Updated on 01.08.2023

Admission of children and students from Ukraine to state and municipal kindergartens and schools in Bulgaria

Every child has the right to education. School education is compulsory until the age of 16 and starts from the school year beginning in the year the child turns 7 years old.

Enrolment in kindergarten of children aged 3 to 4 years old

Because kindergartens often have no free spots, a place may not be available for your child. The local municipality will provide you with specific information about the places available and the application form that needs to be completed to enrol your child.

Once your child has been accepted and the date to start kindergarten is approaching, you must provide the following medical documents for your child:

• Health Record;
• A document certifying that your child has had the required immunizations;

HEALTH INFORMATION

• An examination for intestinal pathogenic bacteria and intestinal parasites, carried out no earlier than 15 days before entering the kindergarten;
• Blood and urine tests carried out within one week prior to entry to kindergarten;
• A medical certificate from the child's doctor (general practitioner) stating that the child has not been in contact with a contagiously ill persons, issued not earlier than 3 days before entry to the kindergarten.

Enrolment in a pre-school group for children aged 5 to 6 years and in school for children aged 7 to 19 years

1. The child must have a Personal Foreigner's Number (ЛНЧ/LNCH). The LNCH is provided when applying for protection in Bulgaria.
2. The parent/guardian/custodian/representative of the child submits an application form to the relevant Regional Education Office (REO) in the area where your family is residing.
   
   LIST OF REO
    
3. On the application form you fill in information (e.g. your child's mother tongue, whether he/she has any Bulgarian language skills, which grade he/she has completed) that will help the experts to direct you to the best educational structure for your child.
4. When your child does NOT have a document of completed grade, stage or level of education, he/she will be interviewed in order to be referred to a certain group of compulsory pre-school education or to a certain grade of school education.
5. The Head of the REO will refer the child for admission to an appropriate school.
6. Upon admission to the school, medical records of the child's health and immunization status may be requested.

School enrollment takes place throughout the school year, but no later than 30 school days before the end of the second school term.

After a child is enrolled in a particular kindergarten group or a particular grade of the school, if necessary, the principal shall provide:

• Additional Bulgarian as a foreign language classes,
• Psychological support,
• Resource support if the child has special educational needs.