Scholarships and Student Financial Aid in Bulgaria

How funding for students works in Bulgaria

Funding for students in Bulgaria splits into several separate routes: a standard monthly state scholarship open to Bulgarian and EU/EEA students, merit top-ups for strong performers in priority fields, fee exemptions for specific groups, a state loan scheme, and separate programs aimed at students from outside Europe. Each route has its own eligibility rule and its own application process, so check more than 1 before you assume you do not qualify for support.

Who can get a Bulgarian state scholarship

Bulgarian state scholarships are open to Bulgarian citizens, EU and EEA citizens enrolled at a Bulgarian higher education institution, and foreign students admitted under intergovernmental agreements or Council of Ministers decisions, according to Eurydice . If you come from another EU or EEA country and enroll directly at a Bulgarian university, you generally qualify for the same scholarship scheme as Bulgarian students.

How the standard scholarship works

The base monthly scholarship runs between BGN 120 and BGN 200, roughly €61 to €102 at the fixed euro conversion rate. Each university's rector sets the exact amount, on proposal from the student council, so the figure differs by institution and by year. Universities award it on need, merit or both, weighing your semester grade average and, for need-based awards, monthly income per family member.

When and how the scholarship gets paid

Universities pay the standard scholarship monthly, by bank transfer into a Bulgarian student account, for the months the academic year runs rather than through the summer break. First-semester students often need at least 1 full semester of grades on record before they qualify, so budget your first term without counting on scholarship income, then apply once your grades post.

Merit and achievement scholarships

Students who enter priority fields such as engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, automation, power engineering, transport, shipping, aviation, materials science or hydraulic engineering with strong state matriculation exam results receive an enhanced BGN 140 monthly scholarship (about €72). Rectors also award extra scholarships for standout research, sports or artistic achievement, on top of the standard scheme.

Practice and internship grants

Bulgaria also funds paid student internships connected to your field of study, at BGN 4.50 per hour (about €2.30), up to BGN 577 (about €295) for a full placement. Check with your university's career or student affairs office for available placements and how to apply.

Fee exemptions

Certain groups skip tuition fees entirely: orphans, students with disabilities, and students in fields the state has flagged as having a critical labor shortage. Ask your university's student affairs office which category applies to you before you pay your first semester's fee.

Scholarships rarely cover your full budget

A standard state scholarship of €61 to €102 a month covers only a fraction of realistic monthly living costs in Bulgaria, which run closer to €300 to €500 outside rent. Treat the scholarship as a contribution rather than your main funding source, and plan the rest through savings, family support, part-time work where your visa or residence status allows it, or one of the additional funding routes below.

State loans

Bulgaria runs a state loan system covering both tuition and subsistence costs for students, repaid over time after graduation. Terms and repayment conditions vary, so check current details directly with your university's financial aid office or the Ministry of Education and Science before you rely on a loan to plan your budget.

Government scholarships for students from partner countries

The Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science also runs an annual scholarship program for students from countries with diplomatic relations with Bulgaria, covering tuition, accommodation and health insurance. This route mainly serves students from partner countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, applied for through your home country's Ministry of Education or the Bulgarian embassy. Most students from other European countries will not use this specific program and should rely on the standard EU/EEA scholarship track instead.

Erasmus+ funding for European students

If you study in Bulgaria for a semester or year through an exchange rather than a full degree, Erasmus+ grants cover part of your travel and living costs. Ask your home university's international office about available Bulgarian exchange partnerships and current grant rates before you apply.

University scholarships

Individual Bulgarian universities run their own scholarships too, often for top academic performers, sports achievement or specific faculties. Amounts and criteria differ widely by institution, so check your target university's scholarships or student affairs page directly once you have a program shortlisted.

Faculty and subject-specific funding

Some faculties add their own top-up funding for students in fields the university wants to grow, on top of the standard university-wide scheme. Engineering, IT and natural science faculties run these more often than humanities faculties, reflecting the same priority-field logic behind the enhanced BGN 140 scholarship. Ask your faculty's student affairs contact directly, since these smaller schemes rarely appear on the main university scholarships page.

How to apply

Most Bulgarian universities open scholarship applications each semester through the student affairs office, based on your grades from the previous semester, so first-semester students typically become eligible from their second semester onward. Submit your grade transcript and, for need-based awards, proof of family income, by the deadline your university's student affairs office sets.