. According to official data from August 31, 2025, out of approximately 27,000 foreign residents with study permits, over 6,000 are from the Republic of Moldova, underscoring the regional geopolitical weight of these budget cuts.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
Author: Daniela Nemerenco
