In short: if you didn’t get a state nursery place, the first step is to confirm your waiting-list position in writing and ask whether redistribution happens automatically. Places free up frequently in the first weeks, when families admitted to several units give one up. Meanwhile you have four real alternatives: a private nursery, a certified nanny, a kindergarten that takes children from 2, or simply postponing the start.
A rejection isn’t always final. But it depends on what you do in the first two weeks.
The first 48 hours: what to check
- Ask for written confirmation of your waiting-list position. Don’t assume you’re on the list just because you submitted a file.
- Ask how redistribution works. Are you contacted automatically when a place opens, or must you periodically reconfirm interest?
- Check whether you can be on several nursery lists at once, and whether that affects your position.
- Re-read the tie-break criteria and check whether a missing document lowered your score. Sometimes a missing certificate can still be supplied.
- Note the deadlines. If there’s a second stage or a redistribution session, it has its own calendar.
The procedure, criteria and calendar for municipal nurseries are published on creseclujnapoca.ro. Confirm the current-year details there — they can change from year to year, and we don’t publish criteria we can’t verify at source.
Why places free up after results are published
Because some families apply in parallel to several units — state and private — and after results are out they release the places they won’t use. The pattern is predictable: the biggest wave of withdrawals comes in the first two to three weeks after the year starts, plus a smaller second wave after the settling-in period, when some families decide to postpone.
In practice that means it’s worth staying active on the list and calling periodically, politely, to confirm you’re still interested.
The four real alternatives
1. A private nursery
The most direct solution, and the most expensive. Among Cluj private nurseries that publish a verifiable fee, the range starts at 1,700 RON a month. See our table of verified fees, and factor in the enrolment fee too, between 150 and 650 RON.
Filter private nurseries on the interactive map or in the nursery list, including by minimum age if your child is under 2.
2. A certified nanny
Law 167/2014 regulates nannies: qualification, medical and psychological clearance, criminal record check. We detailed the steps and the contract in our guide to hiring a nanny legally. For one child it can be comparable to a private nursery; for two it often works out better.
3. An institution that takes children from 2
A few Cluj institutions accept under-3s in a kindergarten setting. We’ve collected the list of those that told us their minimum age — from 12 months upward.
4. Postponing the start
This is not a failure. If one parent can stay home a few more months, or grandparents can cover part of the schedule, starting kindergarten at 2.5–3 is entirely legitimate — and from age 4 the final year is compulsory, so the calendar resolves itself anyway.
What financial support exists
If you returned to work before your parental leave ended, you may be entitled to the return-to-work incentive. If you choose a private nursery, check whether you qualify for the support provided for antepreschool education. Amounts and conditions change annually, so we don’t reproduce them here — check with AJPIS Cluj and in our guides to the return-to-work incentive and nursery vouchers, where we always point to the official source for current-year figures.
A two-week plan
| When | What you do |
|---|---|
| Day 1–2 | Confirm your list position and the redistribution method in writing |
| Day 2–3 | Check whether any document is missing from your file |
| Day 3–5 | Call 5–8 private nurseries about vacancies and minimum age |
| Week 1 | Book 2–3 visits; use the visit checklist |
| Week 2 | Reconfirm interest on the waiting list; decide your backup |
Frequently asked questions
If I didn’t get a state nursery place, do I still have a chance this year? Yes, often. Places free up in the first weeks as families admitted to several units give some up. Stay on the waiting list and reconfirm interest periodically.
Can I be on the waiting list at several nurseries? Ask the nursery administration directly — rules can differ year to year. Confirm on creseclujnapoca.ro for the current year.
What does the private alternative cost? Cluj private nurseries that publish a verifiable fee start at 1,700 RON a month, plus the enrolment fee. See our verified fee table.
Is it a problem if my child starts later? No. Only the final year, from age 4, is compulsory. Until then, when to start is a family decision.
Sources
- Cluj-Napoca nurseries — procedure, criteria and calendar for municipal nurseries
- Cluj-Napoca City Hall — education units
- ANPIS — return-to-work incentive and early education support
- Law 167/2014 on nanny activity
- The piticluj.ro directory — all 339 listed nurseries and kindergartens
- Our data sources — the full list
Conclusion
A “no” in August doesn’t mean a lost year. Confirm your list position, check your file, call the alternatives in the first week, and remember the wave of withdrawals arrives right after the year starts. Every nursery and kindergarten in Cluj, with filters for minimum age and neighbourhood, is on the piticluj.ro interactive map.