For parents returning to work before their child turns three, finding a nursery place can become one of the most important challenges of the summer. Bucharest has public nursery facilities in all six districts, but they are not managed through an identical administrative system.

Some nurseries operate as independent institutions under local social assistance authorities, while others function as departments of kindergartens or schools. As a result, parents may encounter different institution names, separate enrollment platforms and local timetables that do not always follow the same schedule.

The list below is based on the official school networks and enrollment information published for the 2026–2027 school year. It identifies public institutions that provide early childhood education services, but it does not reflect the number of places available in real time. Current availability must be confirmed directly with the chosen institution or the local authority responsible for it.

At what age can a child attend nursery?

Under Romania’s Pre-University Education Law, early childhood education includes the ante-preschool level, intended for children aged between three months and three years, and the preschool level, for children between three and six years old.

In practice, each institution may determine which age groups it accepts, depending on its authorization, available space and staffing. Therefore, the fact that a child falls within the general age range does not automatically mean that they can be admitted to every nursery.

Some institutions accept babies from the age of three months, while others only enroll children who have already turned one.

Nurseries in District 6, for example, are authorized for children aged between one and three. For enrollment in 2026, children were required to be at least one year old and not to have turned three by August 31, 2026.

Public nurseries in Bucharest in 2026, by district

In official documents, an institution may appear either under the name “nursery” or as an ante-preschool department attached to a kindergarten. Parents should also look for the abbreviation “APRE”, which is used to designate the ante-preschool education level.

Before submitting an application, it is useful to check not only the address, but also the institution responsible for managing the nursery. In some districts, enrollment is handled through the educational institution, while in others it takes place through a platform managed by the local social assistance and child protection authority.

District 1

In District 1, public services for children of ante-preschool age are organized through day-care centers managed by the District 1 General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection:

• Vrancei Day-Care Center – 9 Vrancea Street;
• Romanian-Danish Center for Integrated Education – 17 Mareșal Alexandru Averescu Boulevard;
• Jiului Day-Care Center – 2C Pajura Street;
• Saint Nicholas Day-Care Center – 74 Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea Street;
• Saint Andrew Day-Care Center – 15 Cosmești Street.

For the 2026 enrollment session, the local authority announced places at all five centers, while applications were assessed through a points-based system. Where applicants obtained the same score, the date and time when the application was registered could be used as a tie-breaking criterion.

District 2

The public network in District 2 includes both individually named nurseries and ante-preschool groups organized within kindergartens:

• Nursery No. 23, part of Kindergarten No. 23 – 1 Gheorghe Răduță Street;
• Nursery No. 137 – 5 Plumbuita Street;
• Sinaia Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 276 – 57 Corabia Street;
• Ciobănașul Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 189 – 12 Șoseaua Vergului;
• Teiul Doamnei Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 233 – 20 Arhitect Petre Antonescu Street;
• Margareta Nursery, part of Alice Kindergarten;
• Albinuța Kindergarten, which also provides ante-preschool education;
• Kindergarten No. 280 – 4 Delfinului Street, where ante-preschool groups are also included.

During the 2026 enrollment process, parents were allowed to list up to three choices. For children who were not initially allocated a place, the District 2 timetable also included an adjustment stage in August, subject to the availability of remaining places.

District 3

The public education network in District 3 includes several nurseries that operate as departments of local kindergartens:

• Trapezului Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 232 – 6 Aleea Prevederii;
• Ghiocelul Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 154 – 12–14 1 Decembrie 1918 Boulevard;
• Greierașul Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 211;
• Cerceluș Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 239 – 52 Cerceluș Street;
• Potcoava Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 240 – 10 Pictor Gheorghe Tattarescu Street;
• Titan Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 255 – 1A Lunca Bradului Street.

District 3 also has kindergartens that provide ante-preschool groups even though the word “nursery” does not appear in the institution’s official name. Public documents issued in 2026 mention Kindergarten No. 38, Floare de Colț Kindergarten, Kindergarten No. 68, Kindergarten No. 196 and Peștișorul de Aur Kindergarten among these institutions.

District 4

In District 4, several nursery departments operate administratively under the “Micii Magicieni” Nursery. Parents should pay close attention to the specific department name and address, because the same coordinating institution manages several locations:

• Micii Magicieni Nursery – 4 Izvorul Mureșului Street;
• Crăiasa Zăpezii Nursery – 8 Oițelor Street;
• Crăiasa Zăpezii Nursery – 1 Aleea Tohani, Building 30;
• Degețica Nursery – 1A Aleea Mirea Mioara Luiza;
• Degețica Nursery – 9 Aleea Reșița D;
• Degețica Nursery – 8A Covasna Street;
• Mica Sirenă Nursery – 2B Aleea Emil Racoviță;
• Dumbrava Minunată Nursery – 84 Stoian Militaru Street.

