As many as 6,745 students will be admitted to higher education establishments of Moldova on a budget-funded place in the 2012 – 2013 academic year. Of these places, 5,000 will be available at institutions managed by the Ministry of Education, Info-Prim Neo reports. Under a Government Decision, 285 places will be distributed to the Romanian language and literature faculties, while 215 places to the foreign languages faculties. A large number of budget-funded places will be also available at the faculties of social assistance, informatics and teaching in primary education. The faculties of law, international relations and journalism, which were the most popular last year, will provide 60, 20 and, respectively, 25 budget-funded places. As many as 385 students will be admitted to the general medicine departments. The higher education establishments managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry will offer 510 places, while those administered by the Ministry of Culture – 225 places. The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the Academy of Sciences of Moldova will provide 290, 100 and 120 places at the institutions controlled by them. In the 2012 – 2013 academic year, the higher education institutions of Moldova will be also able to accept almost 14,000 students on a contract basis, about 11,000 of whom in full-time education. The faculties of accountancy, law and finances and banks will offer 825, 710 and, respectively, 610 places. This year, there will be opened four new specialties: welding engineering, engineering and technology of railroad transport, information security, and ecological security. Compared with the 2011 – 2012 academic year, the number of budget-funded places was increased by 387, while of places on a contract basis was decreased by 524, taking into account the number of students.