2. THE STRUCTURE
The structure of the educational system in Bulgaria
comprises the following levels
Pre-school School Higher
education education education
Basic Secondary education
3. According to the type of instruction and the
educational level, schools are:
Primary: grade 1 through grade 4;
Lower secondary: grade 5 through grade 8;
Basic: grade 1 through grade 8;
Upper secondary schools, also called high schools: grade 9 through
grade 12;
Specialized upper secondary schools/Specialized high schools;
Secondary general schools, grade 1 through grade 12;
Vocational upper secondary schools - grade 8 or 9 through grade 12
or grade 13;
Vocational schools: from grade 7 or grade 9 with a three-year
training course; from grade 9 with a four-year training course; and
professional colleges (vocational colleges) with a course of study of up to
two years;
Sports schools;
Arts schools;
Special schools.
4. According to the way of funding, schools are:
State- State schools, which are of national
importance and are funded by the national budget
Municipal - Municipal schools are of local
importance and are funded by the municipal budget
Private - Private schools are not funded by the
state or municipal budget and pupils pay fees for
their education.
5. PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
Pre-primary education embraces children
between 3 and 6/7 years old. Optional
kindergarten education is provided for
children between three and six years old.
However, prior to starting school, children
must attend a one-year pre-school
program.
6. BASIC EDUCATION
Basic education (1-8 grades) in Bulgaria comprises:
primary school (grades 1-4)
pre-secondary school (grades 5-8).
Within the framework of the same educational
level additional vocational qualification could be
obtained by running vocational-technical programmes
upon completion of grades 6, 7 or 8. Learning resources
/text books/ are free and are provided by the school.
After successful completion of grade 4, a Certificate of
Primary Education is issued. A Certificate of Basic
Education is issued after successful completion of
grade 8.
7. SECONDARY EDUCATION
• Secondary education in Bulgaria can be divided
into secondary general /comprehensive and
profile-oriented/ and vocational. Secondary
general education can be attained at secondary
comprehensive schools - 4 years and profile-
oriented schools-4, 5 years. Students can enter
the profile-oriented schools upon completion of
grade 7 or 8 after passing entry examinations,
according to the profile of the school (mother
tongue/literature, mathematics, humanities etc.).
• Secondary vocational education can be attained
at technical schools upon completion of grade 8
and a 4-years training, as well as upon completion
of grade 7 and a 5-years training with intensive
foreign language instruction. It is also provided by
professional technical schools within a 3-years
educational programme.
8. Secondary education (upper level) is offered by:
Secondary comprehensive schools, they cover:
primary school level – grades 1 through 4; junior high school – grades 5 through
8 and secondary school level – grades 9 through 11.
Specialized schools with emphasis on foreign languages (language
schools) – admission after grade 7 and upon entry exams. They cover
grades 8 through 12/13.
Specialized secondary schools – admission upon completion of grade 8
(theses are schools with emphasis either on science and/or mathematics, or
on humanities, or sports, or arts etc.) They cover grades 9 through 12/13.
Vocational secondary education is available at the vocational-technical and
in the technical schools. The vocational-technical schools offer 4 years of
training upon completion of grade 8 and 5 years of training upon completion of
grade 7. Both result in specialized secondary education.
9. Special education
Special education there is a network of
schools – boarding schools, funded entirely by
the government, for children with physical and
mental disabilities. The priorities in this sphere
are still to be met: adoption of legislation for
providing financial support, development of
alternative forms of education, establishment
of a system of general schooling for admission
of children from other schools and socialization
of children with special needs, introduction of
programs for integrated forms of education,
individual instruction, etc.
10. The forms of instruction are:
Daytime
Evening
Part-time
Individual
Independent
Correspondence
Distance
11. The structure of the syllabus
The structure of the syllabus is based on three types of
instruction: compulsory, compulsory chosen and optional.
Compulsory (General) education in Bulgarian schools
is provided through the teaching and training of subjects
related to the following fields of culture and education:
Bulgarian grammar and literature
Foreign languages
Mathematics, Computing, Information technology
Social sciences and civic education
Natural sciences and ecology
Arts
Culture and technology
Physical education and sport
12. SCHOOL-LEAVING EXAMINATIONS
The students in the secondary comprehensive schools
go in for school-leaving exams in the following subjects:
Bulgarian language and Literature
A general subject of their own choice (excluding Bulgarian
language and Literature); the subject has to be included in the
compulsory curriculum for the last schooling year.
The students in the specialized/specialized secondary schools
sit for school-leaving exams in the following subjects:
Bulgarian language and Literature:
The main subject of the specialized school; if it is Bulgarian
language and Literature, the examination is in the second
important subject of the school.
13. GRADING SYSTEM
Usual grading system in the school
Full Description: 2-6;
6: otlichen (excellent);
5: mnogo dobur (very good);
4: dobur (good);
3: sreden (sufficient);
2: slab (poor).
Highest on scale: 6
Pass/fail level: 3/2
Lowest on scale: 2
14. The Regulations on the Implementation of the Public
Education Act and the school activities regulations:
- Pupils are not allowed to be absent from school without valid reason
-The absence of a pupil from classes without a valid excuse counts as an
‘unexcused absence’
-Provided a pupil is 15 minutes late without a valid excuse for three school
hours, this is considered as an ‘unexcused absence’ for one school hour
-A “transfer to another school till the end of the school year” penalty may
be imposed on a pupil if he/she has more than 15 ‘unexcused absences’,
with the exception of pupils in their final upper secondary school grade in
both day and evening form of instruction.
-If pupils fail to perform their obligations, established by the Regulations on
the Implementation of the Public Education Act and the school activities
regulations, they are penalized by:
• reprimand;
• warning for transfer to another school;
• transfer to another school until the end of the school year;
• moving from daytime to independent form of instruction – for pupils aged
16 and above.
15. HIGHER EDUCATION
The types of higher education institutions are Universities,
Colleges and Specialized Higher Schools.The university type of
higher education is provided at the universities and the
specialized higher schools – academies, institutes. It includes
the followings stages:
• First stage – a course of study of at least 4 years, leading
to a Bachelor’s degree upon graduation;
•Second stage – a course of study of at least 5 years, or 1
year following a Bachelor’s degree, leading a Master’s degree
upon graduation;
•Third stage – a three-year course of study upon obtaining
a master’s degree, leading to a Doctor’s degree.
16. COLLEGES
Colleges are included in the system of higher
education and allow the acquisition of non-
university (undergraduate) education. College
graduates acquire the qualification and educational
degree of “Specialist in .....”, which allows them to
practice the profession acquired. They may
continue their education at a higher institution on
the basis of the qualifications acquired at
secondary schools.
17. TYPES OF HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
Four types of higher education institutions:
Higher Education College (non-university
higher education institution)
University
Equivalent to Universities Specialized
Higher Education Institution/Technical
University
Academy
18. Certificate/diploma awarded
Grade fourth Leaving Certificate
Basic Education Completion Certificate
Diploma of Completed Secondary Education
Diploma of Completed Secondary Education
and Certificate of Professional Qualification
Diploma of higher education
