Recognition of diplomas and education from abroad

Education documents from abroad are recognised by different bodies depending on their type. University degrees and completed secondary education are recognised by the National Centre for Information and Documentation (NACID), part of the Ministry of Education. Individual school years for a pupil returning to a Bulgarian school are recognised by the regional education office (RUO), and for years 1–6 by the head teacher.

higher education

free

academic recognition at NACID

NACID

up to 2 months

usually about a month

regional office

up to 1 month

for years 7–12

no fee

under 16

for recognising school years

Higher education

Academic recognition at NACID is an official confirmation of the value of a foreign bachelor’s or master’s degree in Bulgaria. It is free for Bulgarian citizens, foreigners and refugees, and cannot be speeded up for a fee. Doctoral degrees have a separate procedure.

If your profession is not regulated, your degree gives you direct access to the labour market — you go straight to the employer. You need a NACID certificate only if an employer or authority explicitly asks for one. If you want to continue studying (master’s, doctorate), recognition is done by the rector of the university you apply to.

How to apply

1. Check the certification needed

   A degree from the EU, EEA, Switzerland or a Lisbon Convention country needs no legalisation — only a translation. From another Hague Convention country — an apostille. From any other country — full legalisation. NACID lists the category for each country.

2. Translate the documents

   The diploma and its transcript are translated into Bulgarian. The European Diploma Supplement does not need translating.

3. Submit the application

   In person at NACID’s service centre in Sofia, through a representative, or online at portal.nacid.bg with a qualified electronic signature. Only complete applications are accepted.

4. Review

   NACID checks the university’s status, the authenticity of the documents and their match with Bulgarian requirements. If something is missing you have 7 days to supply it; for extra documents the deadline is usually 2 months.

5. Result

   A recognition certificate (it can be electronic only) or a reasoned refusal, which can be appealed under the Administrative Procedure Code. Originals are returned within 14 days of the check.

School education

When a child continues school in Bulgaria, recognition depends on the year:

• years 1–6 — the head of the school the child joins;
• years 7–12, completed basic education and year 4 for state-plan admission to year 5 — an expert committee at a regional education office of your choice;
• completed secondary education (year 12 diploma) — NACID, after an expert committee decision. It issues a certificate for university entry, a driving licence and work, or a confirmation for a driving licence and work only.

Where grading systems differ, grades are converted to the Bulgarian six-point scale. The committee compares length of study, subjects and hours, results and the pupil’s age. Recognition is refused if fewer than half of the compulsory subjects have a grade above 3.

A pupil who studied at a foreign school may choose to repeat the last recognised year in a Bulgarian school and then sits no equivalence exams for it. No fee is charged while the child is of compulsory school age (under 16).

Documents for the regional office

• application on the form approved by the Minister of Education;
• the report for the completed year — original or a copy certified by a notary or the issuing school;
• a statement of subjects, hours and grades, if not in the report;
• a document stating the rights the report gives, if not stated in it;
• an official translation into Bulgarian with the translator’s signature notarised;
• the report for the last year completed in a Bulgarian school, if any, and proof of payment of the fee.

Documents from Hague Convention countries need an apostille, unless Bulgaria has a legal assistance treaty with that country waiving legalisation. Documents from other countries are legalised. If a document is an official electronic document or can be checked in an online register, the original may not be required.

Regulated professions

Doctors, nurses, architects, lawyers and other regulated professions need separate recognition of the right to practise under the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Act (Directive 2005/36/EC in the EU). A NACID certificate does not give that right. Check which body is responsible for your profession in NACID’s list of regulated professions.

NACID contacts

Service centre: 50 Dr G. M. Dimitrov Blvd, 1125 Sofia, every working day 8:00–18:30. Tel. +359 2 817 38 31, email [email protected].