site.btaForeign Students in Bulgaria Up By 5.6% Y/Y

Foreign students make up 8.3% per cent of the total number of students enrolled in bachelor and master programmes in Bulgarian universities in the 2021/2022 academic year, which is 5.6% more than a year before and 24% more than in the 2017/2018 academic year, according to data published by the National Statistical Institute on Tuesday. The data are based on annual surveys of the activity of educational establishments in Bulgaria. 

In the 2021/2022 academic year, there were 212,600 students at universities and specialized higher schools offering bachelor and master programmes. 25,500 or 12% of the students were enrolled in private educational establishments.

Compared to the 2020/2021 academic year, the number of Bulgarian nationals enrolled in universities and specialized higher schools in Bulgaria has remained almost the same: 195,000 or 91.7% of all students. 

A total of 214,800 children were in kindergarten and pre-school in the 2021/2022 school year.

The number of secondary education graduates was 58,300 and the graduates from general and vocational schools totalled 25,200 and 17,800, respectively.

There were 220,400 students enrolled in various establishments of tertiary education teaching professional bachelor, bachelor and master programmes.

As of December 31, 2021, 6,542 people, of which 679 foreign citizens, were studying to obtain a PhD degree in Bulgaria.