Medical University "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna

About Medical University "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna

Medical University "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna traces its origin to the Higher Medical Institute founded in 1960. Its first academic year began in October 1961; the institution became Medical University – Varna in 1995 and received the name of physician and academic Paraskev Stoyanov in 2002. It remains an operating, independently accredited higher-education institution rather than a hospital department or training project. The university is organized around the faculties of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health. Its wider structure includes Medical College – Varna and affiliates in Shumen, Sliven, and Veliko Tarnovo. Students should therefore verify the teaching location for any program instead of assuming that every course is delivered at the central Varna campus. The Bulgarian National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency records institutional accreditation granted on 18 February 2021 and valid through 18 February 2027. It also lists accredited regulated-profession majors and doctoral programs. This regulatory evidence supports the university’s status as a degree-granting institution in 2026, while the university’s active 2026–2027 admissions and fee pages confirm continued recruitment. The academic emphasis is specialized rather than comprehensive: health professions, biomedical disciplines, public health, health-care management, and associated sciences form the core. Prospective international students should distinguish the limited set of English-taught entry programs from the broader Bulgarian-taught catalogue.

Admissions depend on citizenship, program language, and prior qualification. For 2026 entry to Medicine, Dental Medicine, or Pharmacy taught in English, candidates must hold an upper-secondary credential that permits university study in the country where it was earned. EU and EEA applicants follow the route applicable to Bulgarian applicants, while non-EU candidates undergo document approval requirements involving Bulgarian authorities. International credentials may also require formal verification. Applicants to the three English-taught programs take entrance tests in biology and chemistry in English. The published 2026 examination format contains multiple-choice, gap-filling, matching, true-or-false, and definition or short-answer components. Several online test dates were offered from April through September 2026, with the July and September sittings restricted to EU applicants. Candidates who fail either required test are not included in admission ranking. English proficiency must be demonstrated through the university’s test or an accepted educational credential or certificate under the published rules. Requirements are detailed and country-sensitive, so applicants should obtain an eligibility assessment from the admissions office before paying or arranging credential recognition. For the 2026 fall intake in the three English programs, application documents were due according to admissions-office instructions and no later than 11 September 2026. That date is specific to the 2026 cycle and should not be reused for later admission years.

The university’s official catalogue separates English- and Bulgarian-taught study. For applicants entering after secondary school, the advertised English-language degree options are Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Pharmacy. Medicine and Dental Medicine are six-year master-level regulated-profession programs, while Pharmacy is a five-year master-level program. The 2026 admissions material applies common English-program entrance testing in biology and chemistry to all three. The Bulgarian-language portfolio is broader. It includes the regulated programs in Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Pharmacy; bachelor’s programs such as Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Care Management; and professional-bachelor training through Medical College – Varna. Post-bachelor master’s study includes areas such as public health, health-care management, nursing management, pharmaceutical management, and health information technology. Availability, entry qualification, study mode, and duration differ by program, so candidates should use the relevant program page rather than generalizing from the English medical admissions route. Doctoral education is also established. The national accreditation agency lists accredited doctoral programs spanning medical and biomedical areas, while the university organizes its PhD offerings by scientific specialty and professional field. Clinical and practical learning is integral to the regulated health programs. The official English Medicine description, for example, includes ten semesters followed by a one-year clinical internship. English-track medical students are also expected to study Bulgarian during the early years so they can communicate with patients during practical training.

Key Highlights

• Institutional accreditation is recorded as valid through 18 February 2027.
• Founded as a Higher Medical Institute in 1960 and renamed Medical University – Varna in 1995.
• Four principal faculties cover Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health.
• The university also operates a medical college and affiliates outside Varna.

Student Life & Environment

Student life is shaped by a specialist health-sciences environment and by the university’s multiple teaching and clinical sites. The Student Council represents students in university governance and supports social, cultural, scientific, and sporting activity. University materials identify volleyball, basketball, and football teams, as well as recurring competitions such as the Rector’s Cup and Varna Universiade. These provide organized recreation beyond demanding laboratory and clinical schedules. For newcomers in English-taught programs, the university schedules an orientation program covering university structures, policies, Bulgarian culture, the city, and practical adjustment. The 2026 orientation week is scheduled for 28 September through 3 October, before the expected 5 October start of the 2026–2027 academic year for first-year English-program students. University accommodation consists of two hostels, Block 35 and Block 3, with a stated combined capacity of 750 beds. Rooms are shared, generally accommodating two or three students. The buildings provide internet access, reading rooms, canteens, and controlled access; Block 35 is near St. Marina University Hospital, while Block 3 is near the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Medical College. Capacity is limited, so prospective students should not assume that university housing is guaranteed and should compare it with private rentals.

Location & Surroundings

The university’s main address is at 55 Marin Drinov Street in Varna, but education and clinical activity are distributed across several university, college, hospital, and hostel locations. Students should account for travel between facilities when choosing housing. Block 35 is close to St. Marina University Hospital, while Block 3 is near the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Medical College. Varna is Bulgaria’s largest city on the Black Sea coast and the country’s third-largest city, according to the municipality. Its coastal setting gives students access to beaches, the Sea Garden, cultural venues, and recreation alongside a substantial urban service base. The municipality also identifies extensive coastline, mineral springs, and a developed tourism economy. This produces a lively environment but may also affect seasonal rental availability and prices. The city has an international airport and road, rail, and bus connections. For international students, Varna’s direct air service can be convenient, although routes may vary seasonally. The setting is urban and coastal rather than a self-contained residential campus, and everyday life takes place in Bulgarian even where a degree is taught in English.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For first-year students entering the English-taught programs in 2026–2027, the university lists annual paid-study tuition of €10,000 for Medicine, €10,000 for Dental Medicine, and €8,000 for Pharmacy. The nine-month English preparatory course is listed at €5,000. Tuition covers scheduled lectures, seminars, practical laboratory classes, examinations, and use of teaching rooms, laboratories, clinics, and relevant equipment. These figures apply to the stated academic year and fee category; candidates seeking state-subsidized places or Bulgarian-language programs must consult the separate applicable decision. The university’s accommodation page lists hostel rent of BGN 65 per month for students admitted under the state order and BGN 100 for foreign students and paid-study students. Electricity and subsistence are additional. The same page estimates private rentals at BGN 500–700 per month, but it does not identify an applicable year; students should treat that range as indicative rather than as a reliable 2026 budget and verify current market prices. Career preparation is closely tied to regulated health professions and practical or clinical education. Graduates planning to work outside Bulgaria should independently confirm professional recognition, licensing, language, internship, and registration requirements in their intended country. The university does not publish sufficiently specific current salary or graduate-employment outcomes on the selected sources, so no earnings or placement claim is made here.