The main attraction of the country is the State Library of Cyril and Methodius in Sofia. Students from foreign countries are attracted here by the excellent quality of education, as well as its moderate cost. It should be noted that higher education in this state is recognized throughout the world. Many universities provide the opportunity to study in graduate school or receive a second higher education.

Students from Russia can apply to study at Bulgarian universities as part of a scientific or cultural exchange. Let us note that a medical certificate, a diploma of completion of education, as well as a student’s identity document must be certified, as well as translated and legalized in accordance with the (international) agreements of two countries: Russia and Bulgaria.

Universities in this country provide language and specialized training to students from the Russian Federation who do not know the local language – Bulgarian. Due to the fact that this language is close to Russian, Russian citizens quickly master it. After completing specialized training and language courses, students are enrolled in Bulgarian universities.

There is no compulsory vocational education in the education system of this country. Education at local universities is paid for both students from Russia and Bulgarian students.

Student life in Bulgaria

If you are planning to study in this country, then it will be useful for you to know what monthly expenses await you. Let us note that you are in luck, since prices in this country are reasonable.

Question about housing

The most acceptable option is a student campus for one hundred euros per month. In addition, in the capital of the country there is an expensive quarter (“Student Town”), quite expensive. Part of the Sofia universities is located in this place. To rent a house in this place you need to pay about a thousand euros per month.

Another option is renting an apartment. For it you will need to pay about 250 euros. There is one minus - in the first month you will need to pay, in addition to the rent, 250 euros to a voracious realtor.

Nutrition

You will need approximately 210-760 euros for food, depending on your appetite.

How about travel?

For transport travel per month you will have to pay about 130 euros.

Entertainment

If you are interested in painting and art, then visiting museums, cultural centers, and art exhibitions will cost you approximately 130 euros per month.

Scholarships and work for Russian students in Bulgaria

In the country, education scholarships for citizens of the Russian Federation are provided only to applicants

residence permit and insurance. It does not include the following expenses: food, accommodation and purchase of materials and books.

• have Russian citizenship;
• live in the Russian Federation at the time of submitting the application form and during the qualifying rounds;
• you are studying in the 11th grade of a Russian school;
• you know English well enough and your academic performance is above average;
• you are not studying at a higher education institution;
• After completing the program, you will return to your homeland, that is, to Russia.

First, you must fill out an application form for participation, after which it and other necessary documents must be sent to the American University by registered mail.

All semi-finalists will be informed individually about the exam dates. Free testing is carried out only in test centers in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Based on an assessment of the entire package of documents, a decision is made to provide a scholarship. Applicants who did not receive the above Soros scholarship have the right to receive a partial university scholarship.

Applying for a student visa in this country

To receive education at one of the universities in Bulgaria, a Russian student needs a long-term visa. It is issued at the Consulate of the above country, that is, Bulgaria. The Consulate's representative offices are located in St. Petersburg and also in Moscow. The cost of such a document is 35 euros.

The visa is valid for a maximum of six months from the date of issue. It gives a citizen of the Russian Federation the right to enter the country once. After a student of the Russian Federation arrives in this state, he is obliged to contact the Administrative Control Service at his future place of residence in order to obtain a residence permit.

To obtain a visa, you must submit the following documents (in two copies):

1. Two photographs (color) of standard size – 3.5x4.5 cm.

2. Application of a certain sample.

3. Foreign passport.

4. A copy (certified) of the court decision on the entry in the Trade Register.

5. A copy (certified) of the tax registration document.

6. Registration with the statistical institute (Bulstat) in Bulgaria.

7. NAP certificate: about registration as an insurer; about self-sufficiency; on providing jobs on the terms of a legal relationship (labor) to at least ten citizens of a given country and providing them with support; about the absence of debt to the above organization - NAP.

