Free Romanian language classes close early on high diaspora demand
Nearly 2,000 Moldovan diaspora youth registered for free online Romanian language courses within just one week, forcing education authorities to close applications ahead of schedule due to overwhelming demand, organizers reported.
Unprecedented demand abroad
The program, organized jointly by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Diaspora Relations Bureau, targets expatriate children and teenagers aged 10 to 18 who wish to learn Romanian or enhance their fluency. While applications were originally slated to remain open until Oct. 25, the registration window was suspended early as submissions rapidly exceeded available slots.
Eligible applicants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, with candidates notified of selection outcomes by email. Certified instructors based in Moldova will conduct online classes, grouping students according to age and linguistic proficiency to strengthen ties with their ancestral homeland.
Institutional efforts to preserve linguistic identity
The initiative expands longstanding state programs designed to prevent linguistic attrition among emigrant families. The National Curriculum Council first approved an educational curriculum tailored for diaspora children in 2017, focusing on young learners aged 7 to 12 from mixed or returning households.
Complementing academic coursework, the government’s Diaspora-Origins-Returns (DOR) program, established in 2013, has connected over 1,700 young participants through cultural and educational residencies across 14 editions. Its 2026 session gathered 240 participants from 23 countries.
Simultaneously, Moldova continues promoting language acquisition internally through its National Romanian Language Learning Program. Launched in 2023 for domestic non-native speakers, the initiative trained approximately 25,000 beneficiaries by late 2025, with an additional 6,800 citizens already enrolled for the 2026–2028 cycle.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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