Study Medicine or Dentistry in Sofia – Medical University of Sofia

The Medical University of Sofia is the oldest and largest medical university in Bulgaria and trains dentists and pharmacists as well as doctors. Its English-taught programmes are designed specifically for international students and are linked to several university hospitals in the capital.

Advantages and disadvantages from firsthand experience

One advantage of Medical University of Sofia is its reputation: many of its professors are internationally recognised figures who also hold teaching positions at partner faculties in Germany and Italy, including the University of Cologne and in Milan – among them Prof. Dr. Hinova, Prof. Dr. Marinova and Prof. Dr. Lazarov. Teaching takes place across a wide network of the university's own hospitals on campus, including a dedicated dermatology hospital and a dedicated psychiatric hospital.

That same focus on renowned, sought-after teaching staff has a flip side: the average age of the faculty is relatively high, since professors in Bulgaria often continue teaching well into old age. Compared with younger, more dynamic locations such as Varna, where staff – from the student registrar's office through to lecturers – tend to be younger, the distance between teaching staff and students at Medical University of Sofia is often greater, and students receive somewhat less individual guidance.

On top of that, Sofia has become one of Europe's larger, economically strong capitals, and this increasingly shows in the cost of living. Many students end up in neighbourhoods further from the university, which can reduce quality of life – one reason locations such as Varna appeal to some students instead.

• Medicine: The Medicine programme leads to a medical degree. The pre-clinical phase establishes the scientific foundations; the clinical phase adds patient-facing work.
• Dentistry: Dentistry is practical from the outset: phantom courses in the pre-clinical phase, then supervised patient treatment.
• Pharmacy: Pharmacy combines chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical sciences, culminating in a practical training phase.

The programme lasts six years and is divided into two phases. The first two years focus on the pre-clinical subjects of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, histology and embryology, plus first courses in patient communication and Bulgarian for later life on the wards. From year three, the clinical phase follows with internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology, neurology and psychiatry, each combined with placements at the city's university hospitals. The sixth year is a continuous practical year on the wards and works like a final clinical year.

The basic requirement for placement at this location is a general higher-education entrance qualification. When placed through Medschool Experts, there is no separate entrance test. Get in touch to find out whether we can place you at this university, and book a free study consultation.

The tuition fee is Medicine €4,975 per semester, Dentistry €5,000 per semester, Pharmacy approx. €8,000 per year, Nursing approx. €5,000 per year and Kinesitherapy approx. €4,900 per year (Medical University of Sofia, 2026/2027). Before making any decision, ask the International Office to confirm the amount in writing.

Additional one-off costs include the application fee, visa, health insurance, travel, and usually a deposit for accommodation. Budget approx. €500–800 per month for living costs.

Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, so Directive 2005/36/EC applies to the Medical University of Sofia. Your Master of Medicine from Sofia is automatically recognised throughout the EU/EEA and in Switzerland, with no equivalence assessment or additional examination. The same applies to the university's dental degree, which leads to a dental licence in the same way.

You apply to the competent authority of the country where you want to work, which will usually ask for proof of language skills at a professional level. How quickly authorities decide differs from country to country.

After that, specialist training is open to you on equal terms with graduates of domestic medical schools, and because the directive applies across the Union, you are not tied to any one country. And since the Medical University of Sofia teaches Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy under one roof and works with several university hospitals in the Bulgarian capital, you will already know how these professions work together from your studies.

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and the country's largest academic and economic centre, with a wide range of cultural activities and good international connections. Living costs are well below Western European levels, and the Vitosha mountains rise right on the city's doorstep.