Student Housing in Bulgaria: University Dormitories, Studentski Grad and Private Rent
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Students in Bulgaria live either in a university dormitory (obshtezhitie) or in a privately rented room or flat. State universities run their own dormitories, and you apply to your own university. Dormitories are cheap but basic, and in Sofia and the medical cities many international students rent privately.
University dormitories
State universities own and run dormitory blocks for their full-time students. In Sofia, most of them are in Studentski grad ("Student Town"), a district of Sofia where several universities have blocks side by side. Two examples:
| University | Dormitories |
|---|---|
| Sofia University | over 6,300 beds in 10 blocks in Studentski grad |
| Technical University of Sofia | over 5,000 beds in 10 blocks, some next to the campus, the rest in Studentski grad |
| Medical University of Varna | 750 beds in two blocks near the university hospital and the dental faculty |
Expect to share a room. The Medical University of Varna, for example, has two- and three-bed rooms, each with its own bathroom.
Who gets a place
Dormitories are meant for full-time students. Sofia University and the Technical University of Sofia give them to students whose families do not own a home in Sofia. When there are more applicants than beds, a university commission ranks applicants, and groups such as students who have lost a parent, students with disabilities or students with brothers and sisters in education get priority.
Foreign students can apply. At Sofia University, for example, newly admitted first-year Bulgarian and foreign students applied online in the university's dormitory system between 10 August and 3 September 2026, with a photo, a scanned birth certificate and an online declaration. First-year students then moved in on set dates between 16 and 24 September, faculty by faculty. Each university sets its own rules and dates, so check with your faculty or the dormitory office as soon as you are admitted.
What dormitories cost
Dormitory rents are low and are paid monthly to the university, at Sofia University and the Technical University of Sofia also online. Utilities may be extra. Published examples:
- University of Plovdiv: €50 a month, with electricity, water, heating and Wi-Fi included, and a one-off maintenance fee of €100, according to its guide for incoming students of October 2025. There is no kitchen; cooking in rooms is not allowed, but kettles and microwaves are.
- Medical University of Varna: its accommodation page still gives rents in leva, from before the switch to the euro, with electricity charged separately.
Ask your university for the current rent in euros before you count on it.
Renting privately
Many international students rent a flat or a room in a shared flat. The Medical University of Varna estimates €250–€400 a month for a private flat in Varna, depending on whether you share, how many flatmates you have, the distance from the centre and the condition of the flat.
If you use an estate agency, expect to pay a commission when you sign. The Medical University of Varna says it is usually half of a month's rent or the full rent.
The rental contract and your residence permit
Your housing is also part of your paperwork. Non-EU students must show proof of accommodation when they apply for a residence permit, and EU students need it when they register a stay longer than three months. The Medical University of Varna tells its students to bring a notarised rental contract signed by the landlord. If you rent privately, ask the landlord at the start whether they will sign a contract and go to a notary. See student visa for Bulgaria.
Scams
Fake landlords ask for a deposit before you see the flat or sign anything. Pay only after you have a written contract, and be careful with listings that are much cheaper than similar flats. Read finding student housing in Europe without being scammed.
Tips
- Apply for a dormitory place the moment you are admitted. Application windows are short and close before term starts.
- If you arrive before you have a room, book a short stay for the first weeks and look in person.
Where to look next
- How much it costs to study in Bulgaria
- How to get into a university in Bulgaria
- Student visa for Bulgaria
- Document recognition for Bulgaria
- All programmes and cities in Bulgaria
Official sources
- Sofia University: student dormitories: social services unit (in Bulgarian)
- Sofia University: dormitory admissions commission: 2026/27 campaign order (in Bulgarian)
- Technical University of Sofia: dormitories (in Bulgarian)
- Medical University of Varna: accommodation
- University of Plovdiv: accommodation guide
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.