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American College Arcus

Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Bulgarian
Fees €4,650 - 6,960
Ages Not listed
Pupil numbers 200
Type Co-educational
Opened 2003
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum, British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE
Taught languages Bulgarian, English, German, Spanish, Hebrew, Japanese, Mandarin
Strengths STEM, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Middle School, Secondary School, High School
Introduction

The American College Arcus is located at 16 Dragoman Street, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, and offers an international education in English. It delivers the IB MYP for Grades 6–10 and the Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12, alongside a bespoke curriculum and Cambridge IGCSE. The MYP blends local requirements with IB methodologies and culminates in Grade 10's Personal Project; students contribute to Arcus Digest, and Diploma Programme follows six subjects from six groups, plus CAS and Extended Essay. The school has taught DP since 2007; English becomes the medium of instruction from Grade 9; two concentration areas are Foreign Languages and Information Technologies. Since opening in 2003, American College Arcus offers a 3‑year junior program (Grades V–VII) and a 5‑year program (Grades VIII–XII) with a 7:1 student–teacher ratio. The on-site dormitory has 29 rooms (19 en-suite twins, 10 singles) with 24-hour security and a resident supervisor; rooms include Wi-Fi, air conditioning, fridge.

16 Dragoman Street (ул. Драгоман №16), Veliko Tarnovo 5000, Bulgaria

The Essentials

American College Arcus has 200 pupils, instruction in English, Bulgarian.

Location
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. The campus includes a dormitory opened in 2008 to accommodate students from outside Veliko Tarnovo. The school serves Grades 8–12 in a five-year program and also offers a three-year junior high for Grades V–VII.

Stages
3-year junior high for grades V–VII; 5-year high school for grades VIII–XII

Type
Private, with on-site dormitory

Country affiliation
Bulgaria

School day structure
The year runs in two terms (September–January and February–June) with six or seven 45-minute lessons per day; classes meet every Friday.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school has a dormitory in Veliko Tarnovo. It is a private residential building with 27 double rooms and 1 triple room, a foyer, kitchen, library, and 24‑hour security with surveillance and a residential supervisor. Each room has Wi‑Fi, cable TV, air‑conditioning, a fridge, and a telephone.

Uniform Requirement
The school has a mandatory uniform. The dress code includes a branded college uniform with a white shirt, a polo or T‑shirt with the college logo, and black or navy skirts or trousers; black shoes, and a tie provided by the college each year.

Food Options
The College provides dining services at the canteen, and a rest area with a buffet where students are offered a snack and lunch menu.

Governance and Ownership
The school is governed by a Board of Trustees and is a non‑profit organization registered as PSHS American College Arcus Ltd.; ownership and oversight involve Arcus Co. and Armaco JSC.
Fees

Annual tuition at American College Arcus ranges from EUR 4,650 to EUR 6,960 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- No separate, fixed application or enrollment fