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Recognition of higher education acquired at foreign higher educational institutions

Academic recognition is a formal written confirmation of the value of a higher education diploma or another similar qualification, issued by an educational institution recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the country concerned.

The Recognition procedure is intended to help graduates of foreign higher education institutions who are willing to continue their education or to start work in Bulgaria.

The e-services portal and the unified information system facilitate the submission of documents and online tracking of the procedure.

We provide information on inquiries from citizens and institutions about the academic status of foreign higher education institutions and the legitimacy of diplomas issued by them, the level and nature of different degrees and other topical issues.

Section 1. WHICH DOCUMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR RECOGNITION?

Qualifications, certifying HIGHER EDUCATION at Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or without degree:

  • issued by educational institutions, recognized by a competent national authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the country concerned;
  • acquired in accordance with the higher education legislation of the country on the territory of which the education had been provided,

In order to be subject to academic recognition in Bulgaria, your qualification must provide academic rights in the country in which it is issued.

Which qualifications are subjects to negative recognition decision:

  • Qualifications which do not formally confer higher education in the country in which they are issued;
  • Qualifications, which do not meet the state requirements for acquiring higher education in Bulgaria;
  • Qualifications, which are issued in violation of the legislation of the country in which the higher education institution is based or the legislation of the country on the territory of which the education had been provided.

The following types of documents are not allowed to assessment:

  1. 1. A document, that is not a diploma or another similar qualification for higher education, which had not been issued by an educational institution, recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the respective country.
  2. A diploma, issued by a foreign higher education institution, recognized by a competent state authority of the country in which the higher education institution is situated as part of its system of secular higher education, but the education had been provided in structures on the territory of another country, the creation of which and the operation of which violate the legislation of the corresponding country.
  3. A document certifying the completion of a higher education, which- after a verification- is found that had not been issued by the respective higher education institution.

Section 2. WHICH ARE THE COMPETENT RECOGNITION AUTHORITIES?

The recognition of higher education, acquired in foreign higher education institutions is carried out by different competent authorities depending on the purposes of recognition. The common regulatory framework for all recognition authorities is the Ordinance on Academic Recognition, while the specific administrative procedures are subject to internal regulations of the different authorities.
Ordinance on Academic Recognition (in Bulgarian)

2.1. I wish to continue my education in Bulgaria

If you wish to continue your education in Bulgaria, to apply for PhD studies or to complete a further education or training, the competent authority for the recognition of your foreign qualification is the Rector of the accredited Bulgarian higher education institution you have chosen to study in.

Where can I check, which are the accredited Bulgarian higher education institutions and the academic programmes they offer?

National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency

Ministry of education and science (MES)

After selecting a higher education program and a specialty in an accredited Bulgarian higher education institution, you can apply directly to it for academic recognition.

2.2. I wish to pursue a non-regulated profession in Bulgaria

In case you wish to pursue a non-regulated profession in Bulgaria with your foreign higher education, you have direct access to the labor market, and you can contact directly the potential employer, who is competent to recognize your foreign qualification.

You can contact NACID if the potential employer or other Bulgarian authority explicitly requires from you a certificate for academic recognition, issued by our center.

The certificate for recognized higher education is an official written confirmation of the value of your foreign qualification in Bulgaria. It is intended to facilitate your access to the labor market rather than to permit it.

See Section III of NACID's Regulations (in bulgarian)

CONTINUE TO STAGE 3 from the right-hand side of the menu.

2.3. I wish to work in Bulgaria but my profession is regulated

What is a regulated profession?

“Regulated profession” is an activity or a set of activities of public importance and / or essential for the life and health of persons the exercise of which is determined by law, regulation or administrative provision for the possession of a specific professional qualification , capacity or membership in a state recognized professional organization.

The pursuing of a regulated profession, acquired outside Bulgaria, requires special recognition of the right to exercise it in Bulgaria. Recognition in these cases is in accordance with Directive 2005/36 / EC and the Law on the recognition of professional qualifications.

List of regulated professions in the Republic of Bulgaria

You can check which are the regulated professions in Bulgaria and which are the competent authorities, responsible for recognizing the right to exercise each regulated profession.

In alphabetical order By category

After you have clarified which is the competent authority, responsible for recognizing your regulated profession, you should contact it directly for recognition of the right to exercise the profession in Bulgaria.

Section 3. WHAT LEGALIZATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS ARE NECESSARY?

