Parliament approves amendments to the Higher Education Act

Parliament has given final approval to the Council of Ministers' amendments to the Higher Education Act. Tuition fees for fee-paying courses will not be allowed to exceed 50 per cent of the relevant field of study's maintenance costs. Until now, the cap was set at 60 per cent, as reported by journalist Maria Fileva.

There is also greater predictability regarding fees throughout the course of study.

For students admitted in the 2025/26 academic year and thereafter, any increase in fees compared to the amount payable upon enrolment may not exceed 20 per cent. Application fees for higher education institutions will be set by academic management.

The majority also decided that state-budget scholarships should be awarded only to undergraduates and PhD students admitted to state-subsidised places on full-time programmes - a move which sparked disputes between the government and the opposition.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova