The University of National and World Economy (UNWE) is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious economics and business university in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe, located in Sofia. It was founded in 1920 as the Free University of Political and Economic Sciences by prominent educational figures and public leaders. Over time, it underwent several transformations (including being part of Sofia University and later the Higher Economic Institute during the mid‑20th century) and eventually became the University of National and World Economy in 1990 by resolution of the Bulgarian National Assembly.
Today, UNWE is recognized for its strong academic tradition and high institutional accreditation, and it has educated numerous business leaders, politicians, government officials and professionals in Bulgaria and abroad.
UNWE offers a wide range of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in economics, management, law, IT and related disciplines. It comprises eight main faculties with numerous majors and study paths:
Faculty of Finance and Accounting
Faculty of Business
Faculty of General Economics
Faculty of Law
Faculty of International Economics and Politics
Faculty of Economics of Infrastructure
Faculty of Management and Administration
Faculty of Applied Informatics and Statistics
Within these faculties, UNWE offers over 50 bachelor’s programs, 90+ master’s programs, and a variety of doctoral degrees. Some programs (like Economics, Finance and Accounting, Business Informatics, and International Economic Relations) are offered entirely in English for international students.
UNWE accepts both local and international students for its bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. There is an international students section available in English on the university’s official site with information on application procedures and program choices.
The general steps for applying to UNWE as an international student typically include:
Choose Your Program – Select a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral program you wish to enroll in.
Prepare Required Documents – Prepare your educational certificates (e.g., high school diploma for bachelor’s; bachelor’s degree for master’s), transcripts, passport copy, and other documents as stipulated by UNWE.
Submit Your Application – International applicants usually can submit their documents online through UNWE’s international admissions portal or via representatives of the university. Some programs may have deadline windows each year.
Ministry Approval for Non‑EU Students – After documents are received and accepted by UNWE, applications for non‑EU students often proceed for approval by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, which issues a certificate required for the student visa application.
Visa Application – Once UNWE and Bulgarian authorities issue the necessary acceptance and permission documents, students apply for a Type D Student Visa at their local Bulgarian consulate.
Start of Studies – After visa approval and arrival in Bulgaria, students register for courses and begin their academic programs at UNWE.
For programs taught in English, applicants may need to demonstrate English language proficiency either through recognized certificates (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL) or university‑specific testing.
Annual tuition fees at UNWE are determined each year by a Bulgarian Council of Ministers decision and vary based on the language of instruction and level of study (bachelor/master). For example:
Bachelor’s programs in Bulgarian: around €3,300 per year
Bachelor’s in English: around €3,800 per year
Preparatory language courses: around €3,000 per year
Master’s programs: typically in the region of €4,000 per year
Fees may differ based on faculty and program; double citizenship holders (one of which is Bulgarian) may pay reduced fees.
