Bulgaria’s Education System

1. Bulgaria’s Education System FORMAL EDUCATION Information selected by Stanka Samokovska

2. Basic education • Pre-school education: age of learners: • 6-7 • Providers: Schools based in pre-primary groups; Kindergarten based • Primary Education: age of learners: 6/ 7 -9/ 10 • Providers: General schools • General lower secondary: age of learners: 10/ 11 – 14/ 15 • Providers: General schools • Diploma for completed Basic Education

3. Secondary Education • Upper Secondary Education – first stage Grades 8-10; Second stage – Grades 11/ 12 • Age: 14/ 15 – 18/ 19 • Compulsory education age is 16 • Providers: General schools, Language schools, Sport schools, Art schools, Vocational gymnasia

4. Certificates for Secondary Education • Certificate for completed first stage after 10th grade • Diploma for completed secondary education after second stage (12 grade) and possibility for continuing education in Colleges and Universities

5. Upper SecondaryNon-Tertiary • College Education • After completed Secondary Education – 19-22 • Vocational colleges, Art colleges, Medical colleges • Diploma for completed education as Specialist

6. Higher Education • Bachelor – After completed Secondary or College Education • Master – After completed Bachelor degree • Doctor – After completed Master degree • Providers for all titulations: Humanitarian Universities, Technical Universities, Art/ Sport/ Medical Universities

7. Continuing training • CVET in VET – Centers for up-grade or acquisition of vocational qualification • Non-formal learning for key competencies, languages, art, sport, out of class activites • Informal learning: in the family, at the workplace, through media, libraries, etc. • Continuing trainings in University’s Departments for additional qualification

8. Reference • Human Resource Development Center, “Bulgaria Discovered”, 2008