8. Certificate from the tax service about the declared financial results and paid fees and taxes.

9. Bank certificate: about the cash account and the movement of payments and deposits, as well as the absence of debts.

10. Confirmation that you have a place to live during your stay in the country. You are required to provide an address.

Education in Bulgaria: some details

The current situation with obtaining education in Bulgaria has acquired progressive development. Some time ago, educational services in primary, basic and secondary education programs for foreign citizens with permanent residence permits were paid. Every year, the amount of tuition was approved by a commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic. It should be said that in accordance with the legislation of Bulgaria, education is compulsory for citizens under sixteen years of age. This also applies to foreigners with a residence permit. At the moment, a number of changes to the Law on Education of the Republic are in the process of being adopted, according to which fees for receiving educational services will be abolished until students reach 16 years of age. This will also apply to foreign citizens. Students who have reached the age of sixteen and decide to continue their education are required to pay. Education in most schools and gymnasiums is conducted in the republican language. If we talk about the opportunity to study in private educational institutions, then it is worth clarifying the availability and terms of a license to conduct educational activities and be prepared to fork out some money.

In accordance with the administrative and legislative acts of the Government of the Republic, intergovernmental arrangements and agreements, foreign citizens who have a permanent residence permit are admitted to educational institutions of higher education on a paid basis. However, the provided list of documents: passport, diploma (certificate) of previous education and medical certificate, translated and certified by the legal service, is not enough. In accordance with the established admission rules, only after the procedure for coordinating applicants with educational institutions of other states, the Republican Commission of the Ministry makes a decision on the recruitment of applicants for higher education in Bulgaria.

The annual republican subsidization of places in universities for foreign citizens is calculated on average for 500 people. The procedure for distributing the number of places by universities, majors and specialties is formed from applications and proposals received from higher educational institutions of other states.

The examination schedule and control test materials are developed by the teaching community of universities in Bulgaria. The list of subjects taken includes the following: Bulgarian language and literature, foreign languages ​​(English, French, German), history of Bulgaria, mathematics, biology, chemistry. Applicants for admission to a higher educational institution of culture and sports additionally take major disciplines. In accordance with the principle of the rating scale, those applicants who received the highest score are selected from each state.

In the ranking of prestigious higher educational institutions of the Republic, the first places are occupied by Sofia University of St. Clement of Orchid, Sofia Technical University, American University in Bulgaria, Paisiy Hilendarski University in E. The highest number of applicants for admission to the American University. The diploma obtained does not require convertibility, and graduates receive offers of employment and internships in companies in Austria, America, and France.

As in all secondary educational institutions in Bulgaria, the educational process in higher educational institutions is conducted in the republican language. Additional classes are a plus to the main educational programs for those who do not speak Bulgarian.

The cost of training for foreign citizens is regulated by an administrative act of the Council of Ministers. This document is a list of all higher educational institutions in Bulgaria with established specialties and disciplines. The Order determines the cost for each form of education at all levels of obtaining an academic degree. As an example, here is some data:

• the cost of obtaining a Bachelor's degree (training period is 4.5 years) for full-time study is 1800-3000 €, for part-time study (distance learning or evening) - 800-2500 € / year;
• the cost of obtaining a Master's degree (training period from 4.5 to 6 years) for full-time study is 1800-3000 €, for part-time study - 900-2500 € / year;
• the cost for obtaining candidate's degrees (or doctoral students) for full-time study is 2500-5000 €/year, for part-time study – 1200-2000 €/year.

It should be added that a foreigner who has received the status of a residence permit becomes the owner of a plastic personal card (“Card for a long-term alien residing in the Republic of Belarus”) with a personal number entered in the register (“personal number for an alien”). All family members automatically receive the same rights. The stipulated maximum period of such stay is one year. The status is subject to annual renewal. After a five-year period, a foreign citizen who has a permanent residence permit acquires the right to obtain permanent residence in Bulgaria.

For successful students of higher educational institutions, the “Citizenship Law” provides for a condition, the content of which indicates an interest in the naturalization of a person of foreign nationality who has particularly distinguished himself before the government of the Republic in the spheres of social and economic life, in the scientific, cultural and sports fields.

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria provides competitions and grant programs that allow university students to improve their education ratings and participate in international programs. It is on these competitive platforms that employers in EU countries identify their future interns, and in the future, promising corporate personnel.

In the “Personal Experience” section “Oh!” I have already collected many interesting stories about how children study in different countries of the world. Moms and dads share amazing details with us, telling us why and. Today "Oh!" goes to Bulgaria, where the mother of seven-year-old Leia, Misha Aprelskaya, lives, to find out how school works in this country.

