About the Trakia University
Trakia University is a Bulgarian university in the city of Stara Zagora. It was named after the historical region of Thrace and was established on 17.07.1995.
Located in Stara Zagora, Trakia University is an autonomous state scientific and educational institution. The University takes 5th place on a rating scale of all the Medical Universities in Bulgaria. The diploma from Trakia University in Stara Zagora is recognized all over the European Union and in the UK as well. Trakia University stands as one of the first accredited universities that have received full institutional accreditation as “very good”. It is graded high with a 9,20 score ( by a maximum of 10) from the National Agency of Grading and Accreditation in Bulgaria with the right to provide students the education level of a Bachelor’s and master’s degree as well as a scientific degree “Doctor” in Bulgarian and English language.
Organisation of Trakia University in Stara Zagora
Trakia University provides 9 structural parts: Agriculture with a scientific and experimental base, Veterinary faculty with clinics, Medical faculty with a University Hospital, pedagogy, engineering, and technology- Yambol, agriculture, economics, ecology, and environmental protection, as well as Medical college – Stara Zagora. The University has its own modern base of education. The study process and scientific research activities take part in 16 modern equipped study corpora and 456 lecture and computer halls, 330 study halls for practical activities, clinics, and foreign language laboratories. At the University level, there are 20 science research and diagnostics laboratories for different specialties. The University also provides a library that students can use as a resource of study material and a quiet studying place, student dormitories, canteens that serve homemade food, cafe clubs, and sports halls for more than 15 different sports. There are also some traditional activities that students enjoy participating in like folklore dance groups, Latin dances, singing, and instrument bands.
The University provides active participation in the “Erasmus” project in Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Italy, Turkey, France, Portugal, and many more countries. Erasmus project is an exchange program enabling students and teachers to spend one to two semesters at one of the partnering universities abroad.
Scholarships for international students at Trakia University are awarded to students admitted by acts of the Council of Ministers when they are citizens of the Republic of Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Ukraine, and the Republic of Serbia from the beginning of the first year of study. The amount of the scholarship is BGN 240 per month. Scholarships are provided to students admitted by acts of the Council of Ministers, but not citizens of the six countries, in accordance with the terms and conditions for Bulgarian citizens.
About the Faculty of Medicine in Stara Zagora
The Faculty of Medicine was founded on 08.04.1982. Later in the year of 1995, when Trakia University was founded, the Medical faculty entered the structure of the University. The Faculty of Medicine trains Bulgarian and foreign students from over 30 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and America in the following specialties: “Medicine” – Master’s degree; “Medical Assistant” – Bachelor’s degree; “Nurse” – Bachelor’s degree; “Midwife” – Bachelor’s degree; “medical rehabilitation and occupational therapy” – Bachelor’s degree; “Health Care Management” – Bachelor’s degree – full-time and part-time training; “Health Care Management” – ACS “Master” – part-time training; “Social activities” – Bachelor’s degree – full-time and part-time education and “social work and mediation” – “Master’s” degree – part-time education.
There are currently over 8200 students from Bulgaria and all around the world and the academic staff of the Faculty includes 23 professors, 60 associate professors, 141 assistants, and lecturers working in 24 departments. The faculty is certified according to ISO 9001: 2008 for the training of students, postgraduates, and doctoral students.
About the international study programs
Trakia University offers study programs in two languages – Bulgarian and English. Each student has the right to choose their preferences about the language of education and study plans. The study program in English language program is paid (tuition fees need to be paid each year of the studies). The specialty in the faculty of medicine is general medicine. Graduated students achieve the qualification of a doctor (Master degree). The form of education is full-time, for a period of education of 12 semesters. The academic year is divided into two semesters – the winter semester, starting in September and ending in February, and the summer semester starting in February and ending in July.
The training in the specialty “Medicine” is carried out for 6 years – 10 semesters and 10 months of state experience. The following state exams are taken in the final year of studies at Trakia University:
- Internal diseases
- Surgery
- Gynecology and Obstetrics
- Infectious diseases, Epidemiology Hygiene and Social medicine
- Pediatrics.
The curriculum includes compulsory, optional, and elective courses, as well as compulsory internships for 2nd to 6th-year students. During the internship, the necessary practical skills for future doctors are formed. The fees for one semester studying at the faculty of medicine for citizens of EU and EEA – subsidized by the state cost 450 euro (900 leva). The semester tuition fee for citizens of the EU and EEA– NOT subsidized by the state is 2768 euros (5405 leva), so one-year tuition fees are 5536€. The semester tuition fee for non-EU and EEA citizens is 3,500 euros (6833 leva), so the tuition fee for a whole year studying medicine in English costs 7,000 euros. Admission rules to the study program consist of entrance exams in Biology and Chemistry. You can get acquainted with the material for the exam on the following link: https://trakia-uni.bg/en-US/applications/application-high-school/preparation-exams
The study program consists of over 50 disciplines in which students attend theoretical, pre-clinical, clinical, and laboratory lectures and practice. The first three years consist of mostly theoretical and pre-clinical practices and lectures. After the third year, students must attend clinical subjects taking place in the University hospital.
