In short: re-enrolment is the process by which you confirm that a child already attending a nursery or kindergarten continues at the same unit the following school year. Enrolment is for new children, on the places left after re-enrolments. Re-enrolment takes place before enrolment and requires a written request filed with the unit. If you miss it, your child’s place is no longer guaranteed.
It is one of the most costly administrative confusions for parents in Cluj — because it is settled within a single week in May and has no simple fix.
Re-enrolment vs. enrolment: the difference
| Aspect | Re-enrolment | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|
| For whom | Children already attending the unit | Children new to the unit |
| When | The first stage of the calendar | After re-enrolments |
| What you do | File a continuity request | File a complete application |
| Tiebreak criteria | Do not apply | Apply |
| The risk | You lose the place if you don’t file | You compete for remaining places |
The system’s logic: continuity is confirmed first, then the remaining free places are calculated, and only then does the competition open for new children. That is why re-enrolment is not a formality — it determines how many places remain available across the whole city.
If you are in the second situation, see our guides on enrolling at a state kindergarten, enrolling at a state nursery and the tiebreak criteria.
When re-enrolment takes place
The calendar is set annually by order of the Minister of Education and applied locally through the Cluj County School Inspectorate and the education units themselves.
The structure is stable from year to year:
- Re-enrolment stage — for children continuing at the same unit.
- Enrolment stage (first round) — on the remaining free places, with tiebreak criteria.
- Second enrolment round — for places left after the first round.
- Adjustment stage — redistribution for children still without a place.
Typically, re-enrolments take place in May, roughly a week before enrolments. The exact dates change every year — check them with your child’s unit and on the ISJ Cluj website before making plans.
For the full calendar context, see the nursery and kindergarten enrolment calendar and the adjustment stage.
What you file for re-enrolment
It is usually far simpler than an enrolment application, because the unit already holds your child’s details. Generally:
- A re-enrolment request — a standard form obtained from the unit.
- Updated documents, if anything has changed — ID with a new address, custody situation, contact details.
- Confirmation of the programme type you want (normal or extended), where the unit offers both.
What does not apply at re-enrolment: the tiebreak criteria. Continuity is not scored, because this is not a competition.
⚑ The form and exact list differ between units and can change annually. Ask for the written list at the front office rather than relying on the group’s WhatsApp chat.
What happens if you miss re-enrolment
This is the real stake. If you do not file the request during the re-enrolment window:
- Your child’s place is no longer automatically reserved.
- You enter the enrolment stage, competing for remaining places with the tiebreak criteria applied.
- At sought-after units in Cluj — Centru, Mănăștur, Gheorgheni, Zorilor — the places left after re-enrolments can be very few.
In practice, an unfiled request can mean changing units. If you do end up in this situation:
- See waiting lists and alternatives.
- See free places at nurseries and kindergartens in Cluj.
- See the adjustment stage.
- Consider a later transfer.
Special situations
Your child moves from nursery to kindergarten. Careful: if this involves a different unit, it is not re-enrolment but enrolment, with a full application and tiebreak criteria. Re-enrolment assumes continuity at the same unit. Confirm with the front office how your case is classified.
You are moving to another neighbourhood. Re-enrolment keeps you at your current unit. If you want a different one, you enter the enrolment route. See the neighbourhood guides in the neighbourhoods section.
You also have a younger child starting nursery. Re-enrolling the older child and enrolling the younger one are separate procedures with different deadlines. Note them separately.
You are not sure you will continue. File the request anyway. Withdrawing later is easy; recovering a lost place is not.
A child with special educational needs. See enrolling a child with special educational needs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between re-enrolment and enrolment? Re-enrolment confirms continuity for a child already attending the unit, in the same place, for the following school year. Enrolment is for new children, on the free places left after the re-enrolment stage, with tiebreak criteria applied.
Is re-enrolment mandatory? Yes, if you want your child to stay at the same unit. Without a re-enrolment request filed within the deadline, the place is no longer guaranteed.
When does kindergarten re-enrolment happen? Usually in May, before the enrolment stage. Exact dates are set annually by ministerial order — check them with the unit and on the ISJ Cluj website.
What documents are needed for re-enrolment? Usually just the standard form and, if anything has changed, updated documents (address, contact details, custody situation). Ask the unit’s front office for the exact list.
What do I do if I missed the re-enrolment window? You enter the enrolment stage and compete for remaining places with tiebreak criteria. Also check the adjustment stage, waiting lists and the possibility of a later transfer.
Is moving from nursery to kindergarten a re-enrolment? Only if you stay at the same unit. If it involves a different unit, it is an enrolment with a full application. Confirm the classification with the front office.
Sources
- Re-enrolment at kindergarten and nursery — guide for parents and educators — Edupedu
- Kindergarten enrolment guide: tiebreak criteria and required documents — Edupedu
- Early education — Ministry of Education
- Cluj County School Inspectorate — the calendar and procedures applied locally
- Cluj-Napoca nurseries — for municipal nurseries
Conclusion
Re-enrolment is the cheapest insurance in the whole system: one request filed on time keeps your place, with no criteria and no competition. Missing it throws you back into the competition for remaining places — in a city where, at sought-after units, those are few.
Set yourself a reminder for May and confirm the exact dates with the unit. And if you are looking at alternatives anyway, compare them on the piticluj.ro interactive map. See also our data sources.