Duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Duration of compulsory education was 12 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
12
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
33rd
of 205 countries
All-time high
12
in 2021
All-time low
9
in 1998
Years of data
28
1998–2025
Duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria, 1998–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria stood at 12. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria peaked at 12 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9, in 1998.
Bulgaria ranks 33rd of 205 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 9 | — |
| 1999 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 12 | +0.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 12 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11, 1.1× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 12 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 2000s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.83 | 11 | 12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 33 Anguilla 12 compare
- 33 Armenia 12 compare
- 33 Bahamas 12 compare
- 33 British Virgin Islands 12 compare
- 33 Cayman Islands 12 compare
- 33 Chile 12 compare
- 33 Colombia 12 compare
- 33 Cook Islands 12 compare
- 33 Dominica 12 compare
- 33 Egypt 12 compare
- 33 Finland 12 compare
- 33 Grenada 12 compare
- 33 Honduras 12 compare
- 33 Italy 12 compare
- 33 Kenya 12 compare
- 33 Luxembourg 12 compare
- 33 Maldives 12 compare
- 33 Mauritius 12 compare
- 33 Mongolia 12 compare
- 33 Montserrat 12 compare
- 33 North Korea 12 compare
- 33 Pakistan 12 compare
- 33 Palau 12 compare
- 33 Portugal 12 compare
- 33 Qatar 12 compare
- 33 Saint Kitts and Nevis 12 compare
- 33 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12 compare
- 33 Turkey 12 compare
- 33 Turkmenistan 12 compare
- 33 United Arab Emirates 12 compare
- 33 United States 12 compare
More education data for Bulgaria
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.2 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 94.1 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 43,834 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,173 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 111,576 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 105,281 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 485,226 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 234,521 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.7644 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria?
- Duration of compulsory education in Bulgaria was 12 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 12 in 2021.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 in 1998.
- How does Bulgaria rank for duration of compulsory education?
- Bulgaria ranks 33rd out of 205 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Duration of compulsory education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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