University education considered as job-relevant experience?
In a significant change to the Romanian pension system, years spent in higher education are now considered as assimilated periods or credited periods for pension eligibility and calculations. This means that time spent studying at university can be counted towards the total required contribution period for pension, effectively reducing the actual time one needs to work and contribute to the pension system to qualify for a full pension.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, years of higher education are treated similarly to paid work periods when calculating pension eligibility and benefits. Before the reform, men required 43 years of contribution and women 40 years, including assimilated periods such as university study time, to access full pension benefits at ages 60 and 57 respectively. The 2023 reform adjusted the retirement ages and contribution periods, but assimilated periods continue to be an important factor in achieving the contribution thresholds for full pensions.
The pension application process is conducted at the labor, employment, and social protection office: women at 58 and men at 63, i.e., at the time of reaching the general pension age. The main condition for age pension allocation is a general work record of at least 20 years for women and 25 for men, with exceptions for women who have raised four or more children.
It is important to note that the new system only applies to age pensions. The mechanisms for disability and loss of breadwinner pensions remain unchanged. The application for a loss of breadwinner pension should be submitted within 12 months of the breadwinner's death, and the application for a disability pension should be submitted within three months of the disability group being established.
In addition, no contributions are made to the FSSN during the university period, similar to parental leave. Work done during distribution is included in the insurance period. However, university years do not affect the pension size.
The simplified pension allocation mechanism allows for application a month before or after one's birthday. If the insurance period is less than 10 years, there is no right to a labor pension, and a social age pension is allocated to men at 65 and women at 60.
This treatment effectively acknowledges the time spent in university as part of an individual’s working life for social protection purposes, improving pension eligibility and potentially increasing the pension amount by counting more years as contributory.
Sources confirm this official policy treatment. The OECD and Romanian government reports confirm that university study time is included in the general work record. However, no explicit detailed formula or exact calculation method is provided in the sources, but the key point is the inclusion of university study time as assimilated periods within the contribution requirement for pension eligibility and calculation by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
[1] Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Romanian pension system regulations.
- The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has incorporates years of higher education as assimilated periods, which are treated similarly to paid work periods, when calculating pension eligibility and benefits.
- Effective university study time can now be counted towards the total required contribution period in the Romanian pension system, thereby potentially increasing the pension amount for individuals.
