Overview
The National Evaluation (Evaluarea Nationala) is the exam Romanian students sit at the end of grade 8, organised by the Ministry of Education through county school inspectorates. Its results do not decide whether a student finishes lower secondary school (gimnaziu); instead, the grades feed into a national computerized algorithm that places each student into a high school (liceu) and a specialisation. It is the grade-8 counterpart to the Bacalaureat, the exam sat at the end of grade 12; the two are separate exams with different purposes, and the Bacalaureat is covered on its own programme page.
Note
This page was researched from Romanian education-news outlets (Edupedu, HotNews, Antena3) reporting on the Ministry of Education's published calendar and admission methodology, rather than from a direct fetch of the ministry's own site. Candidates and parents should confirm exact dates, the admission-average formula for their target school, and marking-procedure details for their own session on edu.ro before relying on them.
Who can apply
Every student completing grade 8 in a given school year sits the National Evaluation as part of finishing gimnaziu; it is not an optional exam a student chooses to take. Students who studied their coursework in the language of a national minority (for example Hungarian or German) also sit an additional paper in their mother tongue and literature. A student who cannot sit the main session for a documented medical reason or another serious situation recognised by the school can sit a special session held roughly two weeks after the main one, for the 2026 cycle.
Exam pattern
For the 2026 session, the National Evaluation consists of written papers only; there is no oral or practical component.
| Paper | Who sits it | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian language and literature | Every candidate | Written paper, 2 hours |
| Mathematics | Every candidate | Written paper, 2 hours |
| Mother tongue and literature | Candidates who studied their coursework in a national-minority language | Written paper, 2 hours |
Schools also run an optional simulation of the exam earlier in the school year, using papers in the same format, so students can practice under timed, exam-like conditions before the real session.
Marking and results
Each paper is graded on Romania's 1-to-10 scale. Every paper is marked independently by two examiners; for the 2026 session, if their marks differ by more than 1 point on the Romanian or mother-tongue paper, or by more than 0.5 points on the Mathematics paper, two further examiners re-mark the paper and the final grade reflects that re-evaluation. Candidates can file an appeal (contestatie) within the published window after initial results are published, and an appealed paper goes through a similar re-evaluation process before a final grade is set.
The National Evaluation itself has no minimum passing grade: a low grade does not block a student from finishing grade 8. The grades are used instead to compute the admission average that decides placement into high school (see "After the exam" below).
Important dates
Dates below are for the 2026 session as reported from the Ministry of Education's published calendar; always check the current year's calendar on edu.ro, since exact dates shift from year to year.
| Stage | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| End of grade-8 classes and registration | 8-12 June 2026 |
| Romanian language and literature paper | 22 June 2026 |
| Mathematics paper | 24 June 2026 |
| Mother tongue and literature paper (where applicable) | 26 June 2026 |
| Initial results (and same-day appeal filing) | 2 July 2026 |
| Appeals resolved | 5-8 July 2026 |
| Final results | 9 July 2026 |
How to apply
There is no individual application: a student's own school registers them for the National Evaluation as part of the standard grade-8 completion process, within the window the Ministry of Education sets each year (8-12 June 2026 for the main session). Students on a minority-language track are registered for the mother-tongue paper automatically by their school. There is no exam fee.
After the exam
For the 2026 session, the admission average used for high-school placement is the arithmetic mean of the Romanian and Mathematics grades only, calculated to two decimal places without rounding; the general average from grades 5-8 (gimnaziu) no longer contributes to this figure directly. Where two candidates have the same admission average, ties are broken first by the Mathematics grade, then by the Romanian grade, and then by the grade 5-8 general average. Specialised vocational profiles (for example artistic or sports high schools) apply a different weighted formula that combines an aptitude-test grade with the admission average.
After results are final, each student submits a ranked list of high-school and specialisation preferences. A national computerized algorithm then sorts all candidates by descending admission average and assigns each one, in that order, to the highest-ranked choice still available on their list, continuing until every candidate with a valid preference list has been placed.
Preparation tips
Work through the model papers the Ministry of Education publishes for the National Evaluation, since the format and question types repeat closely from year to year.
Take the school's simulation exam earlier in the year seriously: it uses the real format and is the best indicator of readiness before the graded session.
Check the admission-average formula and the previous year's cut-off averages for the specific high schools and specialisations being considered, since requirements vary by school and by county.
Track the official calendar for the exact registration, exam, and appeals-window dates, since these can shift slightly from year to year.
FAQs
Can I fail the National Evaluation?
No, not in the sense of being held back. The exam has no minimum passing grade, so a low grade does not stop a student from completing grade 8. The grades instead determine the admission average used to place the student into a high school and specialisation.
Is the National Evaluation the same as the Bacalaureat?
No. The National Evaluation is sat at the end of grade 8 and is used to place students into high school. The Bacalaureat is a separate exam sat at the end of grade 12, and its diploma is required to finish secondary education and apply to Romanian universities.
How is the high-school admission average calculated for 2026?
It is the arithmetic mean of the Romanian language and Mathematics grades from the National Evaluation, to two decimal places with no rounding. The grade 5-8 general average does not add to this figure directly; it is only used to break ties between candidates with the same admission average, after the Mathematics and Romanian grades have already been used as tie-breakers.
What happens if I miss the main exam session for medical reasons?
Students who are absent from the main session for a documented medical reason, or another serious situation their school inspectorate recognises, can sit a special session held roughly two weeks after the main dates, covering the same papers.