International School Admissions in Sofia: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

Quick answer: how do international school admissions work in Sofia? Apply between January and April for September, provide translated reports, a reference and ID, and expect a placement assessment in English and maths. The American College of Sofia is the exception with a competitive spring entrance exam. Application fees run roughly 100 to 500 EUR; offers arrive within two to four weeks.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Sofia has become a discreet European hub for international families: a growing technology and outsourcing sector, EU and NATO postings, and a cost of living that lets a schooling budget stretch further than in Vienna or Athens. International school admissions in Sofia are generally friendly and fast, but the market has one highly selective school, one or two with genuine waiting lists in primary, and paperwork that runs on Bulgarian rules. This guide sets out the timeline, the documents, the assessments and the costs so that you arrive with a confirmed place.

Why Sofia admissions are easier than they look

Bulgaria's capital has roughly 1.3 million residents and a compact international school sector: two long-established American-founded schools, a British school, a French lycée, a German school and a growing group of Bulgarian-founded bilingual and international schools. Because most expat postings to Sofia are long rather than rotational, the schools have stable communities and a high share of Bulgarian returnee families. Class sizes are small and admissions offices are used to dealing with families still abroad, so virtual tours and online assessments are standard.

Geography matters more than in most capitals of this size because several schools sit on the southern edge of the city, in the districts of Boyana, Dragalevtsi and Simeonovo at the foot of Vitosha mountain, or further out along the ring road, where campuses are large but the morning traffic from the centre is slow. Families who fix their housing before their school often end up with a 45 minute commute that could have been 15.

Curricula available in Sofia

International Baccalaureate: the IB Diploma at the two American-founded schools and the PYP and MYP at the Anglo-American School.
American curriculum: a US-style high school programme leading to an American diploma, often combined with the IB Diploma.
British curriculum: English national curriculum with Cambridge IGCSE and A levels at the British school and at Bulgarian-founded schools with British tracks.
French and German curricula: the French lycée and the German school follow their national programmes and admit mainly francophone and germanophone children.
Bulgarian bilingual programmes: private schools combining the national curriculum with intensive English, usually at much lower fees.

International schools in Sofia and how they admit

Anglo-American School of Sofia

Founded by the American and British embassies, this IB World School offers the PYP, MYP and Diploma to children from age 4 to 18 on a large campus in the Pancharevo area south east of the city. Admissions are rolling but the early years and lower primary fill first. Expect two years of reports, a confidential reference and a placement assessment; the community is diplomatic and corporate and offers usually arrive within two weeks of the assessment.

American College of Sofia

A selective secondary school with a history dating to 1860, admitting most students at age 14 through a competitive entrance examination in English and maths held each spring, with a smaller intake at 16 for the IB Diploma. It is the most academically selective school in the country and the exam is the only route in for the main intake. Register by early spring; results and offers follow within weeks.

British School of Sofia

A British curriculum school following the English national curriculum with Cambridge IGCSE and A levels, teaching in English with Bulgarian taught as a subject. Admissions are year-round subject to places, with an English placement test and a maths task; children below the expected English level may be offered a place with support at extra cost. Popular with families planning a later move to the UK.

St. George International School and Pre-School

A Bulgarian-founded school offering a British curriculum track alongside the national programme, from pre-school through secondary, with Cambridge qualifications. Admissions are quick, usually a single assessment visit and an offer within days, and fees are lower than at the fully international schools. Ask for the share of teaching hours in English at each stage.

Change the World Schools

A newer international school group with an English-medium programme and a project-based approach, positioned between the bilingual Bulgarian schools and the established international schools on price. Because it is young, ask for accreditation status and the qualifications offered at the end of secondary before relying on it for the final years.

Step-by-step admissions timeline

September to December (the year before): research, virtual tours, register interest. The American College publishes its exam date in the autumn.
January to April: submit applications with translated reports and references. Pay the application fee, roughly 100 to 500 EUR, non-refundable.
February to May: placement assessments online or in person; the American College exam takes place in spring.
Two to four weeks after assessment: offer letter. Accept by paying the deposit, roughly one term of tuition at the international schools.
June to August: uniform where required, transport registration, Bulgarian health record. School starts on 15 September, Bulgaria's fixed first day of the school year.

Fees in Sofia for 2026

Fully international schools (IB, American, British): roughly 9,000 to 22,000 EUR per year, rising with age and highest in the Diploma years.
French and German schools: roughly 4,000 to 8,000 EUR per year, with scholarships for nationals.
Bulgarian-founded bilingual and international-track schools: roughly 4,000 to 10,000 EUR per year.
Application fee: roughly 100 to 500 EUR.
Deposit, uniforms, transport, lunches and exams: budget roughly 10 percent above tuition.

A hard fact to plan around: Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, ending the lev's fixed peg of 1.95583 BGN per euro. Schools that quoted in leva now invoice in euros, and families paid in euros no longer carry any exchange risk. Contracts signed before 2026 that mention leva convert at the fixed rate.

Practical advice for families applying in Sofia

Decide early whether the American College is a target. Its entrance exam is competitive and held once a year. Families who want that route should register in the autumn and prepare; there is no rolling admission for the main intake.

Choose the school and the neighbourhood together. The southern campuses are large and green but the commute from the centre is slow. Many families settle in Boyana, Dragalevtsi or Lozenets for that reason. Ask each school for its bus routes and journey times before signing a lease.

Bring translated records. Schools accept English, but Bulgarian authorities and some schools request certified translations of birth certificates and previous school records. Having them ready before departure avoids delays with the health record and residence paperwork.

Compare the best international schools in Sofia

Use the independent ranking of the best schools in Sofia to compare curricula, fees and parent reviews before you apply.

More guides to schools in Sofia

Frequently asked questions

When do international schools in Sofia accept applications for 2026?

Applications for a September 2026 start are best submitted between January and April. The Anglo-American School of Sofia and the American College of Sofia have the most structured cycles, with the College running a competitive entrance exam in spring for its main intake at age 14. Other schools admit on a rolling basis where places exist, including mid-year.

What documents are needed for school admissions in Sofia?

A completed application, the child's passport or ID, two years of school reports in English or with certified translation, a confidential reference from the current school, an immunisation record and a photo. Bulgarian regulations also require a health record signed by a local doctor once the family has arrived, which the school will help you obtain.

Is there an entrance exam at international schools in Sofia?

The American College of Sofia holds a formal, competitive entrance examination for its main intake, testing English and maths. The other international schools use placement assessments in English and maths plus a conversation with a teacher, designed to confirm the right year group and any language support needs rather than to select. Older students may be interviewed for the IB Diploma.