NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

Formal education in Bulgaria is managed by local authorities. It has the following structure: pre-primary education (0 to 6 years), primary education (first through fourth grade), lower-secondary education (fifth through eighth grade), upper-secondary education (ninth through twelfth grade) and higher education.

Primary and lower-secondary education are mandatory. Pre-primary, upper-secondary and higher education are optional. Primary and secondary education in Bulgaria are free in public schools. There are primary schools (first through fourth grade), basic schools (first through eighth grade), secondary schools (eighth through twelfth grade) and general-secondary schools (first through twelfth grade). In the case of basic and secondary-general schools, students are not obliged to attend the same school through all education stages.

Schools operate on a five-day week schedule. September 15 or the workday closest to it marks the beginning of the school year. This is a festive occasion. Many students go to school carrying bouquets of flowers for their teachers and may be accompanied by their families. The duration of the school year varies by the school level and grade and depends on the quantity of material that needs to be covered. It ends on May 24 for grades 1 and 12 (in the latter case, the intention is to provide time for the matriculation examination). The school year continues until May 31 for grades 2 through 4, until June 15 for grades 5 through 8, June 30 for grades 9 through 11. The school year is divided into two sroka (terms, singular is srok); the first term begins on September 15 and ends on February 4, the second one starts on February 9. There is a Christmas break (December 24 through January 6), an inter-term break (February 7-8), a spring break (April 1-10), and a two-day break before Eastern Orthodox Easter. In addition, first graders only have a short break in the fall (November 11-13). Setting school vacations in relation to religious holidays is a departure from the practices of the communist regime, which did everything possible to discourage religion and banish it from the public sphere. The summer vacation spans from the end of the school year until September 15. If schools are to be closed due to inclement weather or fuel shortage, the days missed are compensated at the expense of vacation time.

Students from grades 1 through 12 normally spend half a day in school; the other half is dedicated to homework and independent study at home. In elementary school and sometimes in presecondary school there exists an option called zanimalnya (extended care) for students to spend the other half of the day in school working on their lessons under the control of a teacher. This is done upon the explicit request of the parents. Schools in big cities operate according to a two-shift scheme (morning and afternoon) because of shortage of school premises. In small cities and villages the one-shift scheme is prevalent.

The grading system is based on numerals, where 6 is otlichen (excellent), 5 is mnogo dobar (very good), 4 is dobar (good), 3 is sreden (satisfactory), and 2 is slab (poor). Passing grades are 3 through 6; 2 denotes a failure. Very rarely applied, 1 (very poor) is sometimes given for academic misconduct. This grading system is used at all levels of schooling. Grading is based on written and oral testing, homework, and in-class participation. Students do not pass automatically to a higher-grade level. Students who have poor grades in more than three subjects repeat the year. In case of three or less poor grades the student has the right to take a supplementary examination, a failure in which also results in repeating the grade. There is no passing to a higher grade on probation. Students are not allowed to repeat grades more than twice in their school career.

Educational institutions

Educational institutions are those, which directly perform training according to educational programs with students in organized classes (groups) at place or by a distant mode of attendance. Self-training persons and firms conducting qualification courses, language training and others do not come into the scope of the definition of educational institutions.

• Stages of the Education System
• Primary and lower secondary education
• Upper secondary Education
• Tertiary Education
• Universities
• Specialized higher schools

 
Vocational Education and Training in Bulgaria

The right to education is guaranteed by the constitution. Education and training provision is regulated by three main acts: 

• Pre-school and School Education Act (2015) (17); 
• VET Act (1999, last amended in 2018);
• Higher Education Act (1995, last amended in 2016).
• The Pre-school and School Education Act defines the following education levels:
• primary (grades 1 to 4) (European qualifications framework, EQF/national qualifications framework, NQF level 1);
• basic (grades 5 to 7) (EQF/NQF level 2);
• secondary stage one (grades 8 to 10) (no EQF/NQF level assigned);
• secondary stage two (grades 11 to 12) (EQF/NQF level 4);
• (professional) bachelor (EQF level 6; NQF level (6A) 6B);
• master’s (EQF/NQF level 7);
• doctoral (EQF/NQF level 8).

Recognition of Diplomas in Bulgaria

Academic recognition is a formal written confirmation of the value of a higher education diploma or another similar qualification, issued by an educational institution recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the country concerned.

The Recognition procedure is intended to help graduates of foreign higher education institutions who are willing to continue their education or to start work in Bulgaria.

WHICH DOCUMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR RECOGNITION?

Qualifications, certifying HIGHER EDUCATION at Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or without degree:

• issued by educational institutions, recognized by a competent national authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the country concerned;
• acquired in accordance with the higher education legislation of the country on the territory of which the education had been provided,
• In order to be subject to academic recognition in Bulgaria, your qualification must provide academic rights in the country in which it is issued.

Which Qualifications are not subject to academic recognition:  

• Qualifications which do not formally confer higher education in the country in which they are issued;
• Qualifications, which do not meet the state requirements for acquiring higher education in Bulgaria;
• Qualifications, which are issued in violation of the legislation of the country in which the higher education institution is based or the legislation of the country on the territory of which the education had been provided.

