PR South-East 5.2: €40 million for primary and lower secondary schools, up to €2 million per project

The South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027 has opened call PRSE/5.2/1/2026, with €40 million for the construction, extension and equipping of primary and lower secondary schools in the counties of Brăila, Buzău, Constanța, Galați and Vrancea, excluding the ITI Danube Delta area. Local public authorities, their institutions and state education units can apply, alone or in partnership. Non-refundable funding is up to €2 million per project, and applications must be submitted in MySMIS2021 by 30 December 2026, 14:00.

In brief

• Programme: South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027, Priority 5 "An educated region", Action 5.2, specific objective d(ii)
• Authority: ADR South-East (Regional Development Agency), the Managing Authority for PR South-East
• Beneficiaries: local public administration authorities, local public administration institutions, state primary and lower secondary education units, and partnerships between them
• Total budget: €40,000,000 (€22,448,979.60 ERDF and €17,551,020.40 co-financing from the state budget), with an indicative allocation of €8 million for each of the five counties
• Value per project: maximum €2,000,000 in non-refundable funding, VAT included
• Submission period: 30 June 2026, 10:00 – 30 December 2026, 14:00
• Status: open call, competitive, with a submission deadline

Who can apply and where?

According to the launch announcement, the eligible applicants are:

• local public administration authorities (town halls, county councils);
• local public administration institutions;
• state primary and lower secondary education units;
• partnerships between these entities, including partnerships with intercommunity development associations or with entities in the field of social inclusion.

The call covers the South-East Region excluding the ITI Danube Delta area. For schools in the ITI area there is a separate call, PRSE/5.2/ITI/1/2026, with its own allocation (see the ITI Danube Delta call page). It targets the preparatory class and grades I–IV (primary education) and grades V–VIII (lower secondary education), in both urban and rural areas.

What can be financed?

The activities funded from the ERDF are:

• construction, extension and equipping of primary and lower secondary education units;
• fitting out spaces for physical education: sports grounds and sports halls;
• adapting infrastructure for access by people with disabilities.

Projects may also include complementary activities funded from ESF+: school meals, educational support, counselling, desegregation measures and teacher training. These may represent at most 15% of the project's total eligible value.

How do you apply and how are projects selected?

Applications are submitted exclusively through MySMIS2021. The call is competitive, with a deadline: projects are not assessed in the order of submission but ranked after the call closes. To reach the contracting stage, a project needs at least 70 points (the excellence threshold), within the limit of the available budget.

The applicant's guide (version of 30.05.2026) can be downloaded from the call page as an archive. The detailed conditions, such as the technical documentation required at submission, proof of rights over the property, the scoring grid and the applicant's own contribution, should be checked in the guide, not only in the announcement.

What has changed compared with the consultation version?

The guide was in public consultation between 11 December 2025 and 31 January 2026, under code PRSE/5.2/1/2025. Comparing the two official documents:

• the allocation rose from €11,881,683.80 in the consultation to €40,000,000 in the launched call;
• the ceiling for ESF+ activities rose from 10% to 15% of the eligible value;
• the maximum ceiling of €2 million per project was kept.

The consultation version provided for a minimum of €200,000 per project and a condition that projects must contribute to increasing classroom capacity. The launch announcement does not repeat these conditions, so check the final guide to see whether they remain.

What this means for your business

The call is aimed at town halls, county councils and schools, not at companies. For builders, designers and suppliers of furniture and teaching equipment, however, it means public tenders in the five counties, after contracting.

Our recommendations for local authorities (UAT) and schools:

• Do not leave submission until December. There are almost three months left, but technical documentation for construction or extension, with approvals, takes time. Anyone who does not already have a feasibility study or a preliminary design documentation for intervention works (DALI) in progress faces a tight schedule.
• The allocation per county matters. Each county has an indicative €8 million, equivalent to four projects at the maximum ceiling. Competition within a county can be high, so a score above the 70-point threshold is decisive.
• The ESF+ component can give you an advantage. School meals, educational support or desegregation, of up to 15% of the value, show that the project also benefits pupils, not just the building.
• VAT counts towards the ceiling. The €2 million includes VAT, so the real works budget is smaller than it seems.

If you are not sure whether your project qualifies, start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a commune from Tulcea county apply?

For this call, no: it excludes the ITI Danube Delta area. Schools in the ITI area have a separate call, PRSE/5.2/ITI/1/2026, with its own budget and rules.

How much can a project receive?

Up to €2,000,000 in non-refundable funding, an amount that includes VAT. The applicant's own contribution and any minimum threshold should be checked in the applicant's guide of 30 May 2026.

Are kindergartens or high schools also funded?

No. The call covers primary education (the preparatory class and grades I–IV) and lower secondary education (grades V–VIII). For kindergartens, PR South-East has separate calls under Action 5.1.

Does the order in which I submit matter?

No. The call is competitive, with a deadline: all projects submitted by 30 December 2026, 14:00, are assessed and ranked, and funding goes to those with at least 70 points, within the limit of the budget.

Can I include a sports hall in the project?

Yes. Fitting out spaces for physical education, including sports grounds and halls, is an eligible ERDF activity, alongside the construction, extension and equipping of the school.

Official sources

• ADR South-East: Launch of call 5.2, development of educational infrastructure at primary and secondary level (PRSE/5.2/1/2026)
• ADR South-East: Call 5.2 guide in public consultation (PRSE/5.2/1/2025)

Information checked on 3 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.