The persons who study on a budget-funded place risk losing the place if they do not have a high average grade at the end of the academic year. The vacated places will be occupied by students who study on a contract basis, but have better results, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Ministry of Education. The Ministry proposed that the state higher education institutions should announce a contest for the places funded from the budget after every summer session, starting with next summer, for the persons admitted during the 2011 session. The move is aimed at stimulating the students with a high academic standing. Deputy Minister of Education Loretta Handrabura said the implementation of the project will help improve the management of quality in higher education, in accordance with the international norms. The orphans and students with the first and second disability degrees will not be able to take part in the contest. The Ministry of Education, in concert with the relevant ministries, will check if the contest for budget-funded places was held correctly. According to the Ministry, about 9 800 places on a contract basis and 5 400 places financed from the budget were projected at universities for the 2011-2012 academic year. The average grade on the basis of which the applicants can obtain a budget-funded place differs at every faculty, depending on the number of planned places and of applicants.