If you’re a parent in Romania, you probably know the drill. Every spring, there’s this weird, frantic dance between the Ministry of Education, teachers' unions, and parents. Everyone’s trying to figure out when the kids actually go back to class. Honestly, it’s rarely as straightforward as just picking a Monday in September. For the upcoming cycle, the Romania school year start date 2025 is officially set, but the structure is still throwing some people for a loop.
Here is the deal: School starts on Monday, September 8, 2025.
That’s the big day. But before you go booking a cheap late-September flight to Greece, you’ve got to understand how the "modular" system works now. Romania ditched the traditional two-semester system a while back. Now, we’re living in the world of five modules. It’s basically school-break-school-break on a loop until June.
Why the September 8 Start Date Matters
For years, the start date hovered around September 15. Then it moved to the 11th, then the 9th. Moving it to September 8 for the 2025-2026 year means the Ministry is leaning into an earlier start to fit in more "breathing room" later. This isn't just about getting kids back to their desks; it's about the logistics of the 36-week course load.
You’ve got to realize that while September 8 is the start for most, it’s not the start for everyone. If you’re a teacher, you’re back way earlier for planning. If you’re a student in a private international school, like the British School or American School of Bucharest, your dates might vary by a week or more. But for the millions in the public system, September 8 is the "ghiozdan" (backpack) day.
The 2025-2026 Modular Breakdown
The structure can be kinda confusing if you aren't looking at a calendar. Basically, the year is chopped into five parts.
Module 1 kicks off on September 8 and runs until October 24. It’s a short seven-week sprint. Then everyone gets a week off. It used to be that only primary school kids got this fall break, but now it’s everyone. Grades 1 through 12.
Module 2 starts November 3 and ends right before Christmas on December 19. This is usually the "long haul" where the weather gets gray and everyone starts counting down to the winter holidays.
Module 3 is where it gets tricky. It starts January 8, 2026 (right after Epiphany). But the end date? That’s a "choose your own adventure" situation. Depending on which county you live in (Cluj, Bucharest, Iași, etc.), the February break—often called the "ski holiday"—can fall on the second, third, or fourth week of February.
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The "Ski Holiday" and Local Decisions
This is what most people get wrong about the Romanian school calendar. There is no single national date for the February break. Your local School Inspectorate (ISJ) decides.
- Some counties pick the week of February 9.
- Others go with February 16.
- The rest choose February 23.
This was done to prevent every family in Romania from hitting the slopes in Poiana Brașov at the exact same time. It sort of works, but it makes planning a family trip with cousins from a different city a total nightmare. Honestly, check with your specific school in early 2025 before you put any deposits down for a mountain cabin.
Spring Dates and the Easter Alignment
Module 4 starts after that February break and goes until April 3.
The spring break in 2026 is actually pretty well-aligned for once. It runs from April 4 to April 14. This period covers both the Catholic Easter (April 5) and the Orthodox Easter (April 12). Usually, when these dates are far apart, the school calendar gets messy, but 2026 is looking relatively merciful for families of different denominations.
Module 5 is the final stretch. It starts Wednesday, April 15, and goes until the finish line on June 19, 2026.
Exceptions to the Rule: Who Finishes Early?
Not everyone makes it to June 19. If you have a kid in a "terminal year," their life is governed by exams, not just modules.
- 8th Graders: They finish a week early, on June 12, 2026. They need that extra time to prep for the National Evaluation (Evaluarea Națională).
- 12th Graders: The big kahunas. They finish even earlier, on June 5, 2026. Their focus shifts entirely to the Baccalaureate.
- Vocational/Tech Students: These guys actually stay longer. Their year often stretches to 37 weeks, ending closer to June 26.
Green Week and School Different
You also have to factor in the "Săptămâna Altfel" (School Different) and "Săptămâna Verde" (Green Week). These aren't holidays, but they aren't normal classes either. Schools get to pick when these happen within the first four modules, as long as they don't overlap.
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Basically, for five days, your kid might be visiting a museum or planting trees instead of doing math. It’s great for the kids, but for working parents, it often means weird pickup times or finding money for field trips on short notice.
Practical Steps for Parents and Students
- Download the "EduStructure" apps: There are several unofficial apps in the Play Store/App Store that sync the Romanian school calendar to your phone. They update automatically when the Inspectorates pick their February dates.
- Book the February Break early: Once your county announces its specific week, hotel prices in the Carpathians skyrocket.
- Check the "Green Week" schedule: Ask your child's teacher in September when they plan to do the non-traditional weeks. It helps to know if you'll need to pack lunches for day trips in October versus March.
- Verify the 2025 Start Date locally: While the national date is September 8, occasionally a school undergoing renovations might get a special dispensation to start a few days late or move to an online format temporarily.
The Romania school year start date 2025 is the first domino in a very long, very structured year. By getting the dates in your calendar now, you’re saving yourself a massive headache when September inevitably rolls around and everyone is rushing to buy supplies at the last minute.
Make sure to double-check with the official Ministry of Education portal (edu.ro) as the date approaches, just in case any emergency ordinances shift things by a few days—though with the current law, September 8 is the firm target.
Next Steps:
Confirm your specific county's February 2026 "ski holiday" through the local School Inspectorate website to finalize your winter travel plans.
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