Darbi College vs St. George International School & Preschool

	D Darbi College Sofia, Bulgaria	S St. George International School & Preschool Sofia, Bulgaria
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €17,661 - 20,426	Fees / year €11,467 - 19,313
Age range	Age range 14 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type —	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 750
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Bulgarian
Opened	Opened 2007	Opened 1996
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 58 Rakovski Street, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria	Location 47 Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Blvd, 1407 Sofia, Bulgaria. The school is located in the city center of Sofia. The building moved to this site in 2016.
Stages	Stages Reception year; IGCSE (Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education); A Level; Oxbridge	Stages Preschool 2–5 years; Primary 0–4th grade; Lower secondary 5th–7th grade; Cambridge IGCSE (8th–10th grade); Cambridge A-level (11th–12th grade)
School type	School type Cambridge International school in Sofia, Bulgaria	School type Private international school and preschool in Sofia, Bulgaria. Cambridge International Education programmes (Cambridge Primary, IGCSE, and A-levels) are used. The official languages are English and Bulgarian.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Bulgaria	Country affiliation Bulgaria
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure The school day starts at 8:15 AM and ends between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM, depending on age.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Yes. The school works with a subcontractor that provides transport. It is available to children aged 3 and above and runs on school days from September 15 to May 31; transport is not offered during school holidays.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Entrance/entry test administration and review: BGN 30 per exam, payable at the time of the test. - No separate, fixed "application fee" amount is published on the school's Admissions pages. Tuition fees (per academic year) and associated textbook/study-materials charges - Reception year: EUR 16,858. Textbook and/or study materials price: EUR 803. - IGCSE (first year): EUR 17,227. Textbook and/or study materials price for IGCSE 1st year: EUR 631. - IGCSE (second year): EUR 17,227. Textbook and/or study materials price for IGCSE 2nd year: EUR 631. - IGCSE (2 years in 1): EUR 19,688. Textbook and/or study materials price for IGCSE 2 years in 1: EUR 738. - A Level (first year / AS): EUR 17,596. Textbook and/or study materials price for AS: EUR 781. - A Level (second year / A2): EUR 17,596. Textbook and/or study materials price for A2: EUR 246. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's public admissions and tuition pages provide the annual tuition and textbook/study-material amounts above but do not publish a detailed billing schedule (termly instalments, deadlines, late-payment penalties) or standard payment terms. Parents should confirm the billing schedule and any deadline-related conditions directly with the college's administration. Boarding fees (if applicable) - Darbi College operates as a full‑day school; boarding accommodation is not offered as part of the College's regular provision, and no boarding fees are published. Other costs and fees - Textbook and/or study-materials charges are listed separately for each year group (see tuition lines above). - A separate administrative/review fee for entrance examinations is stated as BGN 30 per exam. Additional exam fees (external Cambridge exam entry charges) or optional extras (private lessons, extended extracurricular activities, trips, special resources) may incur further costs; specific prices for those items are not published on the tuition pages. - No uniform price is published on the school pages reviewed. Refund information - A formal refund policy (for withdrawal, cancellation, or changed enrolment) is not published on the school's publicly available admissions/tuition pages. Parents should request the College's written refund and cancellation terms when completing enrolment. Fee payment options - Specific accepted payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card, international payment services, e‑payment portals) are not listed on the published tuition or admissions pages. The College provides direct contact phone numbers and an email address for administrative enquiries; parents should obtain the school's official payment instructions and account details from the administration. Brief note on available published information - The school publishes clearly the annual tuition amounts and the separate textbook/study‑materials charges for each year group for the 2026–2027 academic year; an entrance-test administrative fee of BGN 30 is recorded on the site. Detailed items that are commonly required for a full fees schedule for database use—such as a stated application fee amount (if any), the billing schedule (term dates and instalment deadlines), a formal refund/cancellation policy, uniform costs, and explicit payment-method options—are not published on the admissions/tuition pages that accompany the annual fee figures. Parents should request these items in writing from the College's administration when arranging enrolment.	