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PEO PRIMII — primary education success: per-pupil grants for schools at risk of dropout

A PEO (ESF+) programme of over 1.21 billion lei for state primary schools with a high or very high risk of dropout: 7,408.19 lei per pupil per school year, for three years. The sole beneficiary is the Ministry of Education; the call for schools closed on 12 October 2026 (709 applications).

Who can apply
State educational institutions with legal personality and primary level, on the ministry's predefined list of…
Total budget
over 1.21 billion lei (approximately 232 million euro), for approximately 50,000 primary-cycle pupils…
Funding amount
Number of primary-cycle pupils × 7,408.19 lei (1,408.83 euro) per pupil per school year × three school years…
Submission period
PEO guide under consultation until 4 November 2026; the call for schools closed on 12 October 2026 at 17:00

Checked against official sources on · funder: AM PEO · official source

The guide has not been published yet, but good applications are built before launch. Those who start when the call window opens usually miss out on it.

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PEO PRIMII: 7,408 lei per pupil for primary schools at risk of dropout, guide in consultation

Who can apply

State educational institutions with legal personality and primary level, on the ministry's predefined list (Annex 4) with a very high or high risk of early school leaving. The school must have at least 60 pupils enrolled in the primary cycle, including in affiliated structures, and must apply the MATE form for primary education, with the SIIIR module, by 30 October at the latest. A declaration is required that the same activities are not funded from other public funds. The application was submitted by e-mail by the unit with legal personality, signed by the head teacher and accompanied by the decision of the board of directors; schools do not submit in MySMIS.

What it covers

  • salaries for staff involved in activities with pupils (hourly pay)
  • trips and camps
  • goods and services for pupils: teaching materials, educational resources
  • food for participation in activities, with a benchmark of 16.50 lei per day per pupil for 175 days per school year (non-binding benchmark)
  • administrative costs through a flat rate of 15% of direct staff costs, including the grant management team
  • mandatory "School after School" activities, individualised and remedial lessons
  • extracurricular activities, school counselling and parental counselling
Full analysis PEO PRIMII: 7,408 lei per pupil for primary schools at risk of dropout, guide under consultation Conditions, steps and pitfalls, with official sources →

We prepare your application before the window opens

  1. We analyse whether you qualify and under which programme exactly.
  2. We build the application: business plan, budget, supporting documents.
  3. We submit during the call window and follow the evaluation.
  4. We stay with you through the reimbursement file and final payment.

Frequently asked questions

Can schools still apply for PRIMII?

Not in this round. The deadline was 12 October 2026 at 17:00, and the Ministry of Education announced that 709 funding applications had been submitted. According to the official FAQ, subsequent rounds will be launched at the start of the next school year, only within the remaining available budget, with no announced date. Schools that did not apply can already prepare by applying the MATE form and checking the threshold of 60 pupils in the primary cycle.

How much does a school with 100 primary pupils actually receive?

The grant is calculated mechanically: 100 pupils × 7,408.19 lei × 3 school years, i.e. approximately 2.22 million lei over the whole period. The amount is paid on condition that pupils are validated annually and take part in "School after School" activities. No detailed budget is submitted, and reimbursement is based on validated pupils, not invoices.

Does the money have to go through the town hall?

The funding agreement is signed between the Ministry of Education and Research and the school with legal personality. The application is submitted by the school, signed by the head teacher, together with the decision of the board of directors. The published official documents do not provide for any role for the town hall in submitting or endorsing the application, and do not detail its involvement in budget execution. Cash flow between reimbursements should nonetheless be planned in good time with the local authority (UAT), because payment is made per pupil after the school year has ended.

Can the head teacher and the project team be paid?

Yes. The management team is remunerated in accordance with the legislation on the pay of staff paid from public funds, and its costs are covered from the 15% flat rate of direct staff costs, not from hourly pay for activities with pupils. The head teacher may be the project coordinator. The ministry recommends that documents concerning the head teacher's own remuneration also be endorsed by another person, to avoid a conflict of interest.

How were schools' applications scored?

The methodology approved by Order no. 5.798/13.10.2026 awards a maximum of 100 points. A very high risk of early school leaving earns 40 points, and a high risk 30. The degree of community marginalisation earns 30, 20 or 0 points, and rural areas 30 points, small urban areas 20 and large urban areas 10. The final list is approved by order of the minister and published on edu.ro, and the approved application becomes Annex 1 to the Funding Agreement.

What happens to the PEO guide after 4 November 2026?

AM PEO reviews the comments received at consultare.peo@mfe.gov.ro and publishes the final guide. Until then, the conditions in the consultation version may change. The guide sets the framework under which the Ministry of Education submits and implements the non-competitive project from which school grants are paid, and the grants are run on the basis of the ministerial order and the funding agreements.

How long does it take to prepare the application?

It depends on the complexity of the project and the documents you already have. The first step is the eligibility analysis, which tells you what needs to be prepared.

What happens if I do not qualify?

We tell you before any contract is signed, and if another suitable programme exists, we point you to it.

Next step

We prepare your file until it opens — PEO PRIMII — primary education success: per-pupil grants for schools at risk of dropout

Fill in the form and we will tell you whether you qualify. If you do not qualify under this programme, we will tell you which other one you could apply for — or that there is none, if that is the case.

or call us directly on 0755 167 167

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