Discover Montessori School vs Meridian 22 High School

	D Discover Montessori School Sofia, Bulgaria	M Meridian 22 High School Sofia, Bulgaria
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €7,400 - 7,800	Fees / year €100 - 7,960
Age range	Age range 1 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Montessori Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 120	Pupils 200
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Bulgarian
Opened	Opened 2012	Opened 1998
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The Discover International School is located in Sofia, Bulgaria, with two campuses: 6 Bolgrad Str., Sofia 1421, and 43 Episkop Protogen Str., Sofia 1408. The school serves students from toddlers through high school across Preschool, Primary Years, Middle Years, and High School. Instruction is in English and the school combines Montessori principles with IB programmes; an Extended Day Program is available.	Location Sofia, Mladost 2, next to Block 227.
Stages	Stages Toddlers; Early Years; Pre-school; Primary Years; Middle Years; High School	Stages Kindergarten; Junior High School; High School (IB Diploma Programme).
School type	School type IB World School offering Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP); Montessori approach	School type Private high school; IB Diploma Programme; English-language instruction.
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 International Baccalaureate
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Early Years: core day by 4:00 pm; Primary and Middle Years: core day by 4:30 pm; High School: core day by 1:30 pm; Extended day until 5:30 pm	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details School bus service is available for children aged 5 and above; operated by a subcontractor; additional transport fee (2,500 EUR for the 2025/2026 academic year, payable in up to two installments); discounts apply for one-way use (35%) or for a second child from the same address (60%).	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and Enrollment Fees - Student Admission Fee (one-time, payable upon enrolment): EUR 650 for Preschool; EUR 750 for PYP, MYP and DP. - Registration Fee (annual, payable upon enrolment): EUR 550 for all programmes. - Deposit: A deposit equal to 15% of the annual tuition is payable on signing the educational contract. The deposit secures the child's place and is refunded from the first paid instalment of the tuition for the academic year. Tuition fees — school year 2026/27 (annual and payment-plan breakdowns) All figures below are quoted in euros (EUR). - Early Years — Pre-school 1 (age/grade shown on admissions materials): - One payment (annual): EUR 7,400. - Two payments (termly): 2 × EUR 3,900 = EUR 7,800. - Monthly / instalment plan (10 payments structure shown): initial instalment EUR 2,600 and 9 monthly instalments of EUR 656 (total shown EUR 8,500 under the school's published plan). - Primary / Elementary (Pre-school 2 – Grades 1–7): - One payment (annual): EUR 7,650. - Two payments (termly): 2 × EUR 4,025 = EUR 8,050. - Monthly / instalment plan (10 payments structure shown): initial instalment EUR 2,600 and 9 monthly instalments of EUR 689 (total shown EUR 8,800 under the school's published plan). - Middle Years and High School (Grades 8–10): - One payment (annual): EUR 7,400. - Two payments (termly): 2 × EUR 3,900 = EUR 7,800. - Monthly / instalment plan (10 payments structure shown): initial instalment EUR 2,000 and 9 monthly instalments of EUR 723 (total shown EUR 8,500 under the school's published plan). - Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12): - One payment (annual): EUR 7,800. - Two payments (termly): 2 × EUR 4,100 = EUR 8,200. - Monthly / instalment plan (10 payments structure shown): initial instalment EUR 2,000 and 9 monthly instalments of EUR 772 (total shown EUR 8,950 under the school's published plan). Billing schedule and payment terms - Payment schedule options offered: one payment, two equal payments, or a monthly/instalment plan (presented as a 10-payment arrangement). - Deadlines given for the payment options: - One-payment option due by 1 June. - Two-payment option due by 1 June and 1 September. - The instalment / 10-payment option is scheduled across the school year (payments commence from 1 September and include instalments through the academic year). - A deposit of 15% of the tuition is payable on signing the contract and is applied against the first instalment. Boarding - No boarding provision or boarding fees are listed for the school; all published fee items and services refer to day-school provision, transport, meals, clubs and extra activities. Transport (school bus) - Transport service is offered for children aged 5 and over and is provided by a subcontractor; the transport fee is charged in addition to tuition. - Transport fee published for academic year 2025/2026: EUR 2,500 (payable once or in two instalments before the beginning of each term — September and January). - Discounts: one-direction travel receives a 35% discount; if there is a second child from the same address, a 60% discount on the transport price is applied. Meals, learning resources and other recurring costs - Meals (annual charges by age/grade group): - Early Years (Pre-school 1): EUR 1,350 (morning and afternoon breakfast, fruits/vegetables, lunch). - Primary Years (Pre-school 2, Grades 1–4): EUR 1,450 (fruits/vegetables, lunch). - Middle Years and High School (Grades 5–12): EUR 1,550 (fruits/vegetables, lunch). - Learning Resources Fee: a Learning Resources Fee is due annually to cover art/craft materials, extra learning resources, supplies and books (amount not itemised in published fee schedule). - Tuition expressly excludes the following items which incur additional charges: clubs (robotics, photography, dancing, digital skills, theatre, music lessons, etc.), sports (swimming, tennis, football, yoga), ski and green camps, school trips outside Sofia, classes with a speech therapist, uniforms, bus service (transport), digital resources, and for MYP & DP: IB exam fees, legalisation of the Diploma, MYP eAssessment, ISA and some curriculum resources. Extracurriculars and summer provision - Clubs and extracurricular activities are charged separately and vary each year; they form part of the Extended School Day programme. - Summer School runs from mid-June to late August and is charged per week. Discounts and contract discounting - Sibling discounts: second child receives a 5% discount on annual tuition; third child and twins receive a 7% discount. - Signing a 3‑year contract provides a 5% discount on tuition. Refunds and cancellation-related information - The deposit (15% of tuition) is refunded by being credited against the first paid instalment of the tuition for the academic year. No other specific refund or cancellation terms are itemised in the published fee material. Fee payment methods and practical notes - The published fee information specifies payment schedules (one, two or instalment plans) but does not itemise accepted payment methods (for example credit card or bank transfer) in the published fee schedule. Payment method options should be confirmed directly with admissions or the finance office.	Fee details Application & registration fees - Registration (application) fee: €100, payable on submission/at enrolment. Annual tuition fees (High School) - Bulgarian national programme (Grades 8–12): €7,960 per academic year. This amount applies to each Year 8–12 place in the Bulgarian-track high school. - IB Diploma Programme (final two years of high school): - Current Meridian 22 IB students (continuing into the IB Diploma): €9,460 per academic year. - External entrants to the IB programme: €9,800 per academic year. Billing schedule and payment terms - A signed tuition contract and payment of the first instalment are required at enrolment. - The school accepts either full-year payment or staged payments. The school uses a multi-instalment structure in which the first instalment is larger and the remaining balance is divided into equal instalments (example: a six-instalment option with one higher initial payment followed by five equal payments). This instalment approach is applied by the school for annual tuition billing. - Sibling discounts: second child receives 5% off tuition; third and subsequent children receive 10% off tuition. Boarding fees - Boarding is not offered by Meridian 22 High School; the school operates as a day school (facilities described do not include boarding/dormitory services). Other costs and what tuition covers - The published tuition amounts explicitly include the following as part of the fee: hot meals prepared on site, the official school uniform, textbooks, daily English lessons, a second foreign language from Grade 5, medical care, annual accident insurance, and sports activities up to the stated daily time. These items are therefore not charged separately as a standard additional tuition cost. - Optional or occasional additional costs that are charged separately include extracurriculum trips, organized study-abroad or summer courses and their deposits/registration fees (for example, the school runs summer English courses with a separate tuition and registration deposit). Example: a summer-course deposit / fee is paid by bank transfer or at the school cashier for those programmes. - Transport, specific extracurricular programmes, exam-entry charges (where applicable) and some optional activities may incur separate charges; such optional items are billed in addition to the standard tuition when they are taken. Refunds and cancellations - The enrolment process requires signing a tuition contract and paying the initial instalment; refund and cancellation terms are governed by that enrolment/tuition contract and by the school's contractual terms for parents and pupils. Parents receive contract terms at enrolment that set the precise conditions for cancellations and any applicable refunds. Payment methods and billing details - Accepted payment channels include bank transfer and payment at the school cashier; deposits for optional programmes have been shown to be payable either in cash at the school or by bank transfer (a bank account is used for program deposits). - The school issues invoices/requests for the instalments and the first instalment is required on signing the tuition contract; specific deadlines and installment due dates are set out in the contract/fee schedule provided at enrolment. Key practical notes for parents (concise) - Registration fee: €100 due with application/enrolment. - Annual fees to budget for (High School): Bulgarian track €7,960; IB DP €9,460 (current students) / €9,800 (external entrants). - Tuition normally covers meals, uniform and textbooks; optional trips, summer courses and certain extras are charged in addition.