My name is Michal, for three years now the whole family has been living in Bulgaria, in the city of Burgas. We have one child - Leah, she is almost eight years old. Leia went to kindergarten for the first time in Bulgaria. She was four and a half years old. Before school, I had to learn the language, and it didn’t hurt to make friends. Three months later, Leia spoke without an accent. Now she is studying in the second grade of a comprehensive music school.

One day vacation

The school year in Bulgaria begins on September 15. We really like this start, despite the fact that because of this, middle and high schools finish their studies closer to July. But junior classes only study until the end of May. The vacation schedule is standard - autumn, Christmas, winter and Easter. Only our autumn holidays last one day - it’s just an extra day off on weekdays.

Leah's school day begins at 8:00, the teacher asks everyone to be there by 7:45, because the children need time to get involved in the process and prepare for lessons. There are also schools where the school day starts as early as 7:30. Bulgaria is apparently a country of early risers. At our school, children stay in after-school classes for up to four hours, because after lunch they begin their specialty classes, or dance classes. Children study in one shift, but there are schools where education takes place in two shifts. In lower grades, a lesson lasts 35 minutes.

There are 21 students in our class, while in regular schools there are an average of 26 people per class. Due to the nature of our school, we only have two boys. But children communicate freely between classes, so the boys in our school should not be bored.

How is the school day going?

In Bulgarian schools, children have lunch, which includes soup, main course and dessert. Parents can pay by the day or week. If a child does not like school food, then he carries a lunchbox with him and buys lunch at the buffet or at nearby fast foods. By the way, in schools there is also one, which every child receives for free. It could be a bun or a cheese sandwich.

In the morning, the class teacher meets primary schoolchildren in the foyer, greets them, communicates with parents, and helps them carry their schoolbags and musical instruments to class. It happens that the director or head teacher greets everyone. Entrance to the school building is possible only with an electronic chip. All greetings: children, teachers not only smile at each other, but also hug. And this is the norm! Everyone shouts in unison: “Leia! Leia has arrived! And they begin to hug her one by one. I’m pleased, I didn’t have such emotions in my childhood. On the contrary, you come to school and try to blend in with the walls.

Preparing for school and adaptation

Leia learned the language and got used to the country in kindergarten. We really liked the garden, it is the best in Burgas. A fun learning program with experiments, crafts, English, excursions, dance and yoga. The kindergarten is international, children are from different countries, but everyone speaks Bulgarian. The teachers are extremely friendly, caring, open and sincere. And in these manifestations they are very natural, we were pleased to communicate with them, we are grateful to everyone who helped our daughter. So Leia simply could not have had any problems adapting to such a garden.

School life

The child does all his homework in class during after-school hours. They study and take music classes at home. But in high school, of course, the workload is higher, and assignments require longer preparation.

Our school has a very active life - concerts, performances, trips, fairs, meetings with writers, artists and musicians. At the fairs, children and parents make crafts or cook, and the proceeds from sales go into the class fund. Because of all these activities, children communicate well between classes. Girls from grades 5, 7 and 12 know Leah! High school students always help the kids. And the relationship between students and teachers here is very good.

I really like school traditions that are associated with the preservation of Bulgarian folklore. Here they know and honor their national heroes. I was simply amazed by the Bulgarian Hora dance, everyone dances it - from young to old, much the same as Lezginka in Georgia. And on weekends, it’s mostly dads who walk with their children; there are always a lot of dads at parent-teacher meetings. Of course, this doesn’t apply to kindergarten and school traditions, but it’s still nice.

The highest score is six!

Complete education in Bulgaria is considered compulsory. Education here begins with a preparatory class, classes can be attended at school or kindergarten. Children here study longer than in Russia, as much as 12 years. Schools have adopted a six-point grading system, where the best grade is a six. Round “six students”, that is, students who achieve success in any subjects and participate in various Olympiads, receive grants.

There are no grades given in the elementary grades. The child is encouraged to study with various emoticons and wishes, teachers pay great attention to, in Bulgarian schools there are usually two of them: compulsory English and a second language of choice. It is interesting that with such a seemingly democratic approach, Bulgarians do not have the opportunity to teach their children at home. It requires good reasons.

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