3.1. My diploma does not need legalization and certification - it is issued in a country- party to the Lisbon Recognition Convention, or in a member-state of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

List of countries in this category

  • ALBANIA
  • ANDORRA
  • ARMENIA
  • AUSTRALIA
  • AUSTRIA
  • AZERBAIJAN
  • BELARUS
  • BELGIUM
  • BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • CANADA
  • CROATIA
  • CYPRUS
  • CZECH REPUBLIC
  • DENMARK
  • ESTONIA
  • FINLAND
  • FRANCE
  • GEORGIA
  • GERMANY
  • GREECE
  • HUNGARY
  • ICELAND
  • IRELAND
  • ISRAEL
  • ITALY
  • KAZAKHSTAN
  • LATVIA
  • LIECHTENSTEIN
  • LITHUANIA
  • LUXEMBOURG
  • MALTA
  • MONTENEGRO
  • NEW ZEALAND
  • NORTH MACEDONIA
  • NORWAY
  • POLAND
  • PORTUGAL
  • REPUBLIC OF KYRGYZSTAN
  • REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
  • ROMANIA
  • RUSSIAN FEDERATION
  • SAN MARINO
  • SERBIA
  • SLOVAK REPUBLIC
  • SLOVENIA
  • SPAIN
  • SWEDEN
  • SWITZERLAND
  • TAJIKISTAN
  • THE HOLY SEE
  • THE NETHERLANDS
  • TURKEY
  • UKRAINE
  • UNITED KINGDOM (OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND)
  • USA

The diploma and the diploma supplement, with the exception of the European diploma supplement, must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian by a so-called "sworn translator" (a person who has a contract for translations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pursuant to Article 2a (2) of the Regulations on Legalization, Certification and Translation of Documents and Other Documents, adopted by Decree No 184 of the Council of Ministers of 1958 (promulgated, SG No. 73/1958, amended and supplemented, No 10 of 1964, No 77 of 1976, No 96 of 1982, No 77 of 1983 and No. 103 of 1990).

It is not necessary the signature of the translator to be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

List of translation agencies authorized by the MFA of the Republic of Bulgaria (in Bulgarian)

If a document certifying change in the applicant's names, under item 4 of the application form, is issued in a foreign language, it must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian.

3.2. My diploma is issued in a country outside category 3.1, with which Bulgaria has a bilateral agreement for legal assistance (so-called consular certification).

List of countries in this category

  • ALGERIA
  • CHINA
  • CUBA
  • DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK)
  • KUWAIT
  • LEBANON
  • LIBYA
  • MONGOLIA
  • SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
  • UZBEKISTA
  • VIETNAM
  • YEMEN

For the countries with which Bulgaria has signed bilateral legal assistance agreements and in which there are provisionsfor exempting documents from apostille legalization, the issued documents should bear a stamp of the institution, authorized to do so in the bilateral agreement.

In this case the necessary documents (diploma for higher education and diploma suplement) need only translation into Bulgarian and certification of the translation by the Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representation in this country, or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgari

3.3. My diploma is issued in a country outside Categories 3.1 and 3.2, which had ratified the Hague Convention (Apostille).

List of countries in this category

  • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
  • ARGENTINA
  • BAHAMAS
  • BAHRAIN
  • BARBADOS
  • BELIZE
  • BOTSWANA
  • BRAZIL
  • BRUNEI
  • BURUNDI
  • CABO VERDE/CAPE VERDE
  • CHILE
  • COLOMBIA
  • DOMINICA
  • DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • ECUADOR
  • EL SALVADOR
  • KINGDOM ESWATINI
  • FIJI
  • GRENADA
  • GUATEMALA
  • GUYANA
  • HONDURAS
  • INDIA
  • JAPAN
  • KOSOVO
  • KOSTA RICA
  • LESOTHO
  • LIBERIA
  • MALAWI
  • MAROCCO
  • MARSHALL ISLANDS
  • MAURITIUS
  • MEXICO
  • MONACO
  • MONGOLIA
  • NAMIBIA
  • NICARAGUA
  • NIUE
  • OMAN
  • PANAMA
  • PARAGUAY
  • PERU
  • PHILIPPINES
  • REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
  • SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
  • SAINT LUCIA
  • SAINT VINCENT AND GRENADINES
  • SAMOA
  • SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
  • SEYCHELLES
  • SOUTH KOREA
  • SURINAME
  • SWAZILAND
  • THE COOK ISLANDS
  • THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS HONG KONG AND MACAO (CHINA)
  • TONGA
  • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
  • URUGUAY
  • VANUATU
  • VENEZUELA

Information about the institutions, authorized to issue apostille in each country can be found at: https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities

The documents (higher education diploma and diploma supplement) should be certified with an apostille in the country where they were issued. There is no need of any other certifications in the home country.

