# Moldova education enrollment and school closures > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/moldova-education-enrollment-and-school-closures > Updated: 2026-08-03T20:22:05.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 4. Moldova’s education system continues to contract in physical infrastructure while total student enrollment rose to roughly 449,200 in 2026. Primary and secondary schools fell from 1,255 to 1,173 and universities from 27 to 16, yet university enrolments grew 6.8% to about 64,300. The government allocated 9,013 state‑funded university places for the 2026‑27 academic year – 5,380 for bachelor and integrated programmes, 2,771 for master’s studies, 504 for residencies and clinical training, and 225 for doctorates – with quotas for disadvantaged groups, the diaspora and the left‑bank region. The teaching workforce kept shrinking: school teachers dropped by 1,600 to 25,800, technical‑college staff fell by around 400 and university faculty by roughly 600. Demographic pressure is shifting students to urban centres; Chișinău now hosts over 110,000 learners. Analyst Veaceslav Ioniță warns that these trends, combined with teacher shortages, could further strain the system. Foreign student numbers hit a record 6,423 in the 2025‑26 year (10.2% of all students), with Romanians forming the majority. The same period saw a sharp rise in temporary work permits – over 5,600 issued, about 3,900 for employment – mainly to Asian nationals, reflecting a growing labour shortage in construction, industry, agriculture and services. The two‑million‑euro EU‑funded master’s programme in European Affairs, launching in 2027‑28 under Erasmus+, remains a key initiative to strengthen Moldova’s academic profile. ## Claims - Moldova recorded 6,423 foreign students in the 2025‑2026 academic year, an increase of 667 from the previous year. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Foreign students now represent 10.2% of all students in Moldova, up from 1.3% in 2010. (corroborated by 3 sources) - 56.4% of foreign students in Moldova come from Romania. (corroborated by 3 sources) - India accounts for 19% of Moldova's foreign student population. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The number of Israeli students in Moldova fell from over 2,000 to 431. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Moldova has lost about 3,500 foreign students in recent years from several source countries. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Moldova's total student population declined from about 128,000 in 2006‑2007 to 62,900 today. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Veaceslav Ioniță recommends that Moldova's government, education ministry and university leaders intensify international promotion to attract more foreign students. (corroborated by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-03: Moldova sees surge in foreign workers and record foreign student numbers Moldova doubled work permits in early 2026, drawing thousands of Asian workers, while university enrolments hit a record 6,423 foreign students in 2025‑26. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/moldova-sees-surge-in-foreign-workers-and-record-foreign-student-numbers ### 2026-08-01: Moldova records surge in foreign students, unveils EU master programme Moldova’s foreign student enrollment hits a record 6,423, prompting calls for better promotion, while a new EU‑funded master’s programme and a French‑led Apex Maths summer school highlight the country’s growing 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/moldovas-foreign-student-enrollment-hits-record-6423 ### 2026-07-22: Moldova's education system sees rising student numbers amid school closures and teacher shortages Moldova added over 14,000 students in seven years while closing 103 schools and losing about 2,600 teachers, shifting enrollment to cities like Chișinău, where over 110,000 pupils now study. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/moldovas-education-system-sees-rising-student-numbers-amid-school-closures-and-teacher-shortages ### 2026-07-14: Moldova expands state‑funded university places as school numbers fall Moldova's school count fell but student numbers rose; government approved 9,013 state‑funded university spots for 2026‑27 to meet demand. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/moldovas-interim-government-meets-approves-university-seats-and-arbitration-aid --- Cite as: Moldova education enrollment and school closures. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/moldova-education-enrollment-and-school-closures