Education and Schools in Bulgaria

Education in Bulgaria has always held a prominent place in the country’s society, and there have been numerous educational reforms over the years. Instruction in the public schooling system is provided in Bulgarian, so expats often choose to send their children to international schools in Bulgaria instead.

Public schools in Bulgaria

Education is free in state-owned and municipal schools for all children, including EU and EEA citizens. This, along with the quality of Bulgarian public schools, means that most local children attend schools in the public education system.

The Bulgarian legislature mandates that children must attend preschool education from the age of four, and formal school education starts at age seven (or age six at parents’ discretion). There are four stages of education in Bulgaria: preschool (ages 3 to 7), primary education (Grades 1 to 4), lower secondary education (Grades 5 to 7), and upper secondary education (Grades 8 to 12).

The academic calendar typically runs from mid-September to late May or early June, with breaks for Christmas and Easter. School hours usually run from 7.30am or 8.30am to 1pm or 2pm.

Private schools in Bulgaria

An increasing number of private and specialist schools are being established in Bulgaria.

The curriculum in Bulgaria’s private schools is guided by government regulations, which mandate that certain core courses be taught. Several Bulgarian private schools offer bilingual Bulgarian-English education, but most private schools primarily offer lessons in Bulgarian.

International schools in Bulgaria

International school fees represent a significant expense for expat families in Bulgaria. There are a few international schools in Bulgaria, most of which can be found in Sofia.

International schools allow many expat students to continue following the curriculum they studied in their home countries. Expats can find international schools catering for German, American, French, British and Spanish curricula as well as the International Baccalaureate curriculum in Bulgaria.

Special-needs education in Bulgaria

Many laws have been implemented in Bulgaria to support children with disabilities in their education. Support teams evaluate children with special educational needs to determine their individual needs and develop appropriate support plans, whether in mainstream schools with additional support or in specialised schools for those with more complex needs.

Special-needs schools primarily cater for children with multiple or severe learning disabilities, as these schools are better equipped to support these children with their educational needs. All mainstream schools are legally required to provide facilities and teachers to educate and accommodate children with disabilities. Children with milder disabilities are often integrated into the mainstream schooling system in Bulgaria.

Karin Dom is a Bulgarian non-profit devoted to providing a range of support services to children with special needs and their families.

Useful links

• Karin Dom

Tutors in Bulgaria

There are many websites that feature and promote tutors in Bulgaria. Verbling, ApprentUs, Preply, and italki are four such websites where expat parents can find a tutor.

These private tutors can teach children online or at home, based on the parents’ preference. They are able to assist children with learning the language or any subjects in school in which the child may be struggling. Tutors can also help children adjust to their new curriculum or the language of instruction if they attend Bulgarian-language schools.

Useful links

• Verbling
• ApprentUs
• Preply
• italki