A high school’s own entrance exam is not, at present, a certain rule for 2027 admissions. On 14 August 2026, the Ministry of Education put out for consultation a draft allowing high schools to select students through two tests for up to half of their places. However, on 8 September 2026, the Senate passed the removal of that option, and the legislation was sent for promulgation on 16 September 2026.
The practical conclusion for students completing eighth grade in summer 2027 is straightforward: do not treat the August draft as a final timetable, and do not assume that every high school will hold its own entrance exam. As of 23 September 2026, the amendment passed by Parliament had not yet been published in the Official Gazette. Until then, there is an important distinction between the law still in force and the law that has been passed but has not yet entered into force.
What is confirmed and what may change
| Item | Status as of 23 September 2026 | What it means for students |
|---|---|---|
| The National Evaluation at the end of eighth grade | Provided for by law and compulsory | It remains the benchmark exam for admission. |
| School-run entrance exam | Included in the Ministry’s draft, but the Senate voted to repeal its legal basis | It cannot be presented as a certain rule for summer 2027. |
| Computerised allocation | It remains the central mechanism in both the Ministry’s draft and the version of the law passed by the Senate | The choices listed on the application form and the National Evaluation result remain essential. |
| Aptitude tests, bilingual classes, mother-tongue instruction, technological/dual education | They are governed differently from the general entrance exam proposed for high schools | Students interested in these classes must follow the specific methodology and final timetable. |
In the version currently available on the Legislative Portal for Pre-University Education Law No. 198/2023, Article 101 still allows high schools to hold an entrance exam for up to 50% of places after the National Evaluation. The same article provides for two standardised tests developed nationally, as well as a minimum mark of 5 in each National Evaluation test in order to participate.
However, the version passed by the Senate repeals the paragraphs allowing school-run entrance exams. The law passed states that the amendment applies starting with the 2026–2027 school year, but it enters into force three days after publication in the Official Gazette. This stage is not merely a matter of wording: until publication, the change has no legal effect.
How the entrance exam would have worked if the Ministry’s draft had remained valid
The draft methodology put out for public consultation in August provided for an optional route, rather than an obligation for all students. A high school could have chosen to hold an entrance exam for certain specialisations or for all of them, but only for up to 50% of the places approved in its enrolment plan.
Students could participate only after the National Evaluation and only if they had obtained at least a mark of 5 in each test of that exam, after appeals. The entrance exam would have consisted of two tests, and admission would have depended on a final average calculated according to the formula published by the high school. The draft left schools to determine the weighting of test results in that average, but the questions were to be nationally standardised and developed under the coordination of the National Centre for Curriculum and Assessment.
To complement the information above, readers can also consult The 2030 Baccalaureate: what changes for students starting high school in 2026, and what should not be confused with the 2026 Bac, an article that explores an aspect directly related to this subject.
Importantly, a candidate who was not admitted through the entrance exam would not automatically lose access to high school. Under the draft, they could list choices for computerised allocation. This is the distinction often omitted from the discussion about “two exams”: the entrance exam would have been an additional route for a limited number of places, not a compulsory requirement for enrolling in high school.
Which subjects could have appeared in the tests
The proposed list did not give high schools the freedom to invent subjects. Each academic track had limited options. In the mathematics-computer science track, for example, a school would have selected two subjects from mathematics, computer science and ICT, or physics. For natural sciences, the proposed options were biology, chemistry and physics. For humanities, the list included Romanian language, a modern language at A2 level, and elements of Latin and Romance culture; for social sciences, geography, social education and history.
However, these are tests from a draft superseded by subsequent legislative developments, not subjects confirmed for 2027 admissions. The Ministry’s full draft is available in the annex containing the proposed methodology, while the list of subjects appears in a separate annex.
The proposed 2027 timetable is not yet the final timetable
In the document under consultation, the National Evaluation was scheduled for 22–25 June 2027, with final results on 7 July. For high school entrance exams, the draft proposed registration on 8 July, tests on 9 and 12 July, and final results on 15 July. Computerised allocation was scheduled for 26 July 2027.
