A few years ago, to the delight of foreigners, school education in Bulgaria became free for everyone, including citizens of non-EU countries. Prior to that, in some regions, foreign schoolchildren paid tuition fees. Then justice was restored, and such fees in public schools were completely abolished.
Turned 17 years old? Study for money!
On September 15, 2017, tuition fees for schoolchildren over 16 years old came into force. They only apply to children from so-called "third countries", i.e. non-EU countries.
Bulgarian schools study for 12 years, respectively, by the time they graduate, schoolchildren have already reached the age of majority. At the age of 16, education is not yet completed, but those foreigners who want to teach their children further are in for an unpleasant surprise – from now on you have to pay for secondary education.
The amounts turned out to be quite impressive, for example, full-time education in non-specialized schools costs 1650 leva per year.
It is even more expensive to study in vocational gymnasiums. There, the cost of training depends on the specialization, for example:
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Transport specialties – 2565 BGN per year;
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"Economic management and administration", "Social services" – 1614 leva per year;
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"Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, veterinary medicine" – BGN 2458 per year.
Students of sports schools will have to pay 2603 leva per year, for the education of a teenager at the school of music and performing arts, parents need to pay 3712 leva.
The innovation applies not only to full-time students. For tuition in the evening school, you need to pay 1373 leva per year. Part-time and distance forms cost 924 leva per year. And even for an independent form of education, you need to pay 373 leva per year.
The tariffs were adopted on 08.09.2017 and came into force on 15.09.2017.
Who will have to pay for tuition?
The law "For preschool and college education" states that the fee is charged from children over 17 years old. According to Article 9, paragraph 2, school education in public schools remains free after the age of 16 for:
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Bulgarian citizens;
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citizens of other EU countries;
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Third-country nationals:
a) with a permit for permanent residence in the country;
b) who have received the right to a long-term or long-term stay in the country, including for family members;
c) adopted on the basis of acts of the Ministerial Council;
d) adopted in accordance with international treaties where this issue is regulated;
e) who have the right to do so in accordance with the legislation;
f) who have received international protection in the country.
With the exception of the cases listed above, third-country nationals aged 17 and over do not have the right to free education.
In practice, does this mean that foreign gymnasium students with residence permit status after reaching the age of 17 can continue their studies only for money? Information about this has already appeared in many schools and gymnasiums. The question is controversial and there are no exact answers…
TARIF for takite, koito se sbyrayat v sistema na pre-school and uchilischnoto education