Young Roma can apply until September 20 for merit scholarships of 1,200 lei per month
Students of Roma descent, aged 16 to 25, will be eligible for 120 merit-based scholarships, each valued at 1,200 lei per month, during the 2025–2026 academic year. This program is offered by the Ministry of Education and Research (MEC) in partnership with the Interethnic Relations Agency. Its aim is to promote access to education for young Roma.
Candidates can submit their applications until September 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Applications should be sent to the headquarters of the Interethnic Relations Agency in Chisinau, located at 109/1 Alexei Mateevici Street. Be sure to include the note "Merit Scholarship Competition for Roma Students," as stated by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
It is essential to note that these scholarships cannot be combined with other forms of state budget financial support.
Previously, education authorities announced a decrease in the school dropout rate in the Republic of Moldova. Official data shows that while approximately 250 children dropped out of school annually in the 2003-2004 school year, that number has now reduced to around 90 to 100.
Ivan Duminica, the head of the Policy Service for interethnic relations at the Ministry of Education and Culture, attributes the main reasons for school dropout to economic hardships, parental migration, and early marriages, particularly within the Roma community.
According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census, about 0.4% of the total population in the Republic of Moldova, which equates to just over 9,600 individuals, identified as Roma. However, estimates from the Interethnic Relations Agency, based on mapping of Roma communities and additional data from local reports, community mediators, and local authorities, suggest that the actual number of Roma citizens is significantly higher, exceeding 27,000.
