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Sofia youth guitar orchestra. One of the skills taught at International schools in Sofia. Photo by Guitarwiki77 –

The Best International Schools in Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. The city is located at the foot of Mount Vitosha in the western part of the country.

It has 1.3 million people. It is the 15th largest city in the European Union. Sofia is in the west of Bulgaria. It has a humid continental climate.  

Sofia is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe; the history of Sofia dates back to the 8th century BC.

There are several international schools in Sofia teaching the International Baccalaureate curriculum in English. Curricula from countries across Europe are also available including British, French, and German.

In general, the school day in Sofia begins at around 8.30 am and finishes at 3.30 or 4.00 pm. Some international schools, though not all, provide supervised care after school which can include study time or extracurricular activities.

1. American College of Sofia

AmericanCollegeSofia. America for Bulgaria Campus Center. Photo by America for Bulgaria Foundation –

The American College of Sofia is an independent, co-educational secondary school. English is the primary language of instruction, but the school caters to Bulgarian youth. There are, however, children of every nationality. The curriculum is based on the American system. It is accredited by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, MSA, and IBO.

2. Anglo- American School of Sofia ( AAS 鈥� Sofia)

AAS Class. Students in Class. Photo by Ekoehler –

The Anglo-American School of Sofia serves the international community in Bulgaria’s capital city. Students range in age from 4 to 18 with English language instruction. We offer a curriculum that combines both US and UK best practices. The school is accredited by the CoIS and NEASC. AAS is also an authorized International Baccalaureate World School.

3. British School of Sofia (BSS)

British School of Valencia. Photo by 19Tarrestnom65 –

British School of Sofia is a British School Overseas Accredited school. The school started operating in 2010 and admits children from 2 to 18 years old. It is also Cambridge International School and IB World School.

The school also has a campus in Plovdiv and admission is open for children from 2 to 12 years old.

BSS follows the highest educational standards in British and international education and enhances the curriculum with extra-curricular and innovative approaches.

4. Zlatarski International School

Cambridge University, Hall, Magdalene College Hall, Magdalene College, Cambridge University. The image is taken from an original albumen print from a bound album of 58 Cambridge University photographs. Original 19th-century album in the possession of Kimberly Blaker, New Boston Fine and Rare Books. Photos Taken for William Winfield; uploaded by Kimberlyblaker –

Core curriculum center on the subjects of Bulgarian language, English, German, Spanish, Economics, Biology, and more. The equivalent to AAA in the British A levels results, rank Zlatarski School among the best international schools around the world. The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB), IGCSE, and A-Levels. It is also a Cambridge University international examination test center.

5. Lycee Victor-Hugo de Sofia

Logo du Lyc茅e Victor Hugo de Ch芒teau-Gontier. Photo by Philinux –

The school belongs to the network of AEFE with a French program. Instruction is in French and is based on the French educational system. The school is open to international students as well as Bulgarian students.

6. German School in Sofia

10 Jahre Deutsche Schule Sofia – 10 谐芯写懈薪懈 薪械屑褋泻芯 褍褔懈谢懈褖械 小芯褎懈褟. Zum Jubil盲um der Deutschen Schule in Sofia. Photo by Nikolai.arn –

Private school and kindergarten with German language teaching. Provides an all-day kindergarten.

7. American College Arcus

Dr. Ashvind Bawa at American College of Surgeons. Dr. Bawa was awarded the Fellowship of American College of Surgeons during a ceremony held in Chicago in October 2015. Photo by PoojaGoyal 01s –

The school is recognized and registered with the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and is a member of the CoIS and a member of ECIS. Instruction is in English and it offers the IB program. School uniforms are required and a private dormitory is available.

8. The American High School of Bulgaria

High School Volleyball. HS Volleyball Game. Photo by Ekoehler –

The American High School of Bulgaria is a private high school – a partnership between three giants in education; accredited regionally, nationally, and internationally.

They offer a chance for students to obtain a fully-qualified US diploma that is recognized by thousands of higher education institutions in the USA and worldwide.

This high school program is taught ONLY in English and is assessed ONLY by American instructors based in the USA.

9. Ecole Francophone Internationale de Varne (EFIV)

French International School of Philadelphia. Photo by Craig Talbert –

The French International School of Varna is a member of the French secular programs and follows the program of the Ministry of Education of France. Children begin school at the age of 3 in French language instruction.

Education in Bulgaria is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Science and has generally been held to high educational standards. Bulgaria’s education system consists of three types of schools: state, municipal, and private (including religious).

Education at state-owned schools is free of charge, except for the higher education schools, colleges, and universities. The curriculum of the Bulgarian Educational system focuses on eight main subjects: Bulgarian language and Literature, foreign languages, mathematics, information technologies, social sciences and civics, natural sciences and ecology, music and art, physical education, and sports.

When it comes to international schools, Bulgaria is relatively new to the scene. There is an advantage to this, however; many of the international schools in Sofia are modern, forward-thinking, and, compared to other capitals in Europe, competitively priced.

In most international schools in Sofia, international students will be in the majority. Some schools have up to a 70% majority of international students, with up to 50 different nationalities represented. Curricula are very much geared towards students from families who will be moving on in a few years and will need to pick up their education in another country or city.

School bus services are usually offered, but public transport in Sofia is excellent. Your child will have little difficulty getting to or from school whatever the mode of transport. Most of Sofia鈥檚 international schools are located south-east of the city center, so you should factor this into your school or accommodation search

International schools can be the perfect solution for an ex-pat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Bulgaria. There may be some local population, but the schools are geared toward an international student body.