Admission to a high school or an incomplete secondary school in Bulgaria is not automatic. Every student must first pass a preliminary entrance examination. The difficulty of this examination depends on the type of school and its level of education.
To be accepted into the first class of a high school, a student must have completed all primary school studies and must be no older than fourteen years. This rule ensures that students are well-prepared for the more advanced subjects taught in high school.
Final Examinations and Promotion
When students complete their secondary education, they must take a final examination known in Bulgaria as the “examination of maturity.” This important test evaluates whether a student is ready for graduation and higher studies Balkan Tours.
The exam includes both written and oral parts, and it is conducted before a special commission. This commission meets twice a year, usually in January and December.
Promotion from one class to the next depends on how well a student performs during the school year. Only students who have achieved satisfactory results in all subjects are allowed to advance to a higher class.
Number of Students in 1903–1904
During the academic year 1903–1904, Bulgaria’s education system recorded the following numbers of students:
8,148 students attended the nine State high schools for boys, including those in incomplete secondary schools.
5,323 students were enrolled in the high schools for girls and in schools with only six classes.
2,701 students studied in training schools that prepared teachers for primary education.
633 students were part of the model divisions attached to the teacher training colleges.
These figures show that education in Bulgaria was expanding rapidly during this period, with both boys and girls gaining access to higher levels of study.
The University of Sofia
A major step forward in Bulgarian education was the founding of the Higher College of Sofia on January 1, 1889. In 1904, a new law reorganized it and renamed it the University of Sofia. The university operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Instruction and serves as the country’s main center for higher learning.
At that time, the University of Sofia had three main faculties:
Historico-Philological Faculty – 16 academic chairs.
Physico-Mathematical Faculty – 17 chairs.
Law Faculty – 11 chairs.
Each faculty was well-equipped with seminars, laboratories, collections, observatories, and botanical gardens, all managed by qualified specialists. These facilities provided students with a strong academic and practical foundation.
Bulgaria’s educational system at the beginning of the 20th century showed great progress. With strict entrance and graduation exams, well-organized high schools, and a growing university, the country demonstrated its commitment to developing an educated and capable generation.