site.btaTotal of 16,995 Foreign Students Study in Bulgaria in 2024/2025 Academic Year, 779 More than Last Year

The number of foreign students at Bulgarian universities continues to grow in the academic year 2024/2025. 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 told BTA.

The largest number of foreign students in Bulgaria are from Greece - 3277 students, from Great Britain - 2235, from Ukraine - 2151, from Germany - 1532 students, from Italy - 990 students.

Traditionally, foreign students in Bulgaria are most interested in fields related to medical sciences and healthcare, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health and veterinary medicine.

Foreign students also show interest in economics, administration and management, tourism, transport, shipping, aviation, communication, computer technology, informatics and computer science.

The most desired higher education institutions for foreign students in our country continue to be medical universities, which confirms their good image and accreditation. The largest number of students from foreign countries study at the Medical University in Sofia, the Medical University in Plovdiv, the Medical University in Varna, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, the Medical University in Pleven, the Trakia University in Stara Zagora, the University of National and World Economy, the South-West University Neofit Rilski in Blagoevgrad and other higher education institutions.

Data for the academic year 2024/2025 shows that the largest number of foreign students are concentrated in Sofia, Varna, Blagoevgrad, Burgas and Plovdiv.

Bulgaria has implemented a number of measures to attract foreign students to the country. More and more higher education institutions are offering programs in English, especially in fields such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, information technology and economics. This facilitates access for candidates from countries outside the European Union and increases the competitiveness of Bulgarian higher education.

By virtue of bilateral agreements with other countries, foreign citizens can study in our country under favourable conditions, with some of them even being exempted from fees.

The Ministry of Education and Science implemented the National Programme "Promotion of Bulgarian higher education and facilitation of access for persons of Bulgarian nationality living abroad to apply for studies in Bulgarian higher education institutions".

The institution is also working to improve the social environment and living conditions of the students by renovating student dormitories and digitizing the educational process, the Ministry told BTA.