This section provides data for 2023/24 on the number of educational institutions at pre-primary, primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education level (ISCED levels 0-4) in the Bulgarian education system. Information on tertiary education institutions (ISCED levels 5-8), can be found in the European Tertiary Education Register. A general overview of the categories of institutions providing publicly-subsidised adult education and training can be found in the chapter on adult education.
The notes below the tables provide methodological explanations necessary for a good interpretation of data.
Table 1. Statistics on educational institutions providing regular education 2023/24
|
Type of educational institution |
ISCED levels |
Main orientation of the programmes provided |
Number of educational institutions |
|||
|
Total number |
Public |
Government dependent private |
Private independent |
|||
|
Kindergartens |
0 |
- |
1,827 |
1,704 |
- |
123 |
|
General and Special schools, incl: |
1,2,3 |
G,V |
1939 |
1 845 |
94 |
|
|
Primary (I - IV grade) |
1 |
- |
128 |
119 |
- |
9 |
|
Basic (I - VII grade) |
1.2 |
G |
1,123 |
1,090 |
- |
33 |
|
Integrated (I - X grade) |
1.2 |
G |
74 |
- |
- |
|
|
Upper secondary (VIII - XII grade) |
3 |
G, V |
115 |
96 |
- |
19 |
|
Secondary (I-XII grade ) |
1,2,3 |
G,V |
499 |
466 |
- |
33 |
|
Vocational schools, incl: |
3,4 |
V |
421 |
391 |
- |
30 |
|
Art schools (Uchilishta po izkustva) |
3,4 |
V |
21 |
- |
- |
|
|
Sport schools (Sportni uchilishta) |
3,4 |
V |
25 |
25 |
- |
|
|
Vocational gymnasiums (Profesionalni gimnazii) |
3,4 |
V |
356 |
342 |
- |
14 |
|
Vocational colleges (Profesionalni kilejzi sled sredno obrazovanie) |
3,4 |
V |
19 |
3 |
- |
16 |
1 Incl. the Bulgarian schools abroad financed by state.
Source: National Statistical Institute, 2024, https://nsi.bg/en/content/3477/general-schools-type (general schools) and https://nsi.bg/en/content/3481/vocational-schools-type (vocational schools)
Table 2. Statistics on separate educational institutions providing special needs education 2023/24
|
Type of educational institution |
ISCED levels |
Main orientation of the programmes provided |
Number of educational institutions |
|||
|
Total number |
Public |
Government dependent private |
Private independent |
|||
|
Correctional boarding schools (Vazpitatelni uchilishta internati) |
1,2,3 |
G |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
|
Social-pedagogic boarding schools (Sotsialno-pedagogicheski internati) |
2,3 |
G |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
|
Schools for education and support of hard of hearing pupils (Uchilishta za obuchenie i podkrepa na uchenici s uvreden sluh) |
2,3 |
G |
3 |
3 |
- |
- |
|
Schools for education and support of visually handicapped pupils (Uchilishta za obuchenie i podkrepa na uchenici s narusheno zrenie) |
2,3 |
G |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
Source: National Statistical Institute, 2024, https://nsi.bg/en/content/3479/special-schools-type
Source of the data and information: National Statistical Institute (NSI), Education and Lifelong Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria for 2023/2024, last accessed: 09/03/2025.
Classification system: International Standard Classification of Education, 2011 version (ISCED 2011).
Statistical concepts and definitions:
An educational institution is defined as a center, taking independent decisions, which performs educational services for persons and organizations and is created according to the rules of the law. This means that the institution has a manager (director, rector or another manager) i.e. that this is an 'independent' educational institution. 'Dependent' educational institutions are branches or units known under other names and are typically subordinate to an independent institution.
The data covers all governmental, municipal and created according to the existing legal order private kindergartens and schools.
Notes:
For institutions providing educational programmes at ISCED levels 2, 3 and 4, are specified whether the main orientation is general (G) and/or vocational (V). For institutions providing educational programmes at ISCED levels 0 and 1, it is introduced the not applicable code (-).