Low Tuition Universities in Bulgaria, Admission Requirements and Essential Information for International Students

Want to study abroad? Why not study in Bulgaria

In the following, we provide more information on the cost of living, their admission requirements and tuition fees. Also, we will help you understand the higher education system in Bulgaria and also take you through the list of low tuition Universities in Bulgaria.

About Bulgaria

Officially the Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgaria is located in southeastern Europe and is home to over 7 million people.

It shares land borders with five other countries( Romania to the north, Greece to the south, Turkey to the south-east, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west) sits on the Black Sea. Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital city, and its population is about 1.2 million.

Bulgaria uses the Lev (BGN) as its currency. The official language of Bulgaria is Bulgarian.

Bulgaria is fast becoming a destination of choice for international students, especially from its neighbors such as Greece and Turkey, even as far as Germany, Nigeria, and India

Higher Education System in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is part of the Bologna Process. This means that its higher education system is split into three levels, called tiers. These tiers are:

First Tier – this is the undergraduate level. Bachelor’s degrees normally take three or four years to complete. Specialized subjects, like medicine and engineering will normally take the extra year.
Second Tier – this is the postgraduate level. Master’s degrees normally take two years to complete.
Third Tier – this is the doctoral level. PhDs normally take three to five years to complete. Some students choose to teach whilst researching, so this takes PhD qualifications up to the five-year mark.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees in Bulgaria can vary a lot. It depends on what you’re studying and where. Tuition fees in Bulgaria are normally paid in Euros in two installments: one before the academic year starts, the other at the halfway point of the year.

The average rate for an undergraduate degree is €3000 ($3650) – €5900 ($7100) per year. Postgraduate programs are generally a little cheaper, coming in at €3000 ($3650) – €5000 ($6100). Programs like medicine, pharmaceuticals and dentistry can cost up to €8000 ($9750) per year.

PhDs are lower still, generally costing between €1750 ($2100) – €3850 ($4700) per year.

Bulgarians, as well as other citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, do still pay tuition fees, but they are generally lower than those paid by students from elsewhere.

Living Costs

Life in Bulgaria is quite affordable and much cheaper in comparison to Western Europe. Living expenses vary on your lifestyle and where you live. Sofia is the most expensive city in Bulgaria, but it is still one of the most affordable capital cities in Europe. For instance, a private modern apartment in the city centre of Sofia is about 400 EUR per month. To compare, rent in other Bulgarian cities is usually cheaper (e.g. around 300-350 EUR in Plovdiv or Varna). Keep in mind that the local currency is Bulgarian lev (BGN) – 1 BGN equals around 0.51 EUR, 0.58 USD and 0.43 GBP.

Some other typical expenses include:

A meal at a restaurant – around 10-15 BGN.
Domestic beer – around 2 BGN
Water – around 1 BGN
Milk – around 2 BGN
One-way ticket for public transportation in Sofia – 1.60 BGN
A monthly pass for public transportation in Sofia (all lines) – around 22 BGN with a student discount
A gym membership card – around 40 BGN
Bowling – around 6 BGN per person

To know the average expenses for different cities around the world, check Numbeo

Admission Requirements

Documents required for a Bulgarian university application include:

A completed application form
A validated copy and a certified translation of the applicant’s high-school diploma
Applicants for Master’s degree courses should present a validated copy and a certified translation of a diploma (Bachelor’s or Master’s) accompanied by a transcript of study records
A medical certificate issued not earlier than one month before the application procedure
A photocopy of the applicant’s passport/identity card
Four recent photographs of the applicant
Certificate of English, French or German proficiency for those wishing to study in an international language. If you have good command of the language and you do not have an international certificate, you may take a language test at a Bulgarian high education institution