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Moldova admits more than 2,430 foreign students in 2026

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Moldova admitted more than 2,430 foreign students in 2026, up about 5.2% from the previous year, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Education and Research.

Students from 31 countries

Nearly 1,470 students enrolled in bachelor's degree programmes, while the rest entered master's programmes. They came from 31 countries, mainly Romania, Ukraine, India and Israel.

Students from Tunisia, the United States, China, Sweden, Turkey, Denmark and Azerbaijan also chose universities in the Republic of Moldova.

The institutions admitting the largest numbers of foreign students were the Free International University of Moldova, the “Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University, the Technical University of Moldova, the “Nicolae Testemițanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and Moldova State University.

Psychology, law and medicine among top choices

Foreign students chose bachelor's programmes in social and behavioural sciences, education, economics, health, law, information and communications technology, veterinary medicine, architecture, construction and engineering.

Psychology, law, medicine, preschool pedagogy and dentistry ranked as the five most popular specialisations.

Investment in higher education

The Ministry of Education and Research said the growing number of foreign students reflected the increasing international appeal and competitiveness of Moldovan universities.

More than 600 million lei (approximately €29.8 million) was invested in university infrastructure over the past five years, while qualified staff and modernised curricula were intended to prepare students for the global labour market, the ministry said.

“Investments in university infrastructure of more than 600 million lei over the past five years, qualified human resources and the modernisation of study programmes create an academic environment that enables young people from around the world to prepare for current labour market conditions anywhere in the world,” the ministry said in a press release.

Internationalisation backed by the World Bank

About €1.0 million (approximately 20.1 million MDL) was invested, with World Bank support, through the Moldova Higher Education Project to promote the internationalisation of higher education.

The funding supported the modernisation and international accreditation of study programmes, improved English-language teaching skills among university lecturers, and the creation of the studyin.md information platform.

The ministry also launched a campaign in India to promote study opportunities in the Republic of Moldova, identifying the country as having the greatest potential for attracting international students.

Last year, more than 2,310 foreign students enrolled at Moldovan universities.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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