Enrolling in a public nursery in Cluj-Napoca is one of the most competitive administrative procedures. Cluj-Napoca has approximately 1,650 spots in its public nurseries, administered by the Centrul Bugetar de Administrare Creșe (Budgetary Center for Nursery Administration, 15 Mehedinți Street).

Who can enroll

  1. Age: between 3 months and 3 years
  2. Residence in Cluj-Napoca (or temporary residence permit)
  3. Employment status: both parents employed/self-employed (PFA)/full-time students
  4. Health status: clinically healthy with up-to-date vaccinations

Required documents — full checklist

Prepare the file at least 2 weeks before enrollment opens.

  • Standard enrollment form (from edirect.e-guvernare.ro [Romanian government online services portal] or from CBAC)
  • Copies of both parents’ ID cards (CI)
  • Child’s birth certificate
  • Income statements (no older than 30 days)
  • Medical certificate “fit for collectivity”
  • Child’s health booklet (vaccinations)
  • Epidemiological clearance (max 48h before the first day)
  • Proof of residence: utility bill / ANAF-registered rental contract / land registry extract
  • Court ruling for divorce/custody (if applicable)
  • Documents for special situations (sibling enrolled, disability, social inquiry)

Tip: plastic folder with ring binder, in order.

2026 enrollment calendar

Stage I — March 2026

  • Estimated period: March 15-31, 2026
  • Target audience: children starting nursery in September 2026
  • Submission place: online at edirect.e-guvernare.ro and/or at CBAC
  • Results: early April

Stage II — May 2026

  • Estimated period: May 10-25, 2026
  • Remaining spots + withdrawals

Stage III — September 2026

  • Starting September 1st, ongoing
  • Preferred nursery not guaranteed

Golden rule: submit in Stage I, even with a missing document.

Tie-breaking criteria (scoring)

  1. Both parents employed on permanent contracts
  2. Siblings already enrolled
  3. Distance between home and nursery
  4. Special social situation (single-parent, disability, special educational needs, 3+ children)
  5. Child’s age (in case of tie, older has priority)
  6. Submission date (submit on the first day)

Check your score on the published list — errors can be appealed.

List of public nurseries with addresses

  1. Casa Spiridușilor — Mănăștur
  2. Patrocle — Gheorgheni
  3. Scufița Roșie — Mărăști
  4. Castelul Fermecat — central (with Hungarian section)
  5. Martinel — Grigorescu
  6. Vrăjitorul din Oz — Mănăștur (with Hungarian section)
  7. Prâslea cel Voinic — Zorilor
  8. Lacul Fermecat — Gheorgheni
  9. Ursulețul I — Mărăști
  10. Ursulețul II — Mărăști
  11. Cenușăreasa I — Mănăștur
  12. Cenușăreasa II — Mănăștur
  13. Prichindel — Iris
  14. Clopoțica — Andrei Mureșanu
  15. Căsuța Iepurașilor — central (with Hungarian section)
  16. Micul Cercetaș — Bună Ziua
  17. Tom Degețel — Plopilor
  18. Casa Ștrumfilor — Someșeni

See the exact addresses on the Piticluj interactive map.

How to choose a public nursery

  1. Proximity — under 15 minutes’ walk
  2. Group capacity — ask how many children and how many adults
  3. Parent reviews — Facebook
  4. Hungarian section — Castelul Fermecat, Vrăjitorul din Oz, Căsuța Iepurașilor
  5. Outdoor yard — Lacul Fermecat and Patrocle have large yards

See also the public vs. private nursery comparison.

2026 costs

  • Tuition fee: 0 RON
  • Meal fee: 150–300 RON/month
  • Hygiene supplies: ~100-150 RON/month
  • Realistic total: 300-450 RON/month

For comparison, see how much a private kindergarten costs.

Schedule

  • Monday-Friday: 7:30 AM–5:30 PM or 7:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Saturday-Sunday: closed
  • Holidays: 2-3 weeks in summer + 1 in winter + legal holidays

Plan B if you don’t get a spot

  1. Waiting list — moves 5-10% in the first 4 weeks
  2. 2-3 nurseries simultaneously where regulations allow
  3. Affordable private nurseries — 1,500-2,000 RON, in Florești and Mărăști
  4. Half-day program — 800-1,200 RON/month
  5. Shared nanny — 1,000-1,500 RON/family
  6. Re-apply in Stage II and III

Tips from parents who succeeded

  • Visit the nursery beforehand
  • File ready a month in advance
  • Read the regulations on the Primăria Cluj-Napoca (Cluj-Napoca City Hall) website
  • Submit on the first day
  • Backup at a private nursery

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I enroll? Stage I, first day: March 15, 2026.

Can I change nurseries? Yes, by submitting a transfer request to CBAC.

No Cluj residence? With only a temporary residence permit — reduced score.

Is it physically safe? Yes. All nurseries are sanitarily authorized, with a medical assistant and clear protocols.

The holidays? August: sanitization. The Primăria Cluj-Napoca offers “swap groups” through rotation.

Conclusion

Three basic rules: full file ready by February, submission on the first day of Stage I, plan B at an affordable private nursery. See the piticluj.ro interactive map.