9 answers, 3 from Bulgaria's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
202.9 thousand students were enrolled in tertiary education in Bulgaria in the 2025/26 academic year, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Universities and specialised higher schools had 197.0 thousand bachelor's and master's students, 11.7% of them at private institutions. 48.1 thousand people graduated in 2025.
The total covers professional bachelor, bachelor and master's degrees; doctoral students are counted separately (5,936 at the end of 2025). The NSI counts students at the start of the academic year.
16.8 thousand foreign students were studying for bachelor's and master's degrees in Bulgaria in 2025/26, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The largest groups came from Greece (17.0%), the United Kingdom (13.6%), Ukraine (12.4%), Germany (8.9%) and Italy (5.7%).
59.8% of foreign students were in health-related subjects and 46.1% were studying medicine. Bulgarian citizens made up 91.5% of all students at universities and specialised higher schools. The count covers students enrolled at the start of the academic year.
Bulgaria had 2,319 schools with 712.3 thousand students at the end of 2025, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI). 215.4 thousand children were in pre-primary education, in kindergartens and preparatory groups at schools. In 2025, 56.5 thousand students completed basic education and 44.7 thousand completed upper secondary education.
There were 1,829 independent kindergartens, 130 of them private. The NSI publishes these figures each year from its surveys of schools and kindergartens.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
In 2017, net primary school enrolment in Bulgaria was 86.4%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. No year since 2005 has been lower. Europe & Central Asia median: 95.7%; Bulgaria is 42nd highest of 45. Worldwide: 105th of 134.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts gross secondary school enrolment in Bulgaria at 94.8% in 2024. Its high point since 2005 was 2014, at 104.9%; its low point was 2005, at 91.4%. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 101.1%, and Bulgaria placed 25th highest of 34. Worldwide: 49th of 100.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2024, is 69.5%. The peak was 85.5% in 2020 and the low 46.2% in 2005. It is 20th highest of 34 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 71.1%. Of 90 countries with 2024 data, 29th highest.
In 2022, government spending on education in Bulgaria was 4.5% of GDP, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Since 2005 it has ranged from 3.5% of GDP (2012) to 4.7% of GDP (2021). Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 4.5% of GDP, and Bulgaria placed 23rd highest of 45. World rank, highest first: 66th of 155.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the number of primary pupils per teacher in Bulgaria at 15 in 2017. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Europe & Central Asia median: 13; Bulgaria is 14th highest of 39. Worldwide: 84th of 130.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the primary completion rate in Bulgaria at 94.6% in 2024. The peak was 108.0% in 2006 and the low 94.3% in 2021. Europe & Central Asia median: 98.2%; Bulgaria is 24th highest of 30. Worldwide: 54th of 104.
Read on 14 October 2026. Definitions · Report an error