Fee details Application / admission fee - The admission fee is a one-off, non-refundable payment due when parents express a desire to apply. The admission fee covers document review, the candidate's trial day (including food), the entry exam and related administrative processing. The admission fee is not charged for applicants to Grade 5 and Grade 8. Guarantee deposit - A guarantee deposit of EUR 1,000 is payable when signing the tuition contract. This is a one-off payment that secures the student's place and may be used to cover damage or late payment; any remaining balance is refundable after completion of tuition. Tuition fees (annual / per-term information and instalment rules) - Annual tuition fees are quoted in euro and are shown as annual amounts when paid in a single (one‑off) instalment. When parents select staggered payment plans, additional charges apply: paying in 2 instalments adds 3%, in 3 instalments adds 8%, and in 10 instalments adds 10% to the tuition total. For the 10-instalment plan the first instalment amount is specified (EUR 4,000 for full‑day CIE students; EUR 2,500 for half‑day Bulgarian-diploma students) and the remainder is split into nine equal payments. New students pay their first instalment within 7 days of signing the contract; returning students' first instalment for the following year is due by 31 May. Deadlines for the 2026/27 payment-plan options include 31 May (single instalment) and a schedule of dates for 2, 3 or 10 instalments (for example: 31 May, 10 Nov, 10 Mar or monthly dates when 10 instalments are selected). Tuition fees by year group (per-grade amounts / per-term breakdown) - The school publishes a grade-by-grade table of annual tuition fees (amounts shown in euro for single-payment settlement). The protected fee table itself was not accessible for extraction while preparing this overview, so specific per-grade numeric tuition amounts (per term or per year group) cannot be reproduced here. The school's published fee structure confirms that the listed annual amounts are the reference figures and that instalment surcharges and the first-instalment rules above apply when parents choose staggered payments. Billing schedule and payment terms (how and when fees are billed and due)n- Payment plans available: one, two, three or ten instalments. Instalment surcharges apply as above (2/3/10 instalments = +3% / +8% / +10%). - Typical due dates shown for the 2026/27 plan: 1 instalment: 31 May; 2 instalments: 31 May and 10 Nov; 3 instalments: 31 May, 10 Nov and 10 Mar (dates shown in the published payment plan); 10 instalments: 31 May then successive 10th-of-month dates across the academic year. New-student first instalment due within 7 days of contract signature; returning-student first instalment due by 31 May for the next academic year. Additional charges and rules (penalties) are set out in the school's general terms. Boarding fees - No boarding fees are listed because the school's published materials do not show a boarding provision; transport, meals and day-school extras are described as separate, optional services. Boarding fees are therefore not applicable. Other compulsory or additional costs - Educational resources fee: set annually, payable with the first instalment according to the chosen payment plan; paid separately from tuition and not refundable. This covers subscriptions to online platforms, textbooks, basic stationery packs and devices where specified (a personal tablet is provided for students in certain grades). - Exam fees: determined annually, payable with the first instalment; paid separately from tuition and non-refundable. External and Cambridge examination fees (Checkpoint, IGCSE, AS/A‑Level) and additional exam-related practical component charges (where applicable) are charged in addition to tuition. - Food / catering: calculated and billed separately from tuition. For full‑day students (CIE): food with first‑morning breakfast is shown at EUR 13.90 per school day for Primary (Grades 1–4) and EUR 15.30 per school day for Lower/Upper Secondary (Grades 5–12). Food without the first morning breakfast is shown at EUR 12.80 per day for Primary and EUR 14.20 per day for Grades 5–12. Fresh juice (optional) is charged (EUR 2.30 per day). Food may be paid annually or in two instalments; a year‑end recalculation reimburses unused food fees for medically documented absences. A mandatory small morning snack for certain grades is charged as an annual fee (Grade 1: EUR 230; Grades 8–9: EUR 255). - Transport: provided by an independent licensed company; the transport fee is calculated and billed separately and parents contract directly with the carrier. - Extracurricular activities (sports, music, applied / performing / fine arts, technology, design etc.): charged separately and are non‑refundable once paid; enrolment and payment follow an additional schedule through the school's electronic platform. - School uniform: required for Grades 1–10; uniform items are charged separately and are not covered by tuition or discounts. Discounts and sibling policy - Sibling discounts on the tuition fee: second child from one family receives a 5% tuition discount; each subsequent child receives a 10% discount; for twins, a 15% discount is applied to one twin. Discounts do not apply to the guarantee deposit, admission fee, educational resources fee, exam fees, school trips, uniform, food, transport, or extracurricular blocks outside the compulsory programme. Refunds and termination / leave before end of year - If parents terminate a tuition contract with the required one-month notice before the end of the school year, the tuition fee is reimbursed according to the school's published schedule: leave dated from 15 September to 30 October – 25% (reimbursement basis shown); from 1 November to 31 January – 20%; from 1 February to 31 March – 15%. The educational resources fee, admission fee and exam fees are not refundable. The general terms also set a contractual penalty in specific withdrawal windows (an amount of EUR 2,500 is referenced in the school's general terms for certain unilateral contract terminations in the period between signing a payment plan and the start of lessons; this penalty may be partially deducted from the guarantee deposit up to the smaller amount). Fee payment options - Accepted payment methods include bank transfer and card payments at a POS terminal; payments may also be made by debit or credit card and by bank transfer to the account specified in the tuition contract. Fees are payable to the school account details shown on invoices and in the payment plan enclosed with the tuition contract. Brief note on unavailable per‑grade numeric tuition amounts - The school's published 2026/27 fees page indicates a grade-by-grade tuition table (annual amounts in euro) and the instalment and billing rules, but the numeric tuition table itself could not be extracted from the published page during this check (the page presents the fee table as protected content). Specific per-grade tuition figures and per‑term breakdowns therefore could not be reproduced in this overview. The school's published materials do, however, set out the guarantee deposit, instalment surcharges, payment deadlines, food charges, educational resources and exam fees, sibling discounts and the refund / termination schedule summarized above.