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 Discover International School is an IB World School offering a continuum of programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The IB continuum emphasizes academic and personal growth, challenging students to excel in their studies and development. Since 2012, the school has focused on aiding the natural development of every learner. Curriculum levels include Preschool, Primary Years (Grades 1–4), Middle Years (Grades 5–10), and High School (Grades 11–12), with the Diploma Programme available in Grade 11. Graduates earn an internationally recognized IB Diploma alongside the Bulgarian secondary school diploma, opening pathways to top universities worldwide.	Curriculum details Meridian 22 High School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The school is a member of the International Baccalaureate. IB subjects are chosen by students based on their interests and plans for higher education and career development. The program prepares students for successful futures at universities abroad and in Bulgaria. The school has graduated fourteen cohorts who earned IB diplomas and Bulgarian high school diplomas. The maximum IB Diploma score is 45.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results In its 15 years as an IB member Meridian 22 High School has graduated fourteen cohorts who earned IB diplomas and Bulgarian high school diplomas. IB subjects are chosen by students based on their interests and plans for higher education and career development. The maximum possible IB Diploma score is 45. Top IB results include scores such as 44 points, 43 points and 41 points.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates earn an internationally recognized IB Diploma alongside the Bulgarian secondary school diploma, opening pathways to top universities worldwide.	Higher education progression Meridian 22 High School prepares students for successful futures at universities abroad and in Bulgaria. Some graduates have gone on to universities worldwide, such as Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany, and Geneva Business School in Spain.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
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 The school offers admissions for the 2026-2027 school year in Early Years (Preschool 1, born 2021, up to 5 years old); Primary Years (Preschool 2, born 2020 up to 6 years old; born 2019 up to 7 years old; Grade 1; Grades 2–4 with limited spots); Middle Years Programme (Grades 5–7 and 8–10); and the Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12). Admissions procedure: 1. 2. Visit the School or Open Days: book an onsite meeting; Open Days were conducted on 28 November 2025 and 28 January 2026. 3. Submit an Application: complete the Application Form. 4. Reception Day and Family Meeting: the child participates in holistic assessment and a family meeting with the pedagogical leadership. 5. Decision and Enrollment: decisions are shared within one week; if accepted, an Enrollment Proposal with tuition and policies is provided, followed by signing the contract and paying a deposit. 6. Orientation and Welcome: an Orientation Program introduces the classroom, family sessions, and preparation guidelines. English language requirements by grade: Grades 1–4 accept all English levels; Grades 5–7 require CEFR A2 English proficiency for Grade 6 via an online admissions test and interview (test taken at the Middle & High School Campus); Grades 8–10 require minimum A2 English and a holistic assessment (at the Middle & High School Campus); Grades 11–12 IB Diploma Programme require B2 English proficiency (admissions test at the Middle and High School Campus). Required documents include transcripts for the past three years, academic awards, advisor/counsellor recommendations, birth certificate, and immunisation records. Tuition is annual and includes English as the main language of instruction, a second foreign language (Spanish or German) in Middle Years and High School, meals, learning resources, and activities; extra fees apply for clubs, bus service, and trips; 2026-27 tuition is published; discounts include 5% for a 3-year contract, 5% for a second child, and 7% for a third child or twins.	Admissions 1. Grade range and applicant pool. Meridian 22 High School provides education from 8th to 12th grade. The school is small and places are limited, with priority given to current 10th-grade students applying for 11th IB, applicants from Meridian 22 Junior High School applying for 8th grade, siblings of current or former students, international students or applicants who do not have Bulgarian as their first language, and then any other applicants if places remain. 