The certified documents must be accompanied by a legalized translation in Bulgarian, i.e the translator’s signature must be certified by the Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representation in that country or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

3.4. My diploma is issued in a country that is not in any of the above categories (legalization under the general order)

In this case, the documents are certified (legalized) by the general order.

The general order for legalization in different countries may vary depending on the structure of the official authorities at the location.

In general, the sequence of certificarion is as follows:

  1. The diploma and the diploma supplement are certified by the ministry, agency or authority responsible for higher education in the country concerned (certification of the signature and official function of the rector of the university who has signed the diploma).
  2. Certification by the Consular Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing State (certification of the signature and official function of the previous certifying authority).
  3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the foreign state should be certified by the Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representation in that State (certification of the signature and official function of the previous certifying authority).
    If there is no Bulgarian embassy/consulate in the issuing State, the stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be certified/legalized by the embassy of that country in Bulgaria. The signature and certification of the Embassy Consular Office must be certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Further information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.mfa.bg/bg/pages/51/index.html

All questions related to translation of documents and/or certification of translation are within the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the "FAQ" section, you can find answers to questions related to our procedure.

Section 4. WHAT SET OF DOCUMENTS SHOULD I PRESENT TO NACID?

Citizens seeking academic recognition of higher education acquired in foreign higher education institutions need to submit the following documents at the Front office of NACID:

  1. Filled-in Application Form for Academic Recognition , available online in
    Application Form

  2. Original and a copy of the higher education qualification or another similar document, issued by an educational institution recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the respective country. The diploma must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian by a so-called "Sworn translator". See section 3. from the right menu.
  3. Original and copy of the Diploma Supplement, as well as original and copy of a European Diploma Supplement if you have one.
    The Diploma supplement, with the exception of the European Diploma Supplement, must be accompanied by a translation into Bulgarian by a so called "sworn translator". See section 3. from the right menu.
  4. Copy of identity document and a document certifying the change of the applicant's names if such a change has occurred.

Within 14 days following the submission of the documents, the originals can be received back from the applicants or their representatives.

NACID may also require additional documents which are relevant for the recognition sought. They must be submitted within the specified time (usually two months) from the date of receipt of the notice.

Some higher education institutions explicitly require your consent for NACID’s verification requests. In such cases, your assistance is obligatory. Our Front office experts will advise you when submitting the application.

Section 5. HOW CAN I SUBMIT MY APPLICATION?

The applications for academic recognition may be submitted by individuals or legal entities in three ways:

5.1. Personal submission of the application at the front office of NACID with an ID document.

You need to provide an original and a copy of the identity document. The original is returned immediately after comparing the data with the copy.

5.2. Submission of the application by an authorized person at the front office of NACID

In cases where the authorized persons are parents, children or spouse of the applicant, they can certify their status as legal representatives with a document certifying the civil status (birth certificate, family relationship certificate, etc).

Lawyers can certify their status as representatives with a power of attorney or a written power of attorney from citizens, for which no notary certification is required.

When the representatives are organizations (within the meaning of § 1, item 2 of the Administrative Procedural Code), the citizens are represented by a written power of attorney with a notary certification of the signature. When submitting an application, organizations are represented by:

  • Representatives by law (with a copy of the certificate of current status);
  • person authorized by a legal representative, with a written power of attorney with a notary certification of the signature (with a copy of a certificate of good standing).

If the name on the diploma is different from the name on the identity document, a document certifying the identity of the names must also be attached.

The power of attorney is valid only in the original.

Upon re-authorization, the power of attorney's authorization must explicitly state "TO RE-AUTHORIZE" or similar text.

Only applications accompanied by all the necessary documents are accepted for recognition.

Section 6. WHAT WOULD BE THE FINAL RESULT OF THE PROCEDURE?

6.1. Issuance of Certificate for recognized higher education

The academic recognition is a formal written confirmation of the value of a higher education diploma or of another equivalent document issued by an educational institution recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the country concerned. The positive recognition decision of NACID represents a certificate, containing the following data:

  • Applicant's name, ID number, date and place of birth, citizenship;
  • The recognized educational qualification degree and the respective recognised specialty/major;
  • The name of the foreign higher education institution and the name of the country where the higher education had been completed;
  • The degree and specialty, originally awarded by the foreign higher education institution.

