01.02.2021

The state will pay for the education of students working in Bulgarian companies

The state will cover the training costs of students who have a contract with a Bulgarian company to provide an internship against a commitment to work for the student after graduation, and the remuneration that young professionals will receive will be above average for the company.

The proposal was approved with the latest amendments to the Higher Education Act. With the official promulgation last week of the Ordinance on the terms and conditions for ensuring the payment of tuition fees for students with contracts with an employer, the measure was launched. One of the main objectives of the ordinance is to meet the need to strengthen the link between higher education and the needs of the economy and society by stimulating training in important specialties for the development of the country, where there is a shortage of highly qualified personnel.

The promulgated document regulates the terms and conditions under which the contracts with students and higher education institutions will be applied for, concluded and terminated, for the full or partial refund of the budget for financing the education, as well as for the remuneration and the minimum term during which the student to work for the employer after graduation.

The Ministry of Education and Science expects employers' organizations at the national level to coordinate the process of collecting applications from companies that would like to be included in the list of companies that have the right to conclude contracts with students. It is envisaged that by May 31, 2021 the Minister of Education and Science will approve a List of specialties for the training of which funds are provided from the state budget for full or partial payment of tuition fees for higher education and the number of students.

Two months later (July 31, 2021) the Council of Ministers will adopt the List of employers who may enter into contracts with students under the ordinance. It will also indicate the specialties and the number of students for whom each employer has declared readiness to sign a contract.