Intro
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is Bulgaria’s first higher education institution. Sofia University has grown into a major academic and scientific center in the Balkans, thanks to its academic excellence and noble reputation. It becomes the country’s largest and most prominent educational and scientific institution. According to QS World University Rankings, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski stands within the top 4% of world universities. It also has been regularly recognized as Bulgaria’s top educational institution in national and international rankings. Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski’s degrees are globally recognized. Because Bulgaria is a member of the European Union member, your degree will allow you to work abroad in both European Union and elsewhere.
Location
Sofia is the European Union’s 14th largest city. It is home to many of the country’s major colleges, cultural organizations, and economic enterprises. Mountainsides surround sofa from all directions, including Balkan Mountains on the north, Vitosha on the south, Lyulin on the west. This makes Sofia the third highest capital in Europe after Andorra la Vella and Madrid. Interestingly, in 2013, Sofia held its position as the cheapest capital in Europe.
History
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is Bulgaria’s first elite academic institution. The university was established in 1888, 10 years after Bulgaria was liberated. Therefore, its history exemplifies the Bulgarian cultural and educational legacy. It began with only 49 students and 4-8 lecturers. The Bulgarian linguist Aleksandar Teodorov-Balan was honored as the first rector.
The university was originally a home for just a pedagogical course, but within a few months, it became a higher school, and then an official university in 1904. The university’s building was built with the help of the Georgiev brothers, Evlogi and Hristo Georgiev, between 1924 and 1934.
Faculties
Over 21,000 students have chosen Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski as their home university. It also has a sports center, a computer center, a great library, and several other buildings. Anastas Gerdzhikov is the current rector. There are 16 faculties and three departments in the university.
Faculties: There are faculties for the law, philosophy, education, pre-school and primary school education, mathematics and informatics, biology, physics, chemistry and pharmacy, classical and modern philology, economics and business administration, geology and geography, history, journalism and mass communication, Slavic studies, theology, and medicine.
Departments: The university has special departments for sports, language learning, and information and in-service training of teachers.
Admission
The entrance criterion for each study program differs significantly. Some programs require an interview or writing an essay. Others require taking an admissions test or having particular grades on your high school certificate.
However, applicants who want to medicine must take a Biology and Chemistry entrance exam. Students are rated according to their grades and their examinations are usually held in September. For those who want to study medicine in English, there are only 50 seats available.
If you want to study Pharmacy in English, you must first pass an admission exam that includes questions about biology, chemistry, and probably English as well. The university provides students with bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees. The number of programs reaches 119 in humanities and sciences. The Economics and Business Administration faculty has grown into a prominent academic and scientific center in the Balkans. It also gives a great foundation in two major fields: Business Administration and Economics.
Student Life & Living Expenses
Students are usually placed into small groups of roughly 10 persons for the whole year to focus more on studying their desired program. The university offers two types of classes; the first ones are lectures that suit all students for the entire year. The other ones are the seminars that collaborate small groups of students. Every teacher gives his students information about the subject (syllabus) at the start of the semester, besides the books and dates of upcoming tests.
When it comes to leisure time available for students, this, of course, depends on what they study, how they manage their time, and whether they have a part-time job or not. As known for many, students become busy at the end of each semester when exam sessions are held. When students don’t have any classes, there are plenty of things to do.
The Bulgarian natural environment is breathtaking. Vitosha mountain can be seen from every corner of Sofia, and it is easy to get there by car! Yuzhen (South) park and Borisova gradina are two of Sofia’s most popular parks, where people enjoy biking and picnicking. If you’re searching for ways to maintain your fitness and workout routines, you will be happy to visit the gyms across town that can assist in maintaining a healthy lifestyle while studying abroad.
When it comes to financial expenditures in Bulgaria’s capital, you’ll discover that you can live on a student budget and buy a lot of things because of their reasonable prices compared to other parts of the world! Rent in Sofia is substantially less than in other European nations and capital cities. Most students spend approximately 350 EUR per month to get a modern apartment in the city. In addition, transportation is quite easy and affordable too.
If you’re thinking about finding a job, we can tell you that is possible to find a part-time job as in Sofia if you search very well. Many companies need staff who can communicate in a variety of languages. Working part-time entails working 20 hours a week, so students should be able to manage their studies, employment, and social lives without additional stress.
In the end, remember that studying abroad is a golden chance to build new relationships and discover new adventures. Bulgaria, being one of the cheapest countries in the European Union, is a great choice for those who want an alternative direction for their future.
