site.btaEver More Foreign Students Choose Bulgarian Universities, Total of 16,995 in 2024/2025 Academic Year

Ever more foreign students have chosen to study at Bulgarian universities and higher education institutions in recent years, according to a survey conducted by the BTA. The universities explained that foreign students are now showing greater interest in Bulgarian higher education not only because of its tuition fees, but also because of its quality and the prestige of Bulgarian diplomas.

In the 2024/2025 academic year , the number of foreign students at Bulgarian universities continues to grow. A total of 16,995 foreign citizens are studying in the country, which is 779 more than in the previous academic year, an increase of nearly 4.8%, the press centre of the Ministry of Education and Science said.

The largest number of foreign students in Bulgaria comes from Greece - 3277 students, from Great Britain - 2235, from Ukraine - 2151, from Germany - 1532 students, from Italy - 990 students. The most preferred professional fields are medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, tourism and veterinary medicine.

The largest number of students from foreign countries study at the Medical University of Sofia, the Medical University of Plovdiv, the Medical University of Varna, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, the Medical University of Pleven, the Trakia University in Stara Zagora, the University of National and World Economy, the South-West University Neofit Rilski and other higher education institutions. Data for the academic year 2024/2025 show that the largest number of foreign students are concentrated in Sofia, Varna, Blagoevgrad, Burgas and Plovdiv, the Ministry of Education and Science told BTA.

The number of foreign students at the Medical University in Sofia is nearly 3,500, the university told BTA on Wednesday. The university has students from 72 countries and five continents, with foreign students studying Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy.

Over 2,500 foreign students are studying at the Plovdiv Medical University, the university's press centre told BTA. The largest number of foreign students are from Great Britain, Italy, Germany and Greece, followed by Finland, France, Spain and Belgium.

About 2,000 foreign students study at the Medical University of Varna, the university told BTA. The largest group among them, nearly 1,000, are from Germany. Students from other EU countries, including Spain and Italy, are also interested in the medical school.

There are 1,394 foreign students studying at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, of which 351 are from European Union countries, the Information and Public Relations Department at Sofia University told BTA. All 16 faculties of Sofia University have admitted foreign students.

At the Medical University in Pleven, 1,360 foreign students from 53 countries are currently studying in the Medicine specialty in English, Velina Dukova from the university's press centre told BTA. The most numerous are students from Italy, India and Great Britain, followed by Japan and Ireland.

Over 1,060 foreign students are studying in various programmes at Trakia University in Stara Zagora, the university's press center said on Thursday. Foreign students from 44 countries from different parts of the world study at the university, including from Australia, Albania, Bangladesh, Egypt, Zimbabwe, India, Canada, Mongolia and South Korea.

The foreign students studying at the Technical University in Sofia are 993, Silvia Borislavova, Head of the Academic Department at TU Sofia, told BTA. They study in specialties such as Communication and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Intelligent Systems and Artificial Intelligence, as well as Informatics and Software Sciences.

Currently, about 600 students from foreign countries are studying at the South-West University Neofit Rilski in Blagoevgrad, the press centre of the higher education institution told BTA. The students are from Austria, Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Zambia, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Turkiye, Ukraine.

There are 403 foreign students studying at the University of National and World Economy at the moment, the university told BTA. They come from 21 countries on four continents: Austria, Albania, Armenia, Vietnam, Germany, Greece, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kosovo, Morocco, Moldova, Mongolia, Nigeria, Russia, USA, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkiye, Ukraine. They study in 39 specialties in five professional fields.

A total of 366 foreign students have enrolled at the New Bulgarian University (NBU) in Sofia, the press centre of the university told BTA. Foreign students at NBU come from a total of 56 countries and five continents. They show great interest in programmes such as Psychology, Administration and Management, and Political Science.

A total of 181 foreign students are enrolled at the Forestry University in Sofia, with 134 of them coming from EU countries, Boryana Tepelieva, head of the Education Activity Division at the University told BTA. 158 of them are enrolled in Veterinary Medicine, with education conducted in English. Students are also enrolled in Forestry, Wood and Furniture Technology and Landscape Architecture, as well as in Engineering Design and Ecology and Environmental Protection.

A total of 116 foreign students are studying at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, 11 of whom are from European Union countries, Nikoleta Nenova, Chief Expert at the Academic Department at the Academy, told BTA. Foreign students at the National Academy of Music come from ten countries and two continents, and study mostly in Musical and Dance Art, Classical Singing, Piano, and Clarinet.

Seventy-nine foreigners study at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (UniBIT) in Sofia, one is from a European Union country, the educational institution told BTA. Foreign students at UniBIT are mostly from Europe and the Balkans. All courses are desired by the prospective students, but there is particular interest in the professional field of informatics and computer science.

A total of 84 foreign students are studying at the National Sports Academy in Sofia, the academy told BTA. Foreign students at the National Sports Academy come from 15 countries and two continents - Europe and Asia. They mostly study Kinesitherapy, Sports, Nursing and Pedagogy.

Currently, 51 foreign students are studying at the University of Telecommunications and Post, the university told BTA. The specialties that are most preferred by foreign applicants are usually in areas with professional application, including Information and Communication Technologies, and Management in Telecommunications. These programs often combine theoretical knowledge with practical internships and opportunities for international mobility.

