Education 2012/2013
Bulgaria has highly-qualified, well-motivated, flexible and
multilingual labour force
•
53 Universities, colleges and higher schools
•
494 vocational gymnasiums and colleges
•
80 000 Bulgarian students in foreign countries
•
24.6 % of population hold university degree
•
7 % of the workforce has engineering degrees
•
45.5 % from the population in Bulgaria speak at least
one foreign language
•
Number of universities in some of the biggest cities
Blagoevgrad
Veliko Tarnovo
2
3
English language studied by ≈ 85 % of students
Burgas
2
Total number of higher schools*
53
Varna 1 2
Universities and equivalent higher schools
45
Plovdiv 1 2
Colleges
29
Independent colleges
8
Colleges, at the universities and
equivalent higher schools
21
Sofia
Other
3
6
6
3
Business field
12
Technical sciences
*Incl. universities and equivalent higher schools and independent
colleges
Source: National Statistics Institute
InvestBulgaria Agency
Students 2012/13 school year
Educational structure
24.6%
Total students in general schools by grade
604 773
Primary education I-IV grade
251 962
Lower secondary education V-VIII grade
217 798
Upper secondary education IX - VIII grade
135 013
Total students in vocational schools
142 733
20.4%
23.1%
Vocational art schools and sport schools (third level professional
qualification)
Vocational gymnasiums (third level professional qualification)
43.4%
Vocational colleges (fourth level professional qualification)
Vocational gymnasiums and vocational training schools (second
level professional qualification)
Primary and lower education
Vocational training schools
6 450
95 443
2 381
35 469
2 990
Lower secondary education
Total students tertiary education
283 959
Upper secondary education
Professional bachelor
14 688
Tertiary education
Bachelor and Master
263 900
Qualification and scientific degree ‘Doctor’
Source: National Statistics Institute
5 371
InvestBulgaria Agency
Secondary education
Students
Graduates
2012/13
2012
Engineering and engineering trades
41 834
7 715
Manufacturing and processing
11 598
2 130
8 326
1 660
Agriculture, forestry and fishery
14 268
1 814
Personal services
24 943
4 151
6 619
1 098
23 578
5 195
Narrow fields of education in
vocational schools
Architecture and building
Arts
Business and administration
Physical and chemical sciences
Computing
Social services
Transport services
994
197
202
Humanities
422
37
Veterinary
944
208
Environmental protection
664
167
Security services
383
333
19
18
142 733
25 722*
Total
Source: National Statistics Institute
Graduates secondary education in vocational
and sport schools , 2012
Graduates secondary education, 2012
59 707
1 024
Unspecified
30 331
29 376*
19
7 895
Graduates secondary education in general
schools, 2012
* The number of graduates secondary education is different
from attainments vocational qualification, because of changes in
standardized base in 2003 year.
InvestBulgaria Agency
Foreign language schools
Breakdown of students by languages studied at
foreign language schools
Foreign language school graduates in main regions
51.0%
421
Vidin
4 543
Sofia
22.0%
13.0%
370
Blagoevgrad
8.4%
3.0%
1.8%
0.8%
English German French Spanish Russian Italian
Other
Source: Ministry of Education
663
Ruse
1 109
Varna
1 115
Veliko Tarnovo
1 591
Plovdiv
928
Burgas
InvestBulgaria Agency
Tertiary education
Enrolled
2012/13
Graduates
2012
283 959
64 091
Professional bachelor
14 688
4 151
Bachelor and Master
263 900
58 961
Total students tertiary
education
Qualification and scientific
degree ‘Doctor’
Students in 2012/2013 academic year / Graduates 2012
(Bachelor and Master) in universities, equivalent higher
schools and colleges by districts
41 565 / 9 487
2 986 / 436
Ruse
Varna
Pleven
5 371
44 766 / 11 789
979
16 170 / 3 691
Burgas
130 848 / 28 406
Foreign students in Bulgarian universities and colleges
8 790
9 160
9 770
10 002
10 840 11 100
Sofia
42 779 / 9 303
Plovdiv
2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
Source: National Statistics Institute
InvestBulgaria Agency
Students in Bulgaria by narrow field of education in
universities and colleges in 2012/13 academic year
Business and administration
Engineering and engineering trades
Social and behavioural science
Health
Teacher training and education science
Humanities
Law
Personal services
Architecture and building
Computing
Not known and unspecified1
Arts
Security services
Agriculture, forestry and aquacultures
Manufacturing and processing
Journalism, mass communication and information
Physical and chemical sciences
Environmental protection
Transport services
Social services
Life sciences
Veterinary
Mathematics and statistics
Source: National Statistics Institute
67113
38581
31322
20291
18843
13735
10779
10469
9095
9033
7193
6959
6489
5044
4236
3635
3595
3470
2851
2376
1492
1451
TOTAL: 283 959
(‘Bachelor’, ‘Master’, ‘Doctor’)
536
InvestBulgaria Agency
Graduates tertiary education by narrow field of education
in 2012
Business and administration
20440
Social and behavioural science
9511
7685
Engineering and engineering trades
4102
Teacher training and education science
3621
Health
Humanities
2712
2264
Personal services
Law
1753
1752
1542
Computing
Arts
1461
Security services
1296
925
Architecture and building
Physical and chemical sciences
Agriculture, forestry and aquacultures
844
Journalism, mass communication and information
791
775
Manufacturing and processing
Environmental protection
Social services
Transport services
Life sciences
718
640
608
274
Veterinary
199