These dates explain the mechanism envisaged by the Ministry, but they should not be used for firm planning. If the law passed by the Senate is promulgated and published in the form transmitted, the Ministry will have to revise the methodology and timetable to remove stages dedicated to school-run entrance exams. For now, the August timetable remains relevant only as a consultation document.
Which tests may remain even if the general high school entrance exam disappears
Removing school-run entrance exams does not automatically mean that all admission tests will disappear. The system also includes categories governed by different rules:
- vocational education – aptitude tests for tracks such as arts, sports, theology, military or teacher training;
- bilingual classes – testing of modern-language knowledge, subject to the methodology’s conditions;
- classes taught in minority languages – a mother-tongue knowledge test for candidates who have not studied in that language;
- technological and dual technological education – additional tests under conditions specific to these pathways and, for dual education, in cooperation with economic operators.
These pathways should not be confused with the two-test entrance exam proposed for academic colleges and high schools. When choosing a track, families can also follow the differences between the standard offer and the experimental models presented in InfoBuz’s analysis of alternative curricula at pilot high schools.
What is known about high schools in Buzău
As of 23 September 2026, there was no applicable official list of high schools in Buzău County — whether in Buzău city, Râmnicu Sărat, Nehoiu or Pătârlagele — that would hold their own entrance exams for 2027 admissions. Under the Ministry’s draft, high schools choosing this option had to publish the subjects, procedure, criteria and calculation of the final average by 1 October 2026.
In the meantime, the law passed by the Senate changed the premise for that publication. Therefore, any list issued before the legislative situation is clarified should not be interpreted as evidence that students will definitely sit additional tests. For families in Buzău, the useful reference point will be an official announcement from the Buzău County School Inspectorate and the Ministry’s updated methodology, after the promulgation procedure is completed.
What students taking admissions in 2027 should do now
- Preparing for the National Evaluation remains the priority. It is the only unequivocally confirmed exam in the general pathway for lower-secondary graduates.
- Do not choose private tutoring for an assumed high-school entrance exam before the final rule is in place. As of 23 September 2026, such a decision would be based on a draft overtaken by the parliamentary vote.
- Check separately the tests for vocational, bilingual or technological/dual education. These may have special conditions, regardless of the fate of the general entrance exam.
- Follow two documents, not unofficial posts: publication of the law in the Official Gazette and the Ministry order containing the revised methodology and timetable for 2027–2028 admissions.
In short: the 14 August 2026 draft would have added two tests after the National Evaluation at some high schools. But by 23 September 2026, the Senate had already voted to remove this mechanism and sent the law for promulgation. Computerised allocation remains the baseline scenario; the exact form of 2027 admissions must be confirmed through the final legal acts.
Frequently asked questions
Is a school-run entrance exam compulsory for 2027 admissions?
No. The Ministry’s August 2026 draft did not make participation compulsory either, and the Senate subsequently passed a law removing school-run entrance exams. As of 23 September 2026, the law had been sent for promulgation but had not yet been published in the Official Gazette.
If a student was not admitted through a high school’s entrance exam, could they still take part in computerised allocation?
Yes. The draft methodology expressly provided that students not admitted through the entrance exam, or those who gave up the place obtained, could list choices for computerised allocation.
Which subjects could have been tested for the science track?
Under the draft, options for the mathematics-computer science track included mathematics, computer science and ICT, or physics. For natural sciences, the list included biology, chemistry and physics. These subjects have not been confirmed for 2027, however, because the entrance-exam mechanism was removed by the law passed by the Senate, which was awaiting promulgation.
Will tests remain for vocational high schools or bilingual classes?
Yes. These are governed differently from the general entrance exam proposed for high schools. Aptitude tests, assessments for bilingual classes, classes taught in minority languages, and some tests for technological or dual education must be followed in the final methodology.
Sources consulted
- Ministry of Education and Research – Notice on the public consultation on the methodology and timetable for 2027–2028 high school admissions
- Ministry of Education and Research – Draft framework methodology for 2027–2028 admission to upper-secondary education
- Romanian Senate – L470/2026, status: sent for promulgation
- Romanian Senate – Adopted version amending Article 101 of Pre-University Education Law No. 198/2023
- Legislative Portal – Pre-University Education Law No. 198/2023, version available on the date of reporting
