Schools & Universities in Bulgaria

Education in Bulgaria is compulsory for children between the ages of 7 years and 16 years. The school year comprises two terms. It starts in September and ends in May or June. Education is free for children with Bulgarian citizenship. However, parents with children from other countries might find that they are asked to pay for their child's attendance.

The educational system in Bulgaria includes:

• Pre-school education - kindergarten/nursery schools
• Basic education
• Secondary education
• Higher education (Technical colleges and universities)

Pre-School Education

Pre-school education includes children from the of age 3 years to the age of 6 or 7 years. Attendance is optional. Over 95% of kindergartens are run by the state, but there are an increasing number of private schools. The private schools tend to be located in cities such as Sofia, Varna, Rousse or Plovdiv.

Basic Education

Basic education consists of two phases:

• Primary education, for children between 6 or 7 years and 10 years of age (grades 1-4)
• Pre-secondary education, for children between 10 years and 14 years of age (grades 5-8)

There are a variety of state-owned, municipal and private schools. Learning resources are free and are provided by the school. (Parents of children from other countries might be asked to pay for their books and other learning materials.)

When a child successfully completes grade 4, he or she is issued with a Certificate of Primary Education. This certificate is known as the Udostoverenie za Natchalno Obrazovanie.

When a child successfully completes grade 8, he or she is issued with a Certificate of Basic Education. This certificate is known as the Udostoverenie za Osnovno Obrazovanie. Some schools also provide technical or vocational courses after the children have completed grades 6, 7 or 8.

Secondary Education

In Bulgaria, the secondary education system consists of:

• General education, which is provided by comprehensive schools for students of 14 to 18 years of age (4 years education in total).
• Vocational secondary education, which is provided by schools that specialize in certain aspects of education, such as mathematics, linguistics or the humanities. Students can enter a vocational school after completing either grade 7 or grade 8 and after passing the vocational school's entry examinations. Education in a vocational school lasts between 4 and 5 years. The 5 year programs usually include intensive study of a foreign language such as English or German. Vocational education is also provided by technical schools that provide a specialized 3-year educational program.

If the student successfully completes his or her secondary education and passes the final examinations, a Diploma of Secondary Education (Diploma za Sredno Obrazovanie) or a Diploma of Secondary Specialized Education (Diploma za Sredno Spetsialno Obrazovanie) is awarded.

Higher Education

Students who receive the Diploma of Secondary/Secondary Specialized Education are entitled to apply for admission to a higher education course. To gain admission to a university or college of higher education, the student must also pass the entrance examinations. The academic year comprises two terms. It starts in September or October and ends in May or June.

In Bulgaria, the higher education system consists of:

• First degree - This is a program of at least 4 years' duration and leads to a Bachelor's degree
• Second degree - This is a program of at least 5 years' duration, or one year following the achievement of a Bachelor's degree. It leads to a Master's degree
• Third degree - This is a program of at least 3 years' duration, which is taken after the student achieves a Master's degree. It leads to a Doctorate.

Higher education institutions in Bulgaria include universities, specialized higher schools (academies, institutes) and colleges of higher education. The colleges generally offer a shorter course of vocational training and confer a Specialist degree.

The official language of instruction is Bulgarian. However, some institutions of higher education also offer courses in English, German or French.

Further information

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