About the city and daily life
Life as a student in Stara Zagora is affordable and peaceful. The city is very calm and safe. There are lots of students in the city because it’s a University city,
so there are plenty of student activities you can participate in. Every week the student council of the Bulgarian and Foreign students organizes fun events, parties, and new and exciting ways to help you get to know your colleagues better. The cost of living is lower than in many European countries. You would need around 100 euros weekly to buy necessities like food. The price of the rent varies around 200 euros a month depending on where your apartment is located, and dormitories are around 150 euros a month. If you want to experience the nightlife, there are some good clubs with English and Bulgarian music. Drinks cost around 5 euros. Fast food is cheaper and pizza goes for 5 euros as well.
Traveling around the city is easy. Bus lines are going everywhere from 5 am to 11:30 pm and the tickets are 1.50 leva. Taxi from the University to the Medical Faculty costs around 8 leva. There are plenty of gyms and different sports activities. The student council often organizes trips to different cities in Bulgaria, mountains, lakes and other resorts and tourist attractions.
The sixth-largest city in Bulgaria is Stara Zagora. One of Europe’s oldest cities, the city has a history of more than 8,000 years. If you live close to the hospital and faculty, you can walk to the city center in just 15 minutes. It is safe and easy to explore. The most well-known park in the city is the “Ayazmo” park, which is a pleasant spot for sports and recreation. The Stara Zagora Zoo can be found in Ayazmo Park. There is also a beautiful lake that is a famous getaway place where you can enjoy the beauty of nature. In close proximity to a humid subtropical climate, Stara Zagora is located in a region with a Mediterranean climate. The annual temperature is approximately 14 °C (57 °F). It is a beautiful green city with a mild winter, lovely spring and fall, and a very hot summer.
The history of Stara Zagora is extremely extensive. The Regional Museum of History now manages most of this heritage. Stara Zagora has a gallery of over 4,000 works of art for art lovers. The Museum of Beer is a good chance for those who have had enough of historical museums and information. It is inside the Zagorka Brewery, one of Bulgaria’s largest breweries. The central portion of Stara Zagora’s main street, Tsar Simeon Veliki, is a place for pedestrians. This entirely pedestrian zone is about a kilometer long and is surrounded by cafes, shops, restaurants, and two beautiful parks.
The closest airport to the city is Plovdiv Airport and there are also transport links available from Sofia International Airport. The city is accessible by bus, train, or taxi. The cost of a bus ticket from Sofia to Stara Zagora is around 12 euros (24 leva), and a train ticket is 4 euros (8 leva), both with a student discount. The cost of a bus ticket to Plovdiv is around 6 euros (12 leva), and a train ticket costs 3 euros (6 leva), both with a student discount.
Accommodation for international students in Stara Zagora
Trakia University offers multiple locations for students to choose their preferred dormitory.
Starting with block No.1, the student dormitory located near the medical faculty (behind it), the address is “Musala No.32”. This dormitory consists of students all studying different specialties at Trakia University. It is a very pleasant and quiet place and the cost of living there is around 150 euros (300 leva) a month.
The next dormitory is block No.2, located next to the medical faculty and the University hospital. That dormitory has always been known to have only students studying at the faculty of medicine, but that doesn’t mean the dormitory doesn’t accept students studying other specialties. It is the quietest dormitory. The address is “Armeyska No.16” and the cost of an international student living there is around 140-150 euros (280-300 leva) a month.
Next on the list is block No.3, the student dormitory “Kazanski”. The address is the same name as the name of the dormitory, just add block 19. That is the biggest dormitory located in the city of Stara Zagora and it consists of students from different specialties of study.
The following dormitories blocks No.5, no.6, no. 7, and no.8 are located at the University near the city. The address is “Studentski grad” which literally translates into Student city. It is where the majority of students live because it is next to the University and Veterinary faculty. That place is according to students the most fun because there are no people living around and it’s just the students living at that place. The main problem is that it is 6km away from the city center and students have to travel by bus or another form of transportation. The cost of the bus ticket is 0.77 cents a trip (1,50 leva). There are canteens next to every dormitory in the city and at the University with appropriate student prices. Pets are not allowed at the dormitories, so if you want to bring your pet to Stara Zagora you have to rent an apartment. Apartments rent costs around 200 euros a month, but that also depends on the location.
Admission rules to Trakia Medical University and paperwork needed to complete admission
The application process at Trakia University depends on multiple factors, such as the nationality of the applicants, the chosen program, and language preferences. These are the main categories of applicants-foreign citizens:
1. Applicants from the EU and European Economic Area – they need to write entrance exams from biology and chemistry that are organized in the online form (the academic year 2023/24) with terms in June, July and August. The final mark will be then calculated according to the result in the entrance exam plus secondary school marks from biology and chemistry.
2. Applicants of Bulgarian origin who apply through the Bulgarian Ministry of Science
3. Applicants from non-EU countries – are accepted and ranked according to the submitted documents or according to their results from the entrance exams and pay higher tuition fees. They also have sooner deadline for submission of the files for admission (1st of July, except the UK students, who have a deadline before the end of August). Applicants then take part in the entrance exam (in the same dates as EU or EEA students) and their final mark will be calculated as sum of result from secondary school and entrance exam test. The deadline for enrollment is the 8th of September, so it is recommended to apply for entrance exams in June and July.
