Social Grant Program
During an activity of one decade, the social grant program was considered one of the main tasks of the Foundation for School. The goal of the grant program (considered a priority) is to reduce the dropout of the Hungarian students from Romania by improving their financial situation. Thus the percentage of Hungarian-language students will increase in comparison with the Romanian mean value.
This grant system is an attempt to aid with social grants ethnic Hungarian students, studying in public or private institutions, which are orphans, fatherless or motherless, children of separated parents, socially disadvantaged or with financial problems.
In the 1996-2003 period, only students studying in Hungarian language in a private or public university could apply for this grant at the foundation. Starting with the 2003-2004 academic year, Hungarian-language secondary school pupils can also apply for this grant.
Applications are assessed according to a credit system, where the social background of the applicant’s family is a prior consideration. Being a social grant, school achievements have a small contribution in awarding it (6 credits out of 100 can be given for school achievements).
During its existence of one decade, the foundation has awarded 4133 grants for university students and 450 for secondary school pupils. Lately, the amount of the grant is about the national average income. The program was co-organized with the National Hungarian Student Association and – besides using private financial funds – it was co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Hungary and the Illyés Public Foundation.
Development of social grants for university students since 1996 till present
| Academic year | Number of aided students |
Grant/person (ROL – USD) |
Total amount (ROL) |
| 1996-1997, 2nd semester | 231 | 300,000 – 50 | 69,300,000 |
| 1997-1998, 1st semester | 250 | 350,000 – 50 | 87,500,000 |
| 1997-1998, 2nd semester | 301 | 450,000 – 55 | 135,450,000 |
| 1998-1999, 1st semester | 300 | 500,000 – 55 | 175,000,000 |
| 1998-1999, 2nd semester | 310 | 700,000 – 50 | 217,000,000 |
| 1999-2000, 1st semester | 350 | 1,000,000 – 60 | 350,000,000 |
| 1999-2000, 2nd semester | 351 | 1,500,000 – 80 | 526,500,000 |
| 2000-2001, 1st semester | 344 | 1,500,000 – 60 | 511,376,000 |
| 2000-2001, 2nd semester | 344 | 2,000,000 – 70 | 688,000,000 |
| 2001-2002 academic year | 200 | 1st cat. 75 x 4,000,000 – 120 2nd cat. 70 x 3,500,000 – 105 3rd cat. 55 x 3,000,000 – 90 |
710,000,000 |
| 2002-2003 academic year | 270 | 1st cat. 100 x 4,500,000 – 135 2nd cat. 90 x 4,000,000 – 120 3rd cat. 80 x 3,500,000 – 105 |
1,090,000,000 |
| 2003-2004 academic year | 297 | 1st cat. 114 x 4,500,000 – 135 2nd cat. 88 x 4,000,000 – 120 3rd cat. 95 x 3,500,000 – 105 |
1,197,500,000 |
| 2004-2005 academic year | 300 | 1st cat. 110 x 4,500,000 – 154 2nd cat. 100 x 4,000,000 – 137 3rd cat. 90 x 3,500,000 – 120 |
1,210,000,000 |
| 2005-2006 academic year | 285 | 1st cat. 100 x 3,700,000 – 134 2nd cat. 95 x 3,200,000 – 116 3rd cat. 90 x 2,700,000 – 98 |
917,000,000 |
| TOTAL | 4133 | 3,470,126,000 |
Development of social grants for secondary school pupils since 2003 till present
| Academic year | Number of aided pupils |
Grant/person (ROL – USD) | Total amount (ROL) |
| 2003-2004 academic year | 150 | 3,000,000 – 92 | 450,000,000 |
| 2004-2005 academic year | 150 | 3,000,000 – 103 | 450,000,000 |
| 2005-2006 academic year | 150 | 2,550,000 – 93 | 382,500,000 |
| TOTAL | 450 | 1,282,500,000 |