Diploma recognition for working in Bulgaria in your profession

After moving to Bulgaria, there is no need to start life over and disregard your previous work experience and the education you received back home, if your residence status in the country allows you to work as an employee. If you wish, you can legalise your university diploma and work in a familiar field. To do this, you need to have your diploma recognised and to know Bulgarian well.

You often hear immigrants argue that everyone in Bulgaria speaks Russian fairly well, so there is no need to learn Bulgarian. That is not the case.

The language is essential for successful integration. Working in Bulgaria in many professions (doctors and lawyers in particular) requires passing an exam in Bulgarian. Preparing for it can take a considerable amount of time, so studying should not be neglected.

Step by step

Diploma recognition is not simply a translation of the diploma into Bulgarian. The procedure involves checking the professional knowledge you have acquired against the requirements of the Bulgarian education system.

Diploma recognition takes place in several stages. First, the diploma is translated, legalised and certified, like any other foreign document within the country.

In some cases you also have to pass an exam on command of Bulgarian in general and professional terminology in particular. Doctors, for instance, must take the exam without exception (particular attention is paid to pharmacology, since medicine names in Bulgaria differ from Russian or Ukrainian ones). The exam is taken in Sofia at the ЦКОКУО (Център за контрол и оценка на качеството на училищното образование). The dates of upcoming tests can be found on this organisation’s website.

The next step is submitting the diploma to the office of НАЦИД (the national centre for information and documentation). The recognition (nostrification) procedure includes verifying the authenticity of the documents and comparing the data stated in them with the requirements for obtaining education in a similar field in Bulgaria.

In a number of cases you have to take a test. This may be required if the study programmes at Bulgarian universities differ significantly from the programmes of educational institutions back home. Sometimes additional training is needed. Lawyers, for example, require substantial retraining in Bulgarian legislation and knowledge of all its specifics. Only after that can you obtain a document certifying the education received and the right to work in your profession in Bulgaria.

So the recognition procedure is not very complicated. Diplomas are recognised free of charge, but you cannot manage without knowing the language. We therefore recommend devoting more attention to learning Bulgarian, so that you can then earn a living in Bulgaria working in your profession.

Please note that foreigners can work without restrictions by opening their own company. Otherwise, a permit from the Ministry of Labour is required.

Bulgarian language courses in Burgas

Classes are held in small groups over 2 months, two to three times a week. This method is preferable, as it provides live communication, dialogue practice in groups, monitoring of results by the teacher and the opportunity to ask current questions during the course. Group courses start every month as groups are formed, in parallel streams. Price: 14 lessons — 150 leva (75 euros). You can apply for the next course through the feedback form in the Registration section, providing your contact details and telephone number (required). We offer the “Advanced level” course on an individual basis.

Tel: ​ +359897465001; +359988763033.

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