Study in Europe › Bulgaria › MU-Sofia

Nursing (Bachelor’s, English-taught)

Medical University of Sofia (Faculty of Public Health) · Sofia, Bulgaria

100% taught in EnglishApply direct to the university, not the CAOEntrance examEntrance examInterview4 years
Duration4 years
StartsAutumn 2027
EntryEntrance exam
Deadline (EU)11 Sep 2026Passed: check the university for the next intake
Fee 2026/27€5,000 / yr

About the course

A four-year English-taught Bachelor’s in Nursing at the Faculty of Public Health, open to international students since 2022/23. Preclinical study is followed by clinical training and pre-graduation practice in the university hospitals. It ends with a state examination made up of three exams.

Entry requirements for Irish students

  • The university does not publish a fixed Irish Leaving Certificate requirement. It asks for completed secondary education, shown by a legalised copy of your school-leaving certificate with a certified Bulgarian translation, a NACID certificate confirming completed secondary education, and a document showing you have the right to enter higher education in Ireland. Contact admissions to confirm.
  • Entrance exam (2026 cycle): an online written test and an online oral interview on health awareness and motivation for choosing nursing.
  • The university’s 2022 programme announcement says entrance focuses on knowledge of English. The admissions page does not require a separate English certificate such as IELTS. Check with admissions.

Working in Ireland afterwards

NMBI recognises EU/EEA nursing qualifications in a separate step before registration, and places each applicant in one of three groups. G1 is the EU automatic recognition pathway (Directive 2005/36/EC, Annex V), where NMBI only checks your paperwork. G2 is the general system, where NMBI also assesses your qualification, and you may have to complete a compensation measure. G3 covers qualifications outside the Directive. Under EU law, automatic recognition normally applies to general care (adult) nursing degrees listed in Annex V. Specialist qualifications such as psychiatric, children’s or intellectual disability nursing usually go through the general system, but NMBI does not publish a list. Its MyNMBI tool tells you which group you are in. English-language requirements also apply.

How to apply

  1. Get your documents readyApplication form (English and Bulgarian), legalised Leaving Certificate with certified Bulgarian translation, NACID certificate confirming completed secondary education, proof of your right to higher education in Ireland, passport copy, two photos and a signed declaration of authenticity.
  2. Submit in SofiaHand in documents in person, or through someone you authorise, at the Education Department in the Rectorate building. Post, fax and email are not accepted. 2026 window for the Faculty of Public Health: 27 July to 11 September. Submission fee EUR 55.
  3. Sit the online exam and interviewOnline written test and oral interview (2026 dates: 17-18 September). Exam fee EUR 105, non-refundable.
  4. Enrol and pay feesResults in late September (22 September in 2026), then enrol and pay the annual fee. Confirm the 2027 dates and fees with admissions.
Deadline for Irish/EU applicants: 2026 cycle: Faculty of Public Health applicants submitted documents from 27 July to 11 September 2026. This was later than the university’s general 31 August deadline. The online entrance exams ran on 17-18 September 2026 and results came out on 22 September 2026. The 2027 dates are not yet published, but expect a similar late-July to early-September window. Confirm with the university..

Costs

  • EUR 5,000 per year for the English-taught Nursing programme (2026/27 figure on the university’s international admissions page). The page does not set a separate rate for EU/EEA citizens. One-off fees for 2026: a EUR 55 document submission fee and a non-refundable EUR 105 entrance exam fee.
NMBI recognises EU nursing qualifications in a separate step before registration and places you in group G1 (automatic recognition, normally for general care nursing degrees listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC), G2 or G3. Use NMBI’s MyNMBI tool to find your group, and English-language requirements apply. You must hand in documents in person, or send someone you authorise, in Sofia.

At a glance

CountryBulgaria
CitySofia
LanguageEnglish
Apply viaDirectly to the university (documents submitted in person or by an authorised representative at the Rectorate, Sofia)
PlacesNot published
EntryEntrance exam
Admission of international students ↗Nursing in English announcement ↗Faculty of Public Health ↗← Back to all European courses

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Fees, dates and exams are for the 2026/27 cycle, checked on the university’s official website in September 2026. The 2027 entry details are not yet published, so confirm them with the Medical University of Sofia. Always confirm details with the university before applying.