Titularizare

Overview

"Titularizare" is the common name for Romania's national competition for filling vacant or reserved teaching posts in pre-university education (concursul național pentru ocuparea posturilor didactice/catedrelor declarate vacante/rezervate). It is coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research and organised in each county by the county school inspectorate (ISJ, or ISMB in Bucharest).

The result decides whether you can be hired as a tenured teacher on an open-ended contract (titular) or only on a fixed-term contract (suplinitor) for a school year. The rules for the 2026 session are set by the framework methodology on teaching staff mobility for 2026 to 2027 (Order no. 6695/2025).

Who can apply

You can take part if, by 1 September 2026, you are at least 18 years old and you:

• meet the education and teacher-training (psycho-pedagogical) requirements set by the methodology for the post;

• have full legal capacity and conduct in line with professional ethics;

• are medically and psychologically fit for teaching, shown by a document from an occupational medicine doctor.

You cannot take part if you meet the legal conditions for retirement by age by 1 September 2026, if you have a final conviction for certain intentional offences (for example against life or bodily integrity, sexual offences, mistreatment of minors, bribery, forgery or aggravated theft) without rehabilitation, or if your employment contract was terminated for disciplinary reasons in the current school year or the previous six. Your criminal record and behavioural integrity certificate are checked at registration.

You can register in two or more counties.

Exam pattern

The national competition has two tests.

Practical test or special classroom inspection

Depending on the post, you take either a practical test in the post's profile (for example in music, arts, sport, technical subjects or a teaching language) or a special classroom inspection, where you teach a lesson lasting one class period. It is marked from 10 to 1, and you get the result on the same day. The inspection is audio-recorded.

• With less than 5 you cannot sit the written test.

• With less than 7 you cannot take an open-ended (tenured) post.

Teachers who took the 2026 national definitivat exam can, under set conditions, use their classroom inspection results from that exam instead.

Written test

A written exam based on subjects set by the national curriculum and evaluation centre, following the competition syllabus for the subject of the post. It is marked from 10 to 1. On request, candidates teaching in a national minority language receive the subjects in their mother tongue as well as in Romanian.

Syllabus

Each subject has its own competition syllabus (programa de concurs), approved by order of the minister of education. The written test follows the syllabus for the subject of the post or, for a combined post, the subject with the most hours.

Marking and results

The placement average (media de repartizare) is worked out as:

(written test mark x 3 + practical test or inspection mark) / 4

So the written test counts for 75% and the practical test or inspection for 25%.

Each written paper is marked by two evaluators, and you can appeal your written test mark.

Important dates

For the 2026 session:

In 2026, 39,996 candidates were registered and 33,881 sat the written test. After appeals, 17,205 candidates (54.41% of the papers marked) scored 7 or above. 6,166 posts were offered for open-ended employment.

How to apply

Submit the registration form, with copies of the required documents, to the competition committee of the county school inspectorate within the period set in the official calendar. Candidates who registered in the last three years only need to add any new documents. Then validate your registration form during the validation period, in person, by proxy or online where the inspectorate allows it.

After the exam

County school inspectorates hold public allocation sessions where candidates choose posts in descending order of their placement average. Candidates with an average of at least 7 can take open-ended (tenured) posts; candidates with at least 5 can be hired on fixed-term contracts in later stages. Results of 7 or above can also count in later school years for extending a teaching contract, under the conditions in the methodology.

Preparation tips

• Get the competition syllabus for your subject from the Ministry and work through it fully; the written test carries 75% of your average.

• Prepare the classroom inspection or practical test seriously. A mark below 5 stops you sitting the written test at all, and below 7 rules out a tenured post.

• Check the list of vacant posts published by your county inspectorate before you register, and consider registering in more than one county.