WHAT SET OF DOCUMENTS SHOULD I PRESENT TO the National Centre for Information and Documentation (NACID)?

Citizens seeking academic recognition of higher education acquired in foreign higher education institutions need to submit the following documents at the Front office of NACID:

• Filled-in Application Form for Academic Recognition, available online in
• Application Form
• Original and a copy of the higher education qualification or another similar document, issued by an educational institution recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the respective country. The diploma must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian by a so-called “Sworn translator”. See section 3. from the right menu.
• Original and copy of the Diploma Supplement, as well as original and copy of a European Diploma Supplement if you have one.
• The Diploma supplement, with the exception of the European Diploma Supplement, must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian by a so called “sworn translator”. See section 3. from the right menu.
• Copy of identity document and a document certifying the change of the applicant’s names if such a change has occurred.

NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

The contemporary system of a mandatory health insurance is governed by the Health Ministry details in the attached document.

LABOR MARKET ACCESS

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria all citizens shall be equal before the law. There shall be no privileges or restriction of the rights on the grounds of race, national or social origin, ethnic self-identity, sex, religion, education, opinion, political affiliation, personal or social status or property status. Hence, beneficiaries of international protection have the same employment rights as Bulgarian nationals.

Applicants are issued an official notice for their right to work by the State Agency for Refugees.

The Labour office with jurisdiction over their residence address pursuant to the Employment promotion Act. The rights under this chapter may be exercised by

Registration as an unemployed at the Labour Office is an opportunity to find a job but is also a mandatory condition for application for monthly social assistance at the Social Assistance Directorate. In order to be registered as an unemployed you have to meet the following conditions simultaneously:

• not to work
• to be looking for a job and
• to be ready to begin work within 14 days after receiving notification from the Labour Office.

Foreigners who have been granted refugee or humanitarian status can register as an unemployed at the Labour Office according to their permanent or current address.

In case of difference between the permanent and current address, registration at two different Labour Offices is not allowed.

In case of change in the permanent and/or current address you are obliged to notify the Labour Office where you are registered within 7 days.

The applicable Labour office where you need to register used on your permanent or current address can be identified via the National Labour Agency website.

The registration with the Labour Ofrice is done in person on the basis of an application drawn up according to the model approved by the Executive Director of the Employment Agency an identity document (an ID card of a refugee or of humanitarian status holder or a card of a person granted asylum) documents attesting to acquired education and/or qualification.

• a document certifying address registration for the current address (in cases when the registration with EBD is done with an address other than the one indicated on the identity document)
• Documents attesting to general and/or years of employment, and/or contributory years of employment
• In case you have documents for years of employment and/or years of contributory employment, acquired in countries with which the Republic of Bulgaria has concluded agreements in the field of social security, you can turn to the National Social Security Institute (NSSI) to receive a certificate attesting to years of employment issued on the basis of the submitted documents.

Beneficiaries of international protection have equal access and enjoy all the employment and training rights laid down in the Employment Promotion Act; any direct or indirect discrimination, Privileges or restrictions for reasons of nationality, origin, gender, race, etc. Are prohibited in the process of employment mediation.

Following the registration with the Labour office, jobseekers are entitled to use:

• information about advertised job vacancies
• information about programs and measures for maintaining and promoting employment
• mediation for information provision and employment
• psychological counseling
• professional orientation
• inclusion in adult training

Motivation for active behavior on the market and participation in employment and training programs and measures scholarships for training, financial support for transportation and accommodation over the training period

Registration with the Labour Office is a precondition for applying for unemployment benefits, social assistance and services.

The services provided by the Labour Office and its territorial units are free-of-charge and are provided in the official language of the state-Bulgarian. Hence, if you don’t have a good command of Bulgarian language, you are advised to have a Bulgarian speaker with you during the registration.

Any person registered with the Labor office is obliged to to follow the recommendations of the employment mediator and the employment measures set down in the individual action plan:

• upon receiving a written Invitation from the Labour Office to be present on the date and In the hour stated
• to abide by the schedule of visits to the Labour Office – to notify within 7 working days of the change in any of the circumstances declared, Directorate “Labor Office” regardless of the address of their registration including changes in the address registration or employment
• accept appropriate work and / or inclusion in adult and adult employment programs and measures as well as in programs and projects funded by European and other international funds. to abide strictly by the requirements for participation in training courses for adults to also abide by other requirements set down in the indi-

For further information on the possibilities of vocational training check the website of the Labour Office.

JOB HUNTING

A part & f the Labor office assistance and consultation in the process of finding a job, you can search for a job through various public sourcES.

1. Some popular websites posting job vacancies on a daily basis are

• Jobs.Bg
• Zaplata.Bg
•  Karieri.Bg
• Rabota.Bg
• Alo.Bg
• jooble.org

2. You can also turn to recruitment agencies

Most popular recruitment agencies in Bulgaria are

• Easy Consult
• HRS
• Adecco Bulgaria
• Balkan invest
• Horizons
• Correct Consult
• Manpower

One of the most important things while you are looking for a job is your cv!

Take into account the following tips if you want to be a successful candidate – please see the attached fil