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International school Varna: English and bilingual schools and kindergartens (2026)

International school Varna: English and bilingual schools and kindergartens (2026)

No fully English-medium K-12 school confirmed in Varna (Oct 2026). Options: bilingual Veritas Montessori, two IB PYP candidates, private language schools.

Published: By New in Varna Editorial team · How we check facts

There is no fully English-medium international school in Varna that we could confirm in October 2026. The closest options are Veritas Montessori (bilingual Bulgarian/English, ages 4–12, IB PYP candidate) and Primary Progressive School 2 (IB PYP candidate, mainly in Bulgarian). Private language schools such as The Little Prince and Mechtateli add strong English, and state schools are free with extra Bulgarian lessons. Checked October 2026.

What about ISV, the British International School and Zlatniyat Kluch?

Expat guides name an “International School of Varna” (with conflicting Cambridge and IB claims), a COBIS-accredited “British International School of Varna” and a bilingual “Zlatniyat Kluch” school. We could not find a working website, address, Ministry of Education licence or accreditation listing for any of them. Before you pay a deposit, ask any school for its ministry licence number and check the accreditation body’s own directory.

Which curriculum, ages and language?

School Ages / grades Teaching language Programme
Veritas Montessori 4–6 preschool, grades 1–7 Bulgarian + English State curriculum, Montessori, IB PYP candidate
Primary Progressive School 2 Preparatory group to grade 7 Mainly Bulgarian IB PYP candidate, own research programme
The Little Prince Kindergarten, grades 1–7 Bulgarian Intensive English and Russian
Saint-Exupéry Grades 8–12 Bulgarian Spanish + English profile
Mechtateli Kindergarten, school from grade 1 Bulgarian English focus, Cambridge YLE exams

IB “candidate” means the school is working towards authorisation; it is not yet an IB World School.

How do I apply and what does it cost?

Private schools ask for a visit or meeting, an interview or trial period, then a contract. Veritas runs a one-week trial; Primary Progressive School 2 uses a meeting and a parent questionnaire. Main intakes are grades 1 and 5, and spring deadlines fill up fast, so contact schools by January–March for September. Published fees for 2026/27: Veritas €500–600 a month, Primary Progressive School 2 €6,200 a year. Other schools give fees on request.

Can my child join a Bulgarian state school?

Yes. State schools and kindergartens are free and teach in Bulgarian. The school must organise extra Bulgarian lessons for newcomers. For grades 1–6 the director recognises the school years done abroad; for grades 7–12 a commission at the Regional Department of Education decides, so bring translated reports.

Ukrainian and Russian-speaking families

We found no school in Varna teaching in Ukrainian or Russian. Ukrainian children apply through the Regional Department of Education and can combine a Bulgarian school with Ukrainian online or distance learning. Russian is taught as a profile language at the Pushkin school and as a subject at The Little Prince.

Tips

Coordinates © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Sources

The list 7

  1. Veritas Montessori Varna

    Private bilingual Montessori school📍 Centre (Greek quarter)💶 €500/month preschool, €600/month grades 1–7 (2026/27)

    The most international-feeling option in town: a small Montessori primary school with bilingual Bulgarian/English teaching, intensive English and AMI-trained teachers. It follows the state curriculum, prepares for the grade-7 national exam and became an IB PYP candidate in February 2026.

    Best for: Ages 4–12 who need English while learning Bulgarian

    ul. Paraskeva Nikolau 4↗ Website

  2. Primary Progressive School 2 Varna

    Private primary school, IB PYP candidate📍 Chayka (Naval Academy campus)💶 €6,200 a year paid at once (2026/27)

    A private progressive school run with the Foundation for Educational Transformation, from the preparatory group to grade 7. It is an IB PYP candidate school, but teaching is mainly in Bulgarian with English as an additional language. About 20% of places in the preparatory group and grade 1 are tuition-free by law.

    Best for: Families who want inquiry-based learning and a Bulgarian-speaking environment

    ul. Vasil Drumev 73↗ Website

  3. The Little Prince (Malkiyat Prints)

    Private language school and kindergarten📍 Chayka (Naval Academy campus)

    Private language school and kindergarten, licensed since the 1990s. Grade 1 has intensive Bulgarian, maths, English and Russian; grade 5 entry includes an English level test, and pupils sit Cambridge English exams. Admission for 2026/27 is to grades 1 and 5, with two intakes.

    Best for: Bulgarian-medium schooling with strong English and Russian

    ul. Vasil Drumev 73↗ Website

  4. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Private High School

    Private language high school📍 Chayka

    The secondary school on the same campus as The Little Prince, licensed since 2001, for grades 8–12. Spanish is the first foreign language and English the second, aiming for B1–C1 certificates, plus computer science.

    Best for: Teenagers who already speak some Bulgarian

    ul. Vasil Drumev 73🗺 Map↗ Website

  5. Mechtateli

    Private school and kindergarten📍 Levski

    Private school and kindergarten in the University of Economics' second building, member of the Association of Cambridge Schools; pupils prepare for Cambridge Starters, Movers and Flyers. Grade 1 is full-day with a focus on Bulgarian, maths and English; entry involves meetings and, mid-year, tests in Bulgarian, maths and English.

    Best for: Full-day primary with English, close to Levski and Chayka

    ul. Evlogi Georgiev 24↗ Website

  6. Al. S. Pushkin Secondary Language School

    State language school📍 Centre (Greek quarter)💶 Free

    A free state school (grades 1–12, about 1,300 pupils) known locally as "the Russian school". Foreign languages start in grades 1 and 2, and upper-secondary profiles offer English, Italian or Russian as the first foreign language. Teaching is in Bulgarian.

    Best for: Russian-speaking families who want a free state school

    ul. Prof. Nikolay Derzhavin 12🗺 Map↗ Website

  7. Regional Department of Education Varna (RUO Varna)

    State education office📍 Centre💶 Free

    Not a school, but the office that places children in state schools, takes applications from Ukrainian families and has the commission that recognises grades 7–12 completed abroad. Bring passports, residence documents and school reports.

    Best for: Getting a place in a free Bulgarian state school

    ul. Tsar Simeon I 36🗺 Map↗ Website

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Frequently asked questions

Is there an international school in Varna?

Not in the full sense. We found no school in Varna teaching an English-language international curriculum from kindergarten to grade 12. The closest options are Veritas Montessori (bilingual Bulgarian/English, IB PYP candidate) and Primary Progressive School 2 (IB PYP candidate, mainly Bulgarian).

What about the International School of Varna or the British International School of Varna?

Some expat guides list them, but in October 2026 we could not find a working website, address or accreditation record for either. Ask for a ministry licence before paying anything.

Can my child go to a Bulgarian state school without speaking Bulgarian?

Yes. State schools are free and must give newcomers extra Bulgarian lessons. The school director recognises grades 1–6 done abroad; for grades 7–12 the Regional Department of Education decides.

Is there a Ukrainian or Russian-language school in Varna?

We found no school teaching in Ukrainian or Russian. Ukrainian children usually join Bulgarian schools via the Regional Department of Education, and the Al. S. Pushkin school offers Russian as a profile language.

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