SOLEMN OPENING OF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

22 September 2025

Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" opens the new academic year 2025/2026 with solemn ceremonies in Varna and in the Smolyan branch. In Varna, the opening will take place on Monday (29 September) at 10:00 am in the East Park of the university, and in Smolyan - on Saturday (27 September) at 9:00 am in the Bulgaria Hall. As part of the festive programme in Smolyan, a student competition on the topic "Global Problems of Modernity in the Context of the Green Transition" will also be held.

The new academic year comes on the eve of three important anniversaries – 35 years since the establishment of the university, 30 years since the graduation of the first class and 30 years since the establishment of the Student Council. VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" welcomes the academic year with its fifth consecutive institutional accreditation for a maximum six-year period. The rating – 9.01 out of 10 according to the new criteria system of the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation – is among the highest in the country and is clear evidence of sustainable development, the quality of education and scientific research, as well as the dedication of the academic community.

This autumn, nearly 1,000 first-year students will enter the university halls, with the undergraduate enrollment higher than last year. About 40% of the newly admitted students have chosen the full-time mode, nearly 50 percent - the part-time mode, and 10% will study in the distance learning mode. The application score is increasing, the number of students starting a second higher education is growing, and more and more working people are choosing the part-time mode, which allows them to combine a job and education.

Particularly indicative of the trust in the university is that graduates of the first classes are already entrusting their children to their Alma Mater.

Traditionally, the interest in the specialties Psychology and Law remains. Admissions to Architecture, Construction of Buildings and Structures, Interior Design and Graphic Design increased by nearly 50% compared to last year. Business Administration and Management is a leading specialty in the Smolyan branch of the university. Informatics and Computer Science also recorded growth - both in the Bulgarian and English-language versions of the programme. Among the most attractive for international students is the specialty International Business - a joint programme with BI Norwegian Business School. This year, the university welcomes 90 new international students from Europe, Asia and Africa, who will study in bachelor's and master's programmes, as well as in preparatory language courses.

With the beginning of the new academic year, Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" strengthens its position as an attractive educational environment for students from Bulgaria and all over the world.