Scholarships and Student Financial Aid in Moldova
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 03, 2026 • Reviewed Oct 08, 2026 by Muntasir Minhaz • Education Planning, Study in Europe, Country & City Guides, Scholarships & Funding
Part of the guide Scholarships and Student Financial Aid by Country
Moldova's state scholarships pay between 34 and 192 EUR a month, but only students on state-funded places qualify. Foreign students usually study on fee-paying places instead, so check your target university's international office for waivers, and ask about Erasmus+ exchange funding if your home university partners with one in Moldova.
💶 Social scholarship: 655 MDL (34 EUR) a month
💶 Bachelor merit scholarship: 970-1,235 MDL (51-64 EUR) a month, by category
💶 Master merit scholarship: 1,325 MDL (69 EUR) a month
💶 Presidential scholarship: 3,690 MDL (192 EUR) a month
💶 Government scholarship: 3,380 MDL (176 EUR) a month
Up to 70% of state-funded students can hold a scholarship at once
How Moldova's state scholarship system works
Moldova pays scholarships to full-time students enrolled in state-funded (budget) places, not to every student. The system covers social need and academic merit separately, with extra top-tier awards for the strongest performers. According to Eurydice , the funding ceiling allows up to 70 percent of full-time, budget-funded students to hold a scholarship, and 65 to 69 percent actually received one between 2020 and 2023.
Scholarship amounts by type
| Scholarship | Monthly amount (MDL) | Monthly amount (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Social scholarship | 655 | 34 |
| Merit, bachelor, 3rd category | 970 | 51 |
| Merit, bachelor, 2nd category | 1,055 | 55 |
| Merit, bachelor, 1st category | 1,235 | 64 |
| Merit, master | 1,325 | 69 |
| Government scholarship | 3,380 | 176 |
| Presidential scholarship | 3,690 | 192 |
Final-year students on merit scholarships get a 20 percent top-up, and students in agricultural or medical fields get a 20 to 40 percent top-up on the base merit amount, per the same source. Social scholarships go to students who apply and demonstrate financial need, separate from the academic ranking used for merit awards.
Who qualifies
These scholarships target students enrolled full-time on a state-funded place, decided through Moldova's competitive entrance process. Merit awards go by academic ranking within your faculty and year, while social scholarships require a separate application showing financial need. Both pay out monthly during the teaching year.
Where foreign and European students stand
Foreign students, including those from other European countries, typically enroll on fee-paying (contract) places rather than competing for the limited state-funded places described above. This means the scholarships in the table mainly serve Moldovan citizens and others who secure a budget place. If you plan to study in Moldova as an international student, contact your target university's international admissions office directly and ask whether it offers its own fee waivers or partial scholarships for foreign applicants, since these vary by institution and are not centrally published.
Erasmus+ exchange funding
Moldova is not yet a full Erasmus+ Programme Country, but it takes part in the program as a partner country, and Moldovans have received over 16 million EUR in Erasmus+ funding since 2021 across mobility and capacity-building projects, according to the European Commission . If your home university in the EU holds an exchange agreement with a Moldovan university, Erasmus+ international credit mobility funding can cover a semester or year of study there. Moldova plans to open a National Erasmus+ Agency in Chisinau and move toward full Programme Country status by 2028, which would widen funding options further, per Moldpres .
How to apply
Ask your university's admissions or financial aid office whether your program offers a state-funded place, and apply for it during your entrance process if eligible.
If enrolled on a state-funded place, check your faculty's ranking criteria each semester for merit scholarship eligibility.
Apply separately for a social scholarship through your university if you meet the financial-need criteria.
If you are a fee-paying or foreign student, email the international office directly and ask about waivers, partial scholarships or Erasmus+ exchange routes before you commit to a program.
Sources
- Moldova - Higher Education Funding - Eurydice (accessed 2026-10-08)
- EU-Moldova summit in Brussels marks new milestone on the path to EU membership (accessed 2026-10-08)
- Moldova to set up Erasmus Agency in Chisinau by 2028 (accessed 2026-10-08)