site.btaGovernment Provides Free Transport for Ukrainian Students Under Temporary Protection

The government has approved BGN 385,750 to provide free school transportation for children and students under temporary protection from Ukraine. The funding will cover their transportation from accommodation centers to educational institutions for the entire new school year — from September 15, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

During the second term of the 2024–2025 academic year, 1,592 children under temporary protection were enrolled in preschool groups in kindergartens and schools, and 5,325 students were attending school. Three and a half years after the start of the war in Ukraine, the number of Ukrainian children and students seeking to enroll in the Bulgarian educational system continues to grow.

The main barrier to accessing education is that many families under temporary protection have settled in resorts along the Black Sea coast, where there is a shortage of places in educational institutions. As a result, some children attend more remote schools and kindergartens that are not served by public transport.

To ensure access to education, the government has decided to allocate additional funds for organizing transportation to and from school.

The funds are being allocated to municipalities in the regions of Varna, Burgas, and Dobrich.