Students across Romania will return to classrooms on Monday, September 7, for the start of the 2026-2027 school year. The calendar includes 36 weeks of classes divided into five modules, with five holiday periods between them, Digi24 reported.

The school year officially runs administratively from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027, but classes begin on September 7. Each school will determine the timetable for opening-day ceremonies, access for parents, and other activities.

The first module will run until October 23, although no classes will be held on October 5, International Teachers’ Day. The autumn holiday is scheduled from October 24 to November 1.

Students will return for the second module on November 2 and continue classes until December 22. The winter holiday will run from December 23, 2026, to January 10, 2027.

Then, the third module begins on January 11, with its closing date varying by county. Local school inspectorates selected a one-week holiday between February 15 and March 7 after consulting students, parents, and teachers.

Classes will subsequently continue until April 23, followed by the spring holiday from April 24 to May 4. The final module will run from May 5 to June 18, with the summer holiday beginning on June 19 for most students.

Graduating high school students will complete 34 weeks of classes and finish on June 4, while eighth graders will end their 35-week school year on June 11. Most students in technological and vocational education will continue until June 25.

One of the main changes this year affects students entering ninth grade, who will be the first to begin the phased introduction of Romania’s new high school curriculum.

The new school year begins amid continued concerns about access to education, particularly in rural areas. According to Education Ministry data analyzed by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Romania’s Monitorul Social (Social Monitor) project, only 75.2% of children and young people aged 3 to 23 were enrolled in some form of education in the 2024-2025 school year. 

The gross enrolment rate in preschool education stood at 86.3% in 2025, but there was a considerable gap between urban areas, at 98.4%, and rural communities, at 74%. Among three-year-olds in rural areas, the rate was only 60.2%.

The divide was even wider in primary education, where the gross enrolment rate reached 98.5% in urban areas but only 71.5% in rural areas. At lower-secondary level, the corresponding figures were 96% and 65.6%, a gap of more than 30 percentage points and the largest recorded over the past five school years.

The overall gross enrolment rate was 85.1% in primary education, 80.7% at lower-secondary level and 78.6% in high school and vocational education. Monitorul Social said participation generally declines as students advance through the education system, while distance, transport costs and limited nearby options can create additional barriers for rural pupils.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)