Overview
The Bacalaureat is Romania's national secondary-school-leaving examination, organised by the Ministry of Education through county school inspectorates, with results and calendars published on the ministry's dedicated portal (bacalaureat.edu.ro). It is taken at the end of upper secondary school (liceu) and its diploma is required both to complete secondary education and to apply to Romanian universities. It is separate from the National Evaluation (Evaluarea Nationala), the exam Romanian students sit at the end of grade 8 when moving into upper secondary school; that exam is covered in its own programme page.
Note
This page was researched from the Ministry of Education's Bacalaureat portal and press releases, together with established Romanian education-news outlets reporting on the official methodology and calendar, rather than from a direct fetch of the official site. Candidates should confirm subject lists, exact dates and fees for their own session on bacalaureat.edu.ro before relying on them.
Who can apply
The exam is open to students finishing grade 12 in the general, "zi" (day) track, and grade 13 in some technological or part-time ("seral") programmes. Graduates from previous years who have not yet passed, or who want to resit a subject to improve a grade within the allowed time limits, can also register. A candidate must have fully completed and passed their secondary-school coursework (no unresolved failing grades) before they can register for the Bacalaureat in a given session.
Exam pattern
For the 2026 session, the Bacalaureat combines pass/fail competency evaluations with graded written papers.
| Component | Subjects | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Competency evaluations (not graded on the 1-10 scale) | Oral communication in Romanian; oral communication in the mother tongue (for minority-language programmes); competence in a modern foreign language; digital competence | Assessed as a qualification level, not a number. Candidates must sit all that apply to their programme, but these do not count toward the pass/fail average. |
| Written paper E.a | Romanian language and literature | Compulsory for every candidate. |
| Written paper E.b | Mother tongue and literature | Only for candidates from minority-language programmes. |
| Written paper E.c | A compulsory subject tied to the candidate's profile and specialisation (for example Mathematics for science and technological profiles, History for humanities and pedagogical profiles) | Fixed by profile, not freely chosen. |
| Written paper E.d | An elective subject chosen by the candidate from the subjects approved for their profile and specialisation | Candidates pick this based on the study programmes they plan to apply to. |
Each written paper is marked independently by two examiners against a national grading scheme published with the exam subjects; a large gap between the two marks triggers a third, resolving mark.
Marking and results
Written papers are graded on a 1-to-10 scale. To pass the Bacalaureat, a candidate must, for the 2026 session:
score at least 5.00 on every individual written paper, and
reach an overall average of at least 6.00 across the written papers.
These two conditions apply together: a high score on one paper cannot offset a score below 5.00 on another, even if the resulting average is above 6.00. The competency evaluations are reported as a qualification level rather than a number and do not factor into this average, but candidates must have sat every competency evaluation that applies to their programme to be eligible for a result.
Important dates
Dates below are for the 2026 first ("summer") session as published by the Ministry of Education; a second session is held later for candidates who did not sit or did not pass in the first one.
| Stage | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| Registration | Early June 2026, before courses for grade 12/13 candidates end |
| Romanian oral communication competency | 8-10 June 2026 |
| Mother-tongue oral communication competency | 10-11 June 2026 |
| Foreign-language competency | 11-12 June 2026 |
| Digital competency | 15-17 June 2026 |
| Written paper E.a (Romanian language and literature) | 29 June 2026 |
| Written paper E.c (compulsory profile subject) | 30 June 2026 |
| Written paper E.d (elective profile subject) | 2 July 2026 |
| Written paper E.b (mother tongue, where applicable) | 3 July 2026 |
| Initial results and start of appeals window | 7 July 2026 |
For 2026, these dates reverted to the long-standing written-paper-in-late-June/early-July pattern after a different scheduling trial the previous year, so candidates should always check the current year's calendar on bacalaureat.edu.ro rather than assuming these exact dates repeat.
How to apply
Candidates register through their own school in the window set by the Ministry of Education, submitting a certificate from the school confirming completion of grade 12 (or 13, where relevant) and their average coursework grade. Sitting the Bacalaureat is free the first two times a candidate attempts it; for 2026, a candidate sitting for a third or later time pays a registration fee (540 lei for the third attempt in 2026). Fees and exact amounts are set and published for each session by the Ministry of Education.
After the exam
Passing all required components earns the Diploma de Bacalaureat, which is required for admission to Romanian universities. Most Romanian universities use the Bacalaureat diploma and its grades, sometimes combined with the university's own entrance assessment or interview, to rank and admit applicants to their programmes; exact admission criteria are set by each university and faculty.
Preparation tips
Use the subject syllabuses ("programe") and past exam papers published on the Ministry of Education's subiecte.edu.ro and bacalaureat.edu.ro, since the written papers follow a format that repeats from year to year.
Decide on the elective (E.d) subject early, based on the entry requirements of the university programmes being considered, since it is a free choice within the approved list for the candidate's profile.
Treat the pass/fail competency evaluations seriously even though they are not part of the average: a candidate must sit every one that applies to their programme to get a result at all.
Track the published calendar for the exact dates of registration, each paper, and the appeals window, since these can shift slightly from year to year.
FAQs
Is the Bacalaureat the same exam as the National Evaluation (Evaluarea Nationala)?
No. The National Evaluation is a separate exam sat at the end of grade 8, used to place students into upper secondary school. The Bacalaureat is sat at the end of upper secondary school and leads to the secondary-school leaving diploma and university eligibility.
What is the minimum score needed to pass the Bacalaureat?
A candidate needs at least 5.00 on each individual written paper and an overall average of at least 6.00 across the written papers. Missing either condition means the exam is not passed, even if the other is met.
Can I choose which compulsory profile subject (E.c) I sit?
No. The E.c subject is fixed by the candidate's profile and specialisation (for example Mathematics or History, depending on the track). Only the E.d paper is an elective the candidate picks from an approved list.
Can I resit the Bacalaureat if I fail?
Yes. Candidates who do not pass, or who want to improve a grade, can register for a later session, subject to time limits set by the Ministry of Education. The first two attempts are free; a fee applies from the third attempt onward.