The Cluj kindergarten enrollment calendar 2026 is the one place to find every deadline for state nurseries and kindergartens: re-enrollment windows, the first and second enrollment sessions, results, appeals, redistribution, and the September fill-up. One thing to lock in from the start: nurseries and kindergartens run on different calendars, under different authorities.
Two authorities, two calendars
In Cluj-Napoca, the two types of state institution are managed separately:
- The state nursery (creșă, ages 0–3) is run by the Nurseries Budget Administration Centre (CBAC), under Cluj-Napoca City Hall. The calendar, application forms and criteria all come from CBAC / City Hall.
- The state kindergarten (grădiniță, ages 3–6) is coordinated by the County School Inspectorate (ISJ) Cluj, following the Ministry of Education methodology. That calendar is national and set each year by ministerial order.
So there is no single “enrollment calendar” — there are two parallel tracks, and if your child is moving from nursery to kindergarten you follow both.
Exact 2026 dates are fixed annually: the kindergarten calendar by ministerial order (check isjcj.ro and edu.ro), and the nursery one by CBAC / Cluj-Napoca City Hall announcement. The windows below are the typical ranges from previous years, not officially confirmed dates.
The state kindergarten calendar (ISJ Cluj)
State kindergarten enrollment usually follows the same structure every year: first the re-enrollment of children already attending, then the enrollment of new children in two sessions.
May — re-enrollment
- Parents of children already attending submit the re-enrollment request for next year.
- Typically runs in the second half of May.
- Do not skip it: the places left for new children are counted after re-enrollments.
May–June — first enrollment session
- Starts right after re-enrollment, for newly arriving children.
- You submit the file at the chosen kindergarten (or online, if a platform is available).
- General criteria apply (nearby residence, siblings in the unit, social situation), and in a tie, each unit’s own specific criteria.
June — results and appeals
- The lists of admitted children are posted.
- A short window for appeals and clarifications follows.
July — second session (redistribution)
- For the places still free after the first session.
- Requests are submitted/updated for children not yet placed.
September — filling remaining places
- At the start of the school year, places left by withdrawals or transfers are filled.
- The school year begins, as usual, in the second week of September.
The state nursery calendar (CBAC)
The nursery is not tied to the school year in the same way. CBAC usually runs one main enrollment session in spring, followed by top-ups.
March – April — main session
- Applications for children starting nursery in September 2026.
- Submitted online (edirect.e-guvernare.ro) and/or at the CBAC office.
April – May — results and waiting list
- Placements and scores are published.
- Children not admitted go onto the waiting list, which moves over the summer.
May – June — second session
- For remaining places and withdrawals.
September and through the year
- The nursery admits children continuously as places open up — unlike the kindergarten.
Quick comparison table
| Phase | Kindergarten (ISJ) | Nursery (CBAC) |
|---|---|---|
| Re-enrollment | May | not the same way |
| Session I | May–June | March–April |
| Results | June | April–May |
| Session II | July | May–June |
| Fill-up | September | continuous |
| Authority | ISJ Cluj / edu.ro | CBAC / City Hall |
How to miss no deadline
- Note both tracks in your calendar with alarms if you have children of different ages.
- Prepare the file from February — see the full list in nursery and kindergarten enrollment documents.
- Submit on day one of each session — in a points tie, the submission date can matter.
- Check official sources two weeks before each window.
- If you miss out, track the nursery waiting list.
FAQ
When does kindergarten enrollment start in Cluj in 2026? Usually re-enrollment is in May, with the first session for new children right after. The exact date is set annually by ministerial order — check isjcj.ro.
Do nurseries and kindergartens share the same calendar? No. The nursery (CBAC) runs its main session in early spring, while the kindergarten (ISJ) follows the national May–July calendar.
What is redistribution? It is the second session (July for kindergarten), where children not placed in the first session receive the remaining free places.
Can I apply to more than one kindergarten? In the first session you apply to your catchment/first-choice unit; remaining places are filled in the second session. Check each unit’s rules.
What if I missed the first session? You apply in the second session (redistribution), or for a nursery you go onto the waiting list, which moves all year.
Where do I find confirmed official dates? Kindergarten: isjcj.ro and edu.ro. Nursery: CBAC and Cluj-Napoca City Hall announcements.
Conclusion
Remember the three anchors: nurseries run a spring session (CBAC), kindergartens follow the national May–July calendar (ISJ), and every exact 2026 date is confirmed via official sources. For the step-by-step process, see the state nursery enrollment and state kindergarten enrollment guides. And when you want to see which institutions are near you, open the piticluj.ro interactive map.