The Certificate for Recognition of acquired higher education applies only to the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and does not confer to its holder any rights which may be used in relations with third parties.

The Certificate does not grant access to professions for the exercise of which there are special requirements determined by law or by other normative act. For the regulated professions in Bulgaria read more in Section 2, step 2.3 from the right menu.

The certificate has specific protective features against counterfeiting.

6.2. Negative recognition decision/ Refusal of recognition.

Recognition is not granted when substantial differences exist between the data from the submitted documents and the state requirements for acquiring higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The following documents are subjects to negative recognition decision/refusal of recognition:

  1. A document, that is not a diploma or another similar qualification for higher education, which had not been issued by an educational institution, recognized by a competent state authority as part of the system of secular higher education of the respective country.
  2. A diploma, issued by a foreign higher education institution, recognized by a competent state authority of the country in which the higher education institution is situated as part of its system of secular higher education, but the education had been provided in structures on the territory of another country, the creation of which and the operation of which violate the legislation of the corresponding country.
  3. A document certifying the completion of a higher education, which- after a verification- turns out it had not been issued by the respective higher education institution.

The negative decision may contain a recommendation on the possible steps, that could be taken in order to obtain recognition at a later stage, including additional exams.

The Negative recognition decision may be appealed in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Code.

6.3. Termination of the procedure

The procedure for recognition of foreign higher education in NACID is terminated:

  • at the written request of the applicant or the person authorized by him/her;
  • in the case of non-submission within two months of the required additional documents.

The procedure shall be terminated by an order of the Executive Director of NACID or an authorized official.

All other issues related to the Certificate and/or the final recognition decision are commented in the "Frequently Asked Questions" section.

Section 7. HOW MUCH TIME WILL THE WHOLE PROCEDURE TAKE/LAST?

The normative period for processing the documents and taking a decision is 2 months from the date of submission of all necessary documents.

In cases where no additional documents are required, the period is about one month.

In cases where there are vague circumstances, additional information and/or documents are required from the applicant. They must be submitted no later than two months from the date of notification.

If necessary, a request for additional information may be sent to the higher education institution which had issued the higher education qualification or to the competent authorities of the country on the territory of which the higher education had been acquired.

Some foreign higher education institutions explicitly require your consent for NACID’s verifications. In such cases, your assistance is obligatory. Our Front office experts will advise you when submitting the application.

Section 8. WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF THE PROCEDURE?

The academic recognition procedure in NACID includes the following main stages:

  • Verification of the academic status of the higher education institution that has issued the diploma and the completed higher education programme. Verification of the academic status of the institution conducting the training in cases where it is different from the higher education institution that issued the diploma.
  • Verification of the authenticity of higher education qualifications.
  • If any of the earlier verifications had been concluded with a negative result, the procedure will not continue, for which a written notification will be made to the applicant.
  • Assessment of the compliance of the data from the presented diploma and diploma supplement with the state requirements for acquiring higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria. This is the actual assessment and recognition, and it is applicable for the diplomas, for which all previous verifications had finished positively.
  • Adoption of a decision for recognition of the higher education degree with professional qualification if such is present, for Refusal of recognition or for termination of the procedure.
  • Issuance of a legally binding decision: certificate for recognized higher education; decision for refusal; or a termination decision.

When making the final decision, the following indicators are taken into consideration:

  • way of enrollment of students;
  • duration of education;
  • total study load of the subjects and/or credits gained;
  • the proportion of the courses and their study load which provide the fundamental, the special and the specializing learning;
  • the proportion of the courses and their study load which provide the theoretical and practical learning;
  • the learning outcomes as a set of knowledge, skills and competences acquired during the period of education;
  • way of graduation.

The assessment takes into account the acquired educational and qualification degree as certified by the documents submitted by the applicant.

When there is no educational degree specified in the documents, the recognition authority shall decide which educational and qualification degree corresponds to the acquired higher education according to the Bulgarian legislation.

A detailed scheme for the recognition procedure

Section FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is the period for issuing a certificate for the recognition of higher education acquired abroad? I need the certificate until a certain period of time? Can I apply / pay for a fast service?

The normative period for completing the academic recognition procedure is 2 months from the submission of all necessary documents and information. If additional information is required by the applicant or the higher education institution that have conducted the education, the time limit shall be extended until all necessary documents/information have been submitted.

