Medical University of Sofia

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About the Medical University of Sofia

The university began as the Medical Faculty of Sofia University: the law creating it was passed on 10 November 1917 and entered into force on 22 November 1917 by royal decree. The first lecture was held on 10 April 1918.^[2] In 1950 the faculty became an independent Medical Academy (Decree No 246), which was renamed the Higher Medical Institute in 1954. The Faculty of Public Health took its present name in 2001, and in 2007 the dental specialty “Stomatology” was renamed “Dental medicine”.^[2] Wikipedia reports that the current name was adopted by a parliamentary resolution of 21 May 1995; the university’s history page does not give that date.^[1]

Today it has faculties of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Public Health, plus the Medical College – Sofia and a subsidiary in Vratsa.^[6]

How is the Medical University of Sofia ranked?

QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026): we could not confirm a position for the Medical University of Sofia. The Technical University of Sofia says in its own announcement that only two Bulgarian institutions are in the published ranking of 1,504 universities and names itself as one; it does not name the other.^[8]

On its own “Rankings and awards” page the university reports that it was awarded for leading position in all five professional fields it teaches in the 2024 Bulgarian university ranking, and that it shared first place in Medicine for six years before becoming the only leader. These are the university’s statements about a national ranking, not an international one.^[9] How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the Medical University of Sofia?

The English-language programmes for international students are the long master’s degrees:

• Medicine: six years, in three stages (preclinical, clinical, pre-graduation practice in university hospitals); graduates receive a Master’s degree and the qualification “Physician”.^[6]
• Dental Medicine: five years plus a six-month pre-graduation internship; graduates become Doctors in Dental Medicine with a Master’s degree.^[7]
• Pharmacy: five years in three levels, with practical training in the tenth semester.^[11]

In June 2026 the Bulgarian News Agency reported three new English-language programmes for international students: Nursing, Kinesitherapy and Clinical Trial Management (two bachelor’s and one master’s).^[12] The first English-language Nursing cohort, 44 students at the Faculty of Public Health, started in October 2026.^[3]

How much does the Medical University of Sofia cost in 2026/27?

These are the amounts on the university’s admissions page for international students, which covers the 2026/27 intake and is stated in euros.^[4] The same page still mentions a 2022 exam fee in leva, so check amounts against the current year.

Dental Medicine differs by year. The Faculty of Dental Medicine lists a tiered schedule for 2026/27: €10,000 a year in years 1–2, €9,000 in years 3–4 and €8,000 in years 5–6, paid in euros in two equal instalments at the start of each semester.^[10] The admissions page shows a single figure of €10,000, so ask the faculty which applies to you.

Other charges

The admissions page lists a document submission fee of €55, an entrance exam fee of €210 (non-refundable) and a Biology and Chemistry self-study manual at €15.34.^[4] The university also states that it does not contract private agents to recruit students for 2026/27.^[4]

How do you apply to the Medical University of Sofia?

Documents must be submitted in person or through an authorised representative; documents sent by fax, e-mail or post are not considered.^[4] The page lists these documents for non-EU and non-EEA applicants:^[4]

• the registration form (with a personal e-mail address);
• the secondary school diploma, legalised and officially translated into Bulgarian;
• a certificate from the Bulgarian National Centre for Information and Documentation (NACID) confirming the diploma and converting the grades to the Bulgarian scale;
• an official school document confirming the right to continue to higher education, legalised and translated;
• a copy of the passport, two passport photos and a signed declaration of document authenticity.

Entrance exam. Applicants for English-language training sit exams in Biology and Chemistry in English and an English-language test; in 2026 the exams were held remotely. The ranking score is three times the Biology mark plus three times the Chemistry mark plus the English mark, with a maximum of 42. Failing any single component means failing the exam.^[4] For 2026/27 the page lists 37 places for non-EU students in Medicine and 34 in Dental Medicine for those who completed the preparatory year and passed its language exam.^[4] We give no deadlines here because they change every year and the page still contains items from earlier years.

Which language level do you need?

Teaching in the English programmes is in English. The English preparatory year has 1,000 academic hours: general English in the first semester, then specialised English plus Biology and Chemistry lectures in English. It ends with a combined exam in English, Biology and Chemistry; passing it gives the right to continue at MU-Sofia.^[4] A Bulgarian course “for socialization” is a compulsory part of the English preparatory programme.^[4]

The admissions page does not list a separate English certificate (such as IELTS) for direct admission, so confirm with the Education Department whether one is needed in your case.^[4]

More about studying in Bulgaria

• Bulgaria: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Bulgaria

• Medical University of Plovdiv
• Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
• Technical University of Sofia
• University of National and World Economy (UNWE)