Mathematics and statistics
178
Source: National Statistics Institute
TOTAL: 64 091
(‘Bachelor’, ‘Master’,
‘Doctor’)
InvestBulgaria Agency
Distribution of the universities in Bulgaria
Silistra
Ruse
Varna
Svishtov
Pleven
Shumen
Pravets
Sofia
V.Tarnovo
Gabrovo
Stara Zagora
Pernik
Burgas
Plovdiv
Universities:
Blagoevgrad
Smolian
Multiprofiled
Kardzhali
Technical
Medical
Economical
InvestBulgaria Agency
Technical Universities
Technical University of Sofia
University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”
•
23 000 students
•
8 500 students
•
Faculties of: Automatics; Electronic Engineering and
Technology; Electrical Engineering; Power Engineering
and Power Machines; Computer Systems and Control;
Communications and Communications Technologies;
Mechanical Engineering; Machine Technology;
Management; Transport; Applied Mathematics and
•
Faculties of Agricultural Mechanization; Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering; Electrical and Electronic
Engineering and Automation; Automotive and Transport
Engineering; Business and Management; Pedagogy; Law
Studies
•
Subsidiary in Silistra
Informatics
•
Colleges: Technological College – Razgrad
•
Branches in Plovdiv, Varna, Gabrovo
Technological College - Silistra
Technical University of Varna
Sofia University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy
•
8 000 students
•
4 000 students
•
Faculties of: Electronics, Mechanical Engineering and
Technologies, Electrical engineering; Computer systems
•
Faculties of: Chemical Technology; Chemical and System
Engineering; Metallurgy and Material Sciences
and automation; Marine Sciences and Ecology
InvestBulgaria Agency
Economical Universities
University of National and World Economy – Sofia
University of Economics - Varna
•
16 000 students
•
12 000 students
•
Faculties of: Economics, Business, Management
and Administration, Finance and Accounting,
infrastructure and Economics, International
Economics and Politics, Law, Applied informatics and
Statistics
•
Faculties of: Finance and Accounting; Economics;
Informatics; Management
•
The department of language studies offers training
•
in English, German, French, and Russian, as well as
optional courses in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian,
Dutch, and Danish
The specialized center for language studies assures
the students’ proficiency in business or diplomatic
English, French, German, Russian, and Spanish
Svishtov Economics Academy
Burgas Free University
•
10 000 students
•
6 000 students
•
Faculties of: Economic Accounting, Finance,
Management and Marketing, Production and
Commercial Business, IT
•
Faculties of: Legal Studies; Law; Business
Studies; Humanities; Engineering and
Computer Science Studies
InvestBulgaria Agency
Multiprofiled Universities
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
American University in Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad
•
25 000 students
•
1 200 students
•
Faculties of: Biology; Chemistry; Classical and modern
philology; Economics and business administration;
•
Departments of: Arts, Languages, and Literature;
Business; Computer Science; Economics; History and
Civilizations; Journalism and Mass Communication;
Education; Geology and geography; History; Journalism
and mass communication; Law; Mathematics and
informatics; Philosophy; Physics; Pre-school and primary
school education; Slavic studies; Theology
Mathematics and Science; Politics and European Studies
Plovdiv University Paisii Hilendarski
Veliko Tarnovo University St. St. Kiril i Metodi
•
25 000 students
•
14 000 students
•
Faculties of Biology; Economics and social science;
Mathematics and Informatics; Education; Physics;
Languages and Literature; Philosophy and History;
Chemistry; Law
•
Faculties of: Modern languages; History and
Law; Education; Fine arts; Orthodox Theology;
Economics; Philosophy
InvestBulgaria Agency
Medical Universities
Medical University Sofia
Medical University Pleven
•
4 000 students
•
2 050 students
•
Faculties of: Medicine; Dental Medicine; Public health;
Pharmacy; Language Training and Student Sports
Department
•
Faculties of: Medicine; Public health; Healthcare;
Medical college
Medical University Plovdiv
Medical University Varna
•
2 500 students
•
2 300 students
•
Faculties of: Medicine; Dental Medicine; Public health;
Pharmacy; Medical college
•
Faculties of: Medicine; Dental Medicine; Public health;
Pharmacy; Medical college
Trakia University – Stara Zagora
•
4 000 students
•
Faculties of: Medicine with clinics; Medicine; Veterinary;
Pedagogy
•
Medical Colleges – Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Sliven
InvestBulgaria Agency
Usage of foreign languages
Usage of foreign languages
Number (weighted)
Total
At least 1 foreign
language used
No foreign languages
used
4 089 086
1 592 573
2 496 513
25 - 34
997 939
522 578
475 361
35 - 54
2 050 408
795 024
1 255 384
55 - 64
1 040 739
274 970
765 769
836 420
71 448
764 973
Secondary education
2 245 064
732 874
1 512 190
Tertiary education
1 007 602
788 252
219 351
2 570 993
1 189 425
1 381 568
Unemployed
771 310
205 230
566 079
Inactive
743 978
196 872
547 106
Total
By age
By educational attainment level
Basic education and below
By labour status*
Employed
* According to the survey methodology, distribution by labour status is based on interviewees opinion (self-assessment), not by International
Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions..
Source: National Statistics Institute 26.09.2012
InvestBulgaria Agency