Applications Are Open for the 10th Edition of the Romanian Heritage Awards

Every year, somewhere in the United States, a Romanian-American teenager is doing something that goes largely unnoticed. Teaching Romanian at a church school. Volunteering with children in Moldova over the summer. Photographing traditions their grandparents still practice. The Romanian Heritage Awards exist to find those students and recognize them properly.

FORA is proud to announce that applications for the 10th edition are now open at romanianheritageawards.org.

Who Can Apply

Students enrolled in a US school and entering 8th through 12th grade in September 2026 are eligible. The minimum academic requirement is a 3.0 unweighted GPA.

Romanian citizenship or Romanian-born parents are not required. Applicants of any background can qualify as long as their work connects meaningfully to Romania or the Romanian-American community. There is no application fee.

What the Award Recognizes

Sustained community work with real, documented impact. That can take many forms: a student who spent months supporting a Romanian language program at their local church, a team who traveled to Romania to work with underprivileged children, a young artist who brought Romanian culture to a broader audience through a locally recognized project.

Applications are reviewed on the depth of your community involvement, a personal essay of 200 to 500 words reflecting on how this work shaped your identity, and up to two recommendations from community leaders. A second optional essay gives additional space. Individual applications are welcome; teams are encouraged.

The 10th Edition

Nine editions in, this program has recognized students from communities across the country, many of them nominated and supported by FORA member organizations. The 10th edition, coinciding with America's 250th anniversary, is a good moment to apply, share the opportunity widely, and make sure the students who deserve this recognition actually hear about it.

If you know someone who belongs in this program, pass this along. If that someone is you, apply now.

The Romanian Heritage Awards are organized by FORA, the Federation of Romanian-American Organizations, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit representing the Romanian-American diaspora across the United States.