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Cambridge International IGCSE is offered for 14–16-year-olds with a range of subjects and assessment methods (written, oral, and practical). It is recognised by universities and provides a pathway to Cambridge International AS & A Levels. Cambridge International AS & A Levels are available; the A Level program is typically a two-year course and AS Level is typically one year. Available subjects include Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, French (A Level only), Further Mathematics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology.	Curriculum details The school follows the Cambridge International Education programme for Primary and Lower Secondary education, preparing students for IGCSE, AS, and A-level certificates, in addition to the State Educational Standards of the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio Class sizes range from 15 to 18 in the primary stage and up to 22 in higher levels. The school has about 715 students and around 190 teachers and supporting staff.
Exam results	Exam results Cambridge International May/June 2025 exam results show outstanding students in AS and A Level and in IGCSE. Example results include David Tsankov – A* in A Level Chemistry, A* in A Level Further Mathematics, A* in A Level Physics; Polina Kyuchukova – A in A Level Mathematics; Stela Ivanova – A in A Level Mathematics; Stella Encheva – A in A Level Biology. In AS and IGCSE, Kristin Mechkarova – a in AS Business, a in AS Economics, a in AS Geography; Elina Tyagunenko – a in AS Literature, a in AS Psychology; Eleonora Nikolova – a in AS Literature; Kalina Kostova – a in AS Economics. In IGCSE, Yosif Ermenkov – A* in English as a Second Language, A in Mathematics, A in Physics; Sofia Braun – A* in English as a Second Language; Aleksandra Florinskaya – A in French; Angelina Dimitrov – A in English as a Second Language, A in French.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates have progressed to higher education at the University of Leicester (Law), BIMM Institute (Music Business), University of Kent (Law), and Loughborough University (Psychology).	Higher education progression Graduates attend universities worldwide, including Edinburgh, Oxbridge, Kings College, UCL, St. Andrews, Hong Kong University, Stanford, Durham, EPFL, Sofia University Kliment Ohridski, Medical University Sofia, and others.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented The school offers full or partial scholarships for upper-secondary students with demonstrated talents in sports, music, mathematics, or the arts.
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Open doors events invite prospective candidates and their families to meet students and staff. They provide an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the college. The event format includes meetings with current students and college staff. It serves as the initial touchpoint in the admissions process. 2. Sitting entry tests in English Language and Mathematics are conducted as part of the admissions stages. Candidates are invited to sit these tests as part of the application process. The tests form part of the admission stages. 3. Requirements include very good academic results and high study motivation. These criteria are listed for admission and guide eligibility.	Admissions Admission and enrollment information is provided to help parents and students make an informed decision about St. George International School and Preschool; information meetings with the Admission and Communication department are organized. Admission begins with filling in the online application. For the 2024-2025 school year, admission exams are required for students entering preparatory, first, fifth, or eighth grade. Fees are published on the school's website and updated annually by March; tuition differs for returning and new students, and there are additional costs such as a guarantee deposit, educational resources, exams, meals, uniforms, transportation, and other charges. Scholarships may be available for upper secondary education, with opportunities for full or partial scholarships for students with demonstrated talents in sports, music, mathematics, and/or the arts who may not have the means to pay regular tuition. Admissions for the next academic year take place in January, February, and March according to a schedule set by the school; admissions during the current academic year are possible depending on availability, with an individual examination session. The admission procedure lasts about 20 days from the admission date. Informational tours are regularly organized, with contact numbers and email addresses provided for admissions. Preschool admissions for children aged 2 to 5 are year-round and subject to available places; the preschool operates in English, with Bulgarian used in Bulgarian contexts; group sizes in preschool and school settings are published, and uniforms are available for all age groups. The school is located at 47 Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Blvd, 1407 Sofia.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships Scholarships are available for upper secondary education; there are opportunities for full or partial scholarships for students with demonstrated talents in sports, music, mathematics, and/or the arts, who may not have the financial means to pay regular tuition.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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