4. Dual citizenship applicants:
4.1. Those applicants having dual citizenship, one of which is Bulgarian and the other is from an EU member state or EEA, shall be admitted under the terms and conditions and within the due order as for Bulgarian citizens, after an entrance exam in Biology and Chemistry, as for the Bulgarian candidate students.
4.2. Those applicants having dual citizenship, one of which is Bulgarian and the other is from a non-EU member state or EEA (third country), but who have completed their secondary education in the Republic of Bulgaria, regardless of their second nationality, shall be admitted under the terms and conditions and within the due order as for the Bulgarian citizens.
4.3. Those applicants having dual citizenship, one of which is Bulgarian and the other is from a non-EU member state or from EEA (third country), who have completed their secondary education abroad, shall be admitted under the terms and conditions and within the order determined for the non-EU member state citizens (third country), so they can pay 50% of the fee for the foreign citizens.
The category in which each applicant falls determines the application requirements and tuition fees. If the applicants desire to study their chosen major in Bulgarian language, and if they are from the EU or EAA they must attend a preparatory year the length of 10 months attending a course studying Bulgarian language and special subjects in Bulgarian.
Entrance exams students must take in order to start studying at the Univesity: Veterinary Medicine students, medical students, Medical Laboratory Technician, Medical rehabilitation and Ergotherapy must take an entrance exam in biology and chemistry, Geriatric care students, Nursing students, and Midwifery students must take an exam in Biology and Bulgarian language. Students can use this link in order to prepare for the entrance exams: https://trakia-uni.bg/en-US/applications/application-high-school/preparation-exams The score from the completed exams is formed by the sum of the two taken entrance exams in biology and chemistry, added to the grades in biology and chemistry from the secondary education diploma. Students with a score over 24.00 participate in the ranking. Applicants, whose native language is not English attend an exam in English as well, in order to prove their language skills.
The application documents that the candidates from the EU and EEA
1. An application form, signed by the candidate. It is available on our website.
2. A leaving Certificate, a diploma, secondary school or college certificate with the marks on the subjects that are included in the assessment of the candidates where the required subjects are specific for each major. In case these required marks are missing from the Diploma, the applicants submit a transcript from the last school year during which they studied these subjects. The document must have an apostille stamp from the country of issue OR must be certified in other legal ways applicable to the respective country. The apostilled/certified documents should be translated into Bulgarian and certified by the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in the respective country
3. A document that certifies that the above-stated Diploma makes the applicant eligible to continue the student’s education in a higher school or university in the country of origin. This document also requires an apostille stamp.
4. A copy of ID – passport.
5. Four photos.
6. An application fee.
Where and how to submit the application documents? The papers are presented in one of the following ways: personally in the Admission Office of the Study Department of Trakia University or with a tracking number.
How can you pay the application fee? The application fees could be paid at the pay desk of the University when submitting the application papers – only in Bulgarian leva or through a bank transfer.
The application documents that the non-EU applicants
1. An Application form, signed by the candidate. A link for the application form: https://assets.ctfassets.net/g9rswraqmrau/4eSE1ptGdv3Pzw0alcXNs3/86c1a24e09cbd1b00bd2ed732dc1056e/APPLICATION_FORM.doc
2. A Certificate issued by any of the Regional Departments of Education in Bulgaria that recognizes the applicant’s secondary education from abroad. The Certificate must contain the required marks on the subjects that are crucial for the assessment of the candidate.The required marks should be at least 62 % of the possible maximum of the grading system in the respective country. The 62% rule applies only to the non-EU candidates – it is an obligatory rule for getting visa type “D”. This means that the average of the required marks in the Certificate issued by the Regional Department must be at least 3.72.
3. A copy of ID – passport.
4. Four photos.
5. An application fee.
6. The mark in Bulgarian language from the Language Certificate, issued by Trakia University or any other university in Bulgaria (if the candidate chooses to study in Bulgarian and passes a preparatory course in Bulgarian language). The mark in Bulgarian language might be also the mark from a Certificate for Bulgarian language for level B2.
In case the applicant chooses to study the desired major in Bulgarian, they should attend a preparatory 10-month course. In this case, the application fee is the BGN equivalence of 55 euros (107.60 leva). In case the applicant chooses to study the desired major in English (this is applicable to the majors that are offered in English – “Medicine” and “Veterinary medicine”), the application fee is 55 euros for each exam. There is no fee for the document process. How can you pay the application fee? The application fees are paid in one of the following ways: in the pay desk of the University when submitting the application papers – only in Bulgarian leva or through a bank transfer. All non-EU applicants must have visa type “D”. The procedure of getting visa type “D” takes at least 2 months.
Conclusion
The Trakia university offers recognized medical study programs from medical or veterinary medicine programs. They are cheaper compared to medical schools in other EU countries, especially central Europe. The degree is recognised automatically in the whole EU and many countries worldwide.