There are 22 foreign students studying at the National Academy of Art, the oldest institution for higher education in Bulgaria, the educational institution told BTA.

This academic year, 15 foreign students study at the St Ivan Rilski University of Mining and Geology, the educational institution told BTA. Three of the students are from EU states: Greece, Italy and Czechia. The majority of foreign students at the university are from European countries: Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, Russia, North Macedonia, two are from the African continent: Angola and Ghana, and one is from Kazakhstan.

A total of 19 foreign students are studying at the Higher School of Insurance and Finance, the university told BTA. The higher school emphasized that it continues to attract an increasingly wide range of international students thanks to its specialized educational programme and growing international reputation.

The Academy of the Ministry of Interior has no foreign students studying for a higher education degree, Iveta Vladimirova, head of Research, Information, Editorial and Publishing Activities at the Academy, told BTA, since it is an institution for training government employees and personnel of the Interior Ministry.

The Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna is home to 423 foreign students from 23 countries, of which 281 are from European Union countries, the Academy said. The foreign students come from a total of three continents, namely Europe, Asia and Africa.

The University of Veliko Tarnovo St Cyril and St Methodius has enrolled 381 foreign students this academic year, of which 140 are full-time students, the university's press centre told BTA. The number of EU citizens admitted to the university's bachelor's degree programs is 49.

A total of 218 foreign students from 22 countries are studying at the Angel Kanchev University of Ruse this year, BTA learned from Nevin Hebibova, senior inspector in the Foreign Students Directorate at the university. The largest number of students is from Moldova, Ukraine and Turkiye.

A total of 55 foreign students from 22 countries are studying at the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics – Svishtov, the Foreign Relations Centre of the educational institution told BTA. The countries of origin of the students are China, Ukraine, Moldova, Morocco, Germany, Turkiye, Russia, Greece, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Palestine, Georgia, Syria, Israel, etc.

There are 52 foreign students studying at the European Polytechnical University in the town of Pernik, 15 of them come from EU countries, Rector Prof. Ivan Petkov told BTA. There are students from Nigeria, Cameroon, Russia, Syria, Pakistan, Greece and Germany.

Four foreign students are studying at the Yambol-based Faculty of Engineering and Technology of Trakia University, Stara Zagora, the Dean Professor Vanya Stoykova told BTA. Three students from Ukraine and one from Russia have chosen Road Transport and Agricultural Machinery, Design, Technology and Management of the Fashion Industry, Food Safety and Quality, and Automation and Computer Systems.

Ten students, from nine different universities in Turkiye, Spain and Romania, joined the Erasmus+ program at the Konstantin Preslavsky Shumen University in the academic year 2024-2025, Gergana Nikolova from the International Relations Centre of the university told BTA. According to her, six of the students were on a mobility programme, four for internships, and one for the whole academic year.

The data of the Ministry of Education and Science shows that most foreign students are concentrated in Sofia, Varna, Blagoevgrad, Burgas and Plovdiv.

A total of 103 foreign students are enrolled at the Burgas State University, 28 come from European Union countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland and Greece. The other countries from which the students come include Great Britain, the US, Canada and Turkiye.

Over 30 students from European Union countries are studying at Burgas Free University, with the total number of foreign students reaching 250, Rector Prof. Milen Baltov told BTA. Students from European Union member states come from Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain. Countries of foreign doctoral students include the US, Israel, as well as from countries in Asia and Africa, Baltov noted.

A total of 276 foreign students are studying at the Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, 81 of whom are from European Union countries, Vice-Rector Boryan Yanev told BTA. The largest share of foreign students comes from Ukraine, Moldova, Turkiye, and Greece.

A total of 93 foreign students are currently enrolled at the Agricultural University – Plovdiv, with 41 coming from European Union Member States, the University’s press office told BTA. The total includes bachelor’s, master’s, and students enrolled in a 10-month preparatory Bulgarian language course for the academic year 2024–2025.

45 foreign students are studying at the Plovdiv branch of the Technical University of Sofia, the university's PR expert Miloslava Kondova told BTA. The largest number of foreign students is from Turkiye.

Nearly 200 foreign students are studying at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv, the Academy told BTA. Out of these, over 165 students are from China, comprising the largest group of foreign students at the Academy.

The University of Economics in Varna has 415 foreign students, the university told BTA. Students from 19 foreign countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Ghana, Germany, Kazakhstan, China, Mozambique, Moldova, Nigeria, Russian Federation, USA, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland and Japan study at the university.

Just over 300 foreigners study at the Technical University Varna, the university told BTA. The biggest number of foreign students at the university are from Turkiye - 100.

Foreign students from 35 countries study at the Varna University of Management, the educational institution told BTA. Only four of them are EU member states: Belgium, Slovenia, Germany and Croatia. Students from Russia, Turkiye, Georgia and Belarus have also shown interest in the courses provided by the university and decided to study in Varna.

Varna Free University Chernorizets Hrabar has 241 foreign students, enrolled as bachelors, masters and doctoral students, the university told BTA. They come from 30 countries from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and the Middle East.

A total of 26 foreign students are enrolled at the Technical University of Gabrovo, the educational institution told BTA. Most of the students come from Greece, Moldova and Poland.