33 public universities in Bulgaria in 2026
The public universities in Bulgaria offer accessible education to as many students as possible, with recognised programs and a strong tradition of academic research.
33 public universities
Bulgaria has public institutions offering a wide range of programs, often with government-regulated fees and a strong tradition of academic research.
Dimitar Tsenov Academy of Economics
Bulgaria's first business school (1935), specialised in economics, management, finance and business law on the banks of the Danube.
Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts
A public arts institution in Plovdiv founded in 1964: music, choreography, fine arts and arts education in southern Bulgaria.
Academy of the Ministry of Interior
A public Sofia institution training Bulgaria's police, rescue and interior-security leaders, from bachelor's to doctoral level.
G. S. Rakovski Military Academy
Bulgaria's oldest military higher-education institution (1912), training the officers and staff of the armed forces.
National Academy of Music Prof. Pancho Vladigerov
Bulgaria's first conservatoire, in Sofia: the national reference for performance, composition and musicology since 1921.
National Academy of Arts
Bulgaria's highest institution for art and design (1896), in Sofia: fine arts, applied arts, design and conservation.
National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts Krastyo Sarafov
Sofia's public higher school for theatre and film, founded in 1948 and Bulgaria's sole provider of these trainings until 1992.
National Sports Academy Vasil Levski
Bulgaria's only academy dedicated to sport sciences, in Sofia: physical education, coaching, physiotherapy and sport management.
Lyuben Karavelov Higher School of Civil Engineering
A public Sofia school dedicated to civil engineering and architecture since 1938, training Bulgaria's construction professionals.
Todor Kableshkov University of Transport
A public Sofia school dedicated to transport, logistics and engineering since 1922, partner to rail and aviation networks.
Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy
Varna's public naval school, heir to a tradition dating to 1881: maritime navigation, marine engineering, radio electronics and port safety.
Agricultural University of Plovdiv
A public school in Plovdiv specialised in agronomy, food and rural development since 1945.
University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy
Public Sofia school founded in 1942, specialised in architecture, civil engineering and geodesy.
University of Economics Varna
Bulgaria's first business school (1920) and a leading hub for economics, management and tourism on the Black Sea.
University of National and World Economy
Bulgaria's largest school of economics and social sciences (1920), the alma mater of its economists, ministers and managers.
Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen
A public university in Bulgaria's north-east, in Shumen: education, philology, mathematics-computing and theology.
University of Forestry
A public Sofia university dedicated to forestry, wood sciences, ecology and veterinary medicine.
University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy
Public Sofia school dedicated to chemical engineering, metallurgy, biotechnology and materials since 1953.
Medical University of Pleven
A public medical school in northern Bulgaria (1974), renowned for its English-language medicine programme.
Medical University of Plovdiv
A major public health centre in Plovdiv (1945), highly sought after by international students for English-taught medicine and dentistry.
Medical University of Sofia
Bulgaria's first medical school (1917), training the country's physicians, dentists and pharmacists in Bulgarian and English.
Plovdiv University Paisii Hilendarski
A major public university in Plovdiv (1961): humanities, sciences, economics, law and education in southern Bulgaria.
University of Ruse Angel Kanchev
A major public technical university on the Danube (1945): engineering, transport, computing and social sciences in Ruse.
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Bulgaria's oldest and largest university (1888): humanities, sciences, law, economics and medicine in central Sofia.