These locations are included in the education network approved for the 2026–2027 school year. Before applying, parents should check which department still has available places and whether applications are submitted centrally or directly at the location indicated by the local authority.

District 5

The public network in District 5 includes several nurseries attached to kindergartens or schools:

• Brândușa Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 268 – 56 Sabinelor Street;
• Castelul Fermecat Nursery, part of Secondary School No. 144 – 150–154 Drumul Ghindarilor;
• Saint Andrew Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 178 – 20–22 Elev Popovici Nicolae Street;
• Saint Stelian Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 35 – 22 Lerești Street;
• Ariel and Aurora Nursery, part of Kindergarten No. 34 – 5A Baciului Street;
• Electromagnetica Kindergarten – 266 Calea Rahovei, which also provides ante-preschool education.

These institutions are included in the public education network approved for the 2026–2027 school year. Because some are managed through the kindergarten or school to which they belong, enrollment information should also be checked on the website of the coordinating institution.

District 6

District 6 has four public nurseries managed by the local General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection:

• Pinocchio Nursery – 20 Aleea Compozitorilor;
• Neghiniță Nursery – 1 Aleea Crăiești;
• Harap Alb Nursery – 13 Estacadei Street;
• Îngerașii Nursery – 6A Aleea Rușețu.

After the re-enrollment stage, 620 places were announced for newly enrolled children for the 2026 session: 135 at Pinocchio, 200 at Neghiniță, 206 at Harap Alb and 79 at Îngerașii.

These figures represented the situation at the beginning of the enrollment period and should not be understood as the number of places that remain available at present.

Children placed on a waiting list remain in the database, and places that become available during the year may be reassigned according to the applicable regulations and the child’s position on the waiting list.

How nursery enrollment works

At national level, parents may apply to an institution located close to their home, registered residence or workplace. Up to three preferred institutions may usually be included in the standard application form, in order of preference, where the institution follows the methodology established by the Ministry of Education.

The application file generally includes:

• the standard enrollment application;
• the child’s birth certificate;
• the identity documents of the parents or legal representatives;
• documents proving the family’s home address or registered residence;
• employment certificates or documents indicating the date when the parent will return to work;
• documents concerning parental leave, where applicable;
• supporting documents for the relevant selection criteria;
• documents concerning special family circumstances.

After admission, and before the child joins the group, parents are also required to provide the medical documents requested by the institution. These may include a medical certificate, an epidemiological clearance and proof of vaccination, according to the procedure communicated by the nursery.

When the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, general and, where applicable, institution-specific selection criteria are used. These may take into account the child’s age, proximity to the family’s home or workplace, the parents’ employment status, whether a sibling already attends the same institution, single-parent family status, the number of children in the household, or particular social and medical circumstances.

The order in which applications are submitted is not the only criterion used by institutions that follow the national methodology. However, nurseries managed directly by local social assistance authorities may apply their own regulations.

In District 6, for instance, social cases are assessed as a priority. Other criteria may then include the date and time when the application was submitted and whether the family has a permanent address in the district.

Can you still obtain a place after the main enrollment period?

The main enrollment stages for the 2026–2027 school year took place in May, June and July. However, this does not necessarily mean that all opportunities disappear once the initial lists are published.

The methodology includes an adjustment stage for children who were not allocated a place, who did not take part in the first stages or who require a place because of circumstances that arose later. Allocation is possible only within the limits of the places that remain available or are subsequently added.

A place may also become vacant when an admitted child does not attend, the family moves to another area or the parents choose a different institution. Some local authorities keep applications on waiting lists and contact parents according to the order established by their regulations.

It is important for the application to be officially registered. A phone conversation in which a parent is told that no places are available does not replace the formal procedure, particularly where the local district allows applications to remain on a waiting list.

What to check before choosing a nursery

Location is important, but it should not be the only selection criterion. Parents should ask about the daily timetable, the minimum age accepted, whether the nursery closes during certain periods for cleaning and maintenance, and how activities are organized during the summer.

It is also worth checking:

• how many children are included in each group;
• how the adjustment period is organized;
• the schedule for meals and sleep;
• whether food is prepared on site or delivered;
• what fees or contributions must be paid;
• which personal items parents must bring from home;
• how parents are contacted in an emergency;
• what procedure applies when a child is absent for medical reasons.

A visit to the nursery can clarify details that may not appear in enrollment announcements, including access with a stroller, the actual distance from home or work, the outdoor space and the time required for the morning journey.

The list of public institutions is a useful starting point, but the number of available places changes after re-enrollment, withdrawals and reallocations. Before preparing the application file, parents should confirm the latest information with the chosen nursery, the Bucharest School Inspectorate or the social assistance authority responsible for their district.