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When does the school year start in Bulgaria?

The school year in Bulgaria starts on 15 September, and in sports schools on 1 September. According to Eurydice's description the year has two terms and the exact holiday dates are set each year by order of the Minister of Education and Science, so check next year's dates in the ministry's announcement.

Education · Last reviewed: 2026-10-07

School year and terms

According to the Eurydice page, the school year lasts 12 months and begins on 15 September, and in sports schools on 1 September. It includes two school terms: the first lasts 18 school weeks (20 in sports schools, two of which are used for training camps). The length of the second term is set by order of the Minister of Education and Science. During the year pupils have autumn, Christmas, inter-term, spring and summer holidays.

School weeks per grade

  • Grades 1 to 3: 32 school weeks a year.
  • Grades 4 to 6: 34 school weeks.
  • Grades 7 to 11: 36 school weeks (in vocational classes in grades 10 and 11, two weeks of industrial training are added).
  • Innovative schools may extend the total up to 38 weeks; sports schools have an exception for training and competitions.

School day and week

  • The school week has five days and coincides with the working week.
  • The school day begins no earlier than 8.00 a.m. and ends no later than 7.30 p.m.; exceptionally it may begin at 7.30 a.m. when school conditions require.
  • Each school's start and end of day are set by order of the head before each school year.
  • Breaks last between 10 and 30 minutes, with at least one of at least 20 minutes.

Age for starting school

Schooling is compulsory until age 16 and starts in the school year beginning in the year the child turns seven. At the parents' discretion and with certified readiness it may start at six; for health reasons the start may be postponed by one year.

The academic year at universities

According to Eurydice's higher-education page, the academic year begins in September or October. The first semester runs from September/October to January/February, the second from February to June; exam sessions are in January/February and June/July, and a resit session is generally held in September. Each university sets the exact periods.

Exact holiday dates

Dates for the inter-term, spring and public holidays change every year by order of the Ministry of Education; this article gives no year-specific dates. Your child's school calendar and the ministry's order for that year are what count.

Frequently asked questions

On what date does the school year start in Bulgaria?

On 15 September; in sports schools on 1 September, per Eurydice's description of the Bulgarian rules.

How many terms does the school year have?

Two. The first lasts 18 school weeks; the length of the second is set by order of the Minister of Education and Science.

Where do I find the exact holiday dates?

In the Minister of Education and Science's order for that year and in your child's school announcement.

Sources

The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.

  1. Eurydice (Avrupa Komisyonu) — Bulgaristan: tek yapılı eğitimin organizasyonu — https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/bulgaria/organisation-single-structure-education · 2026-10-07
  2. Eurydice (Avrupa Komisyonu) — Bulgaristan: öğretim ve öğrenme, ders yükü ve okul yılı süresi — https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/bulgaria/teaching-and-learning-single-structure-education · 2026-10-07
  3. Eurydice (Avrupa Komisyonu) — Bulgaristan: yükseköğretimde akademik yılın düzeni — https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/bulgaria/organisation-academic-year · 2026-10-07

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