The procedure is not paid and can not be accomplished in shorter terms than the ones determined by law, i.e. there is no possible option forpayment.

2. Can I receive an official notice certifying that my documents are under academic recognition procedure, which I could present to an employer or other institution?

Yes, official notice could be issued immediately after the documents are submitted or at any of the next stages of the procedure.

3. Is there a fee charge for issuing a Certificate of recognition of higher education acquired abroad?

The procedure, maintained by NACID, is free of charge for all Bulgarian citizens, foreigners and persons with refugee status.

4. What is an Apostille? In which cases do I need an Apostille? How can I get an Apostille?

According to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents of 1961, the only formality that may be required for verification of details of an official document issued by a foreign country is a certificate from the competent authority of the same country, certifying the origin of the document. This certificate is the so-called “APOSTILLE”, which is placed on the document itself and is in the form specified in the Convention.

Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, the Hague, 5 October 1961 (Convention No. 12) Convention No. 12 (in Bulgarian)

List of States Parties to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, the Hague on 5 October 1961 (Convention No. 12) (in Bulgarian)

For the purposes of the academic recognition procedure your documents have to be certified with an appostille if they are issued in a country, present in sub-section 3.3. of the right-side menu.

5. What is the diploma supplement? What is a European Diploma Supplement?

Higher education institutions issue the following educational and qualification documents:

  1. Diploma for completed educational and qualification degree of higher education and its supplement. The most widespread requisites that the diploma supplement contains are:
    • data identifying the holder of the diploma;
    • data on learning outcomes: duration of the program by curriculum (number of academic years / semesters); form of education; the degree qualification and specialty; detailed list of subjects (lectures, practical and seminar exercises); internship participation with corresponding workload and number of credits in the academic plan; assessments of each passed exams, average success of the semestrial course; name of the subjects under which the state exam (s) was conducted; grades and average success of the state exam (s), (in words and figures); number of credits; subject and evaluation of the diploma thesis (in words and figures), number of credits; second specialty; name of the courses.
  2. The European Diploma Supplement is a unified pan European document with a single structure that is issued in addition to the original diploma and does not replace the official diploma supplement.

Detailed information and a template for a European Diploma Supplement can be found on the EUROPASS website:
https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/european-skills-passport/diploma-supplement
https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dsupplementexamples-bg.pdf

6. Which documents, issued by the higher education institution need translation, legalization and certification?

Documents that need compulsory translation are the higher education diploma and the diploma supplement.

The way of certification and legalization of the diploma and the diploma supplement depends on the country in which it is issued. (you can check the category under which your documents fall on the right-hand side menu- Section 3. What credentials and legalizations must be made to the documents before the recognition procedure?

The European Diploma Supplement does not require certification and translation.

7. By whom and in what order are the certification and legalization procedures carried out?

In case your documents are subject to certification and legalization [section 3 on the right-side menu], you can find general explanations and information, concerning the required steps to process documents from and to foreign country, on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.mfa.bg/bg/pages/51/index.html

8. What is meant by a notarial certification and can a Bulgarian notary validate foreign documents?

The different types of documents are subject to different requirements. When making the translation it is irrelevant if the document is an original, a copy, or a duplicate. Legalization, however, in most cases requires an original. Exceptions include, for example, a legalized copy of the document (the diploma), which had been beforehand certified by a notary and the Ministry of Education in the country of origin.

Authorities, competent to perform a notarial signature:
– a notary, irrespective of its area of activity or the judge registry of the district where there is no notary;
– assistant notary and substitute notary;
– for settlements where there is no notary or judge registry of the district, the mayor of the settlement (which is not a municipal center), and if it is a municipal center - the mayor, the deputy mayor, the secretary of the municipality and the mayor's deputy, can certify the signatures of private documents, which are unilateral acts and are not subject to registration;
– Bulgarian diplomatic and consular representatives abroad can certify the signatures of private documents that are not subject to registration, presented by Bulgarian citizens as well as the signatures of foreign citizens, but only if the document is intended to produce its activity on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria.

The notary certification of foreign documents should be made by a foreign notary, not by a Bulgarian one.

9. Can I present certified copies of the diploma and the diploma supplement instead of originals?

Yes. The notary certification of foreign documents have to be made by a foreign notary, not by a Bulgarian one.

10. How can I submit an application for recognition?

You can submit an application personally at the front office of NACID, through a proxy or electronically through the electronic portal of the center.
https://portal.nacid.bg/

11. In what language should the application be filled in, for example: name of the higher education institution, specialty, form of education?