2. Initial contact and appointment. Families should contact the school to arrange an appointment with the Head of School. At the meeting, the parents and the prospective student should bring the required documentation, learn about the school's core programme, and be informed about the admissions timeline and examination dates. The school will evaluate the application and may set dates for the relevant exam(s). 3. Admissions criteria for 8th grade and 11th IB. Applicants must sit entrance exams, usually held at the end of March or the beginning of April for a September start. The Admissions Committee makes decisions based on the exam results (including English), academic records from previous years, the applicant's potential to handle academic rigour, the school's ability to meet the applicant's educational needs, and availability of places. 4. Admission decision process. The Head of School, the Deputy Head of School for the high school, a teacher, and the school psychologist form the Admissions Committee to decide admission, taking into account exam results, interview performance, and, if applicable, the applicant's performance at any national assessments. If admission occurs after a national examination, those results are considered. After a decision is made, enrolment documents are prepared. 5. Learning support and inclusion. The school provides a limited level of support for mild to moderate learning difficulties; parents must inform the school when applying and may need to fund additional support. The Access and Inclusion Policy clarifies the available support. 6. Registration and entry for 8th grade. Registration includes submitting an application form online or on site, providing the first-term academic transcript, paying a registration fee (for applicants from schools other than Meridian 22 Junior High), and attending an interview with the candidate and their parents. The interview explores motivation, interests, and potential, with dates arranged individually. The entry exam covers Bulgarian Language and Literature, Mathematics, and the student's English proficiency; results are announced within 7 days; the admission decision follows the committee's assessment. 7. Admissions to 9th–12th non-IB grades. Registration requires the application form, an academic transcript, entry/equivalency exams as appropriate, a registration fee, and an interview. The entry exam covers Bulgarian Language and Literature, Mathematics, and English proficiency; results are announced within 7 days. There may be a one-week trial training to assess knowledge and motivation, and the admission decision is made by a committee based on exam results, interview performance, and trial results. 8. IB Diploma Programme admissions. For the IB DP, registration requires an application form, a 10th-grade transcript (average must be 4.50 or above on the Bulgarian 6-point scale), a motivation letter in English, a registration fee, and an interview. The English entry exam is based on the Cambridge Advanced Level Certificate Exam (CEFR B2–C1) and includes written and oral components; results are provided within 10 days. The entry score is the average of the English exam and the 10th-grade average. Admission decisions are made by the Admissions Committee, including the IB DP Coordinator, Head of School, Deputy Head of School for the high school, psychologist, and IB teachers. Offers are based on entry scores and interview performance; enrolment in the DP is completed after the candidate and parents acknowledge the IB requirements, with subject choices made in consultation with the IB Coordinator and Head of School. 9. Enrolment and contractual commitments. A place is offered and tuition is paid according to the schedule specified in the contract, with parents informed of the commitments they are making. 10. Documentation preparation. Upon approval, all necessary enrolment documents are prepared. 11. Scholarships. The school offers partial and full merit-based or need-based scholarships to support the school as a whole and the Diploma Programme. 12. Language and qualification requirements. As an English-language school and IB World School, good English proficiency is essential; DP applicants should demonstrate English proficiency through their academic records and/or an English exit exam at Meridian 22. If necessary, an equivalency test in English is required; a Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (minimum grade C) can exempt the applicant from the entry exam for the IB Diploma Programme.
Scholarships	Scholarships The school offers a limited number of scholarships and financial aid packages available to qualified candidates.	Scholarships The School offers partial and full merit-based or need-based scholarships, which aim at supporting the School as a whole and the Diploma Programme.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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