Author
The Asylum Act prescribes for the right of minor asylum seekers to have access to before pre-school (0-3 years), pre-school (3-6 years) and compulsory education (6-18 years) under the same conditions as minor Romanian citizens, as long as no measure is taken to remove them or their parents from Romania.[1] Access to education is therefore free and unconditional.[2]
Compulsory general education consists of 10 grades and includes primary and lower secondary education. Compulsory education ends at the age of 18.[3]
While asylum-seeking children theoretically have access to education on the same terms as Romanian children, practical barriers hinder their integration and learning experience. According to CNRR, these challenges include lack of funding, delayed school enrolment, and lack of trained teachers.[4]
In 2022, the adoption of new methodologies for diploma recognition, school enrolment, and Romanian language classes for refugees represented a step forward in improving access to education for asylum seekers. However, CNRR reports that the implementation of these measures has been inconsistent due to varied interpretations at the local level and insufficient communication from the Ministry of Education to the schools. [5]
Despite efforts to integrate minor asylum seekers into the education system, several challenges persist:[6]
- Language barrier – a major obstacle that affects both participation and understanding in class.
- Educational gaps – some minors arrive with significant educational gaps. For example, there are cases of illiterate 16-year-olds or minors who have only completed 2-3 grades. Due to their age, they cannot be placed in primary school but also lack the necessary knowledge for high school.
- Limited school and kindergarten places – public schools and kindergartens have limited availability, making it difficult to secure spots for asylum-seeking children.
- Legal requirements – the law stipulates that minor asylum seekers must enrol in a preparatory language course within three months of submitting their asylum application. However, practical implementation can be challenging due to institutional constraints and the availability of resources.
Save the Children has played an active role in assisting minor asylum seekers, providing school supplies, clothing, after-school activities for children accommodated in Regional Centres.[7]
For adult asylum seekers seeking to enrol in qualification courses, the most common obstacles include:[8]
- Language barriers – limited knowledge of Romanian restricts access to training programs.
- Educational prerequisites – many courses require a minimum education level (e.g., at least eight grades for some courses and a high school diploma for others).
- Lack of free vocational training: According to statements from asylum seekers, there are currently no free vocational training programs available to them.
In addition to challenges related to education, asylum seekers face significant barriers in accessing other socio-economic rights. CNRR highlights that procedures for accessing public health programs, health insurance, and social benefits (such as unemployment or child allowances) are characterized by complex bureaucratic procedures, making them difficult to navigate without assistance. Furthermore, public institutions are often not adapted to the specific needs of asylum seekers, and public servants may lack knowledge of relevant legislation, which can result in denial of rights and necessitate intervention by NGOs to ensure access to these entitlements. [9]
Preparatory classes
Following the 2015 reform, the Asylum Act foresees a free intensive preparatory course for asylum-seeking children in view of easing their access to education before the enrolment at the national education system.[10] The training course is organised by the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with IGI-DAI. Children should be enrolled at the preparatory course within 3 months from the date their asylum application was made. At the same time, the child may be enrolled as an observer in the relevant year of study.
At the end of the preparatory course, an Evaluation Commission, whose composition and functioning are established by order of the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research assesses the level of knowledge of the Romanian language and establishes the registration of asylum seekers in the corresponding year of study.
In 2023, NGOs such as AIDRom[11] and Save the Children[12] have provided, within the regional centres, various education opportunities: Romanian language courses, support in access to the education system, but also access to extra-curricular activities. Also, the NGOs provided support to IGI-DAI in the procedure of enrolling minors asylum seekers in the preparatory course, and enrolling in the national education system. Save the Children highlighted that the Romanian authorities do not offer educational programs specially designed to meet the needs of this category of children. NGOs facilitate as much as possible the relationship with the schools/teaching staff/parents, offer additional support to the minor for school accommodation and language learning, subject recovery, etc. Within the project “Information, counselling and complex assistance for asylum seekers from the regional centres of the General Inspectorate for Immigration – OUTPUT 3, financed by UNHCR, there was also the activity of granting at least 48 educational packages for minors enrolled in preschool and school education. Unfortunately, the number of minors enrolled in the school for the 1-year intensive Romanian language course was very small. AIDRom managed to award only 7 packages (5 in the regional centre from Bucharest and 2 in the regional centre from Maramureș- Şomcuta Mare).
In 2024, Save the Children continued to provide support in the regional reception centres in Bucharest, Galați, Suceava, Maramureș, and Timișoara, focusing on accommodation and education assistance. By the end of 2024, the organisation had assisted 94 residents in these centres (Timișoara – 10; Bucharest – 16; Maramureș – 32; Suceava – 36), including asylum seekers, beneficiaries of protection, and persons whose asylum applications had been rejected. Additionally, Save the Children supported 153 asylum seekers living in private accommodation across the four counties. Regarding education, the NGO assisted 7 asylum-seeking children in accessing education: 4 children in Bucharest (2 girls, 2 boys, all enrolled in primary education) and 3 in Suceava (2 girls in lower secondary education and 1 boy in high school). No asylum-seeking children were assisted in accessing education in Maramureș or Timișoara during 2024.[13]
In 2024, minor asylum seekers were enrolled in schools and high schools near the Regional Centres, facilitating their integration into the education system. Initially, they attend classes as audience, meaning they participate in lessons without receiving grades. This process, supported by NGOs such as the Romanian National Council for Refugees (CNRR), Save the Children, and the ICAR Foundation, along with IGI staff, helps minors familiarize themselves with the Romanian language and the subjects taught in school. An identified problem is the limited places in public kindergartens and schools. The law stipulates that minor asylum seekers must enrol in the preparatory course within 3 months of the date of
submission of the asylum application. Save the Children organization was systematically involved, they provided supplies, clothes, proposed after-school activities with the children accommodated in the Center.[14]
At the end of the academic year, these children undergo an assessment to evaluate their knowledge. Based on the results, their appropriate education level is determined, and they are placed in a corresponding class for the following school year.[15]
[1] Article 17(1)(p) Asylum Act.
[2] Article 6(1) Asylum Decree.
[3] Article 16(1) and (2) Public Education Act.
[4] CNRR, Input by civil society organisations to the Asylum Report 2024, 2023, available here.
[5] CNRR, Input by civil society organisations to the Asylum Report 2024, 2023, available here.
[6] Information provided by CNRR and JRS Romania (Galati) In February 2025.
[7] Information provided by CNRR in February 2025.
[8] Information provided by CNRR and JRS Romania (Galati) In February 2025.
[9] CNRR, Input by civil society organisations to the Asylum Report 2024, 2023, available here.
[10] Article 18(1)-(4) Asylum Act.
[11] Information provided by AIDRom, 15 January 2024.
[12] Information provided by Save the Children, 15 January 2024.
[13] ibid. March 2025.
[14] Information provided by CNRR and JRS Romania (Galati) In February 2025.
[15] ibid.