ЗThe application for academic recognition is bilingual - in Bulgarian and English, respectively the Bulgarian citizens fill it in Bulgarian. In the fields indicating diploma details, it is advisable to write them in the language in which the original documents were issued.

Foreign citizens can fill the application only in English.

12. How can I get the final legally binding decision from the academic recognition procedure?

The originals of the submitted documents, as well as the final decision for recognition, refusal of recognition or termination, can be obtained personally at the front office of NACID, through a proxy or through a licensed courier company (upon submitting the documents, the applicant signs a declaration that the consignment will be at the expense of the recipient).

13. Does your procedure include the converting of the foreign grades and classifications towards the Bulgarian sixth –grade assessment system?

No. NACID does not have the functions and competencies to convert a common average success/ grades/final classifications from completed higher education at foreign higher education institutions towards the Bulgarian six-grade assessment system. Such procedure is within the competencies of the institution that has imposed such a requirement.

The order for determining the average success of higher education varies between different countries. The way of calculating it in Bulgaria is pursuant to §4e (4) of the Additional provisions of the Higher Education Act of the Republic of Bulgaria, “Mark from diploma for graduated degree of the higher education" is the mark, which is formed as average arithmetic mark of the average grade of the semestrial subjects, included in the study plan and from the average mark of the state examinations or the defence of the diploma thesis.

14. Can I track the status of my application in NACID’s online system?

Yes, NACID’s electronic services portal allows you to monitor the status of your application by filling your reference number with date of submission (example 06-00-100 / 01.01.2016), your personal ID number as access code, and the security code which is generated by the system.
https://portal.nacid.bg/reports

15. In which cases will I benefit from the Certificate of recognition?

Recognition of acquired higher education at foreign higher education institutions aims to facilitate your access to the labor market as well as other purposes where you have a legal interest.

Most often, individuals need recognition when applying for public service, participating in European projects, or when the employer explicitly requires this.

16. I need a driving license. Is NACID the competent authority for recognition?

Driving license is issued by the structures of the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria to persons who have completed at least basic education.

The competent authorities for the recognition of basic and secondary education in Bulgaria are the Regional Education Offices of the person's domicile. They have a special simplified recognition procedure for Traffic police purposes.

17. Is the certificate issued by NACID valid in Bulgarian universities or the procedure should be repeated?

The certificate issued by NACID is intended for potential employers. The recognition procedure at each higher school is obligatory and the formal decision is to be taken by its Rector and is valid only for the purposes of continuing your education at this higher school only.

If your diploma had been recognized before December 22, 2011, when only NACID had these powers, there is no reason for the higher school not to comply with the certificate already issued by NACID.

18. What are the benefits of the Lisbon Recognition Convention and which are the signatories?

The Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) is the main international legal act for the recognition of higher education degrees in the European region. The States, parties to the Convention have introduced the LRC principles, criteria and procedures into their internal legislations and have substantially unified the content of the documents for completed higher education.

They maintain an effective network of National Information Centers for Academic Recognition and Mobility (ENIC-NARIC) as well as official public databases or registers for national higher education systems and institutions:
http://www.enic-naric.net/

The Lisbon Convention has been ratified by over 50 countries in the European region, the United States, Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and others. The full list of countries can be found at the following link:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/...

19. Frequent mistakes by applicants:

1. Notary certification of the translation instead of the document itself;
2. Apostille, certification and translation only of the diploma or the diploma supplement;
3. The accuracy of the translation is not checked, which might further lead to misunderstandings in the issuance of the certificate;
4. Apostille, certification and translation of a document that is not mandatory for the academic recognition procedure or the European Diploma Supplement;
5. Filling the application only with the data of the proxy person, in cases the application is not submitted personally, instead with the data of the holder of the diploma;
6. Read carefully our certificate on receiving it, it may contain an obvious factual error.

Section Contact information about Academic Recognition

Section Contact information

Address NACID, Front Office
50, Dr. G.M. Dimitrov Blvd.
1125 Sofia, Bulgaria

phone (+359 2) 817 38 31
(+359 2) 817 38 36
(+359 2) 817 38 49

mobile (+359) 0700 44 849 (info-centre)
A telephone call – at the cost of an inner-city call from anywhere in the country.
Mobile phone call – at the standard tariff of the respective mobile operator.

Business hours Each working day from 08:00 until 18:30.

e-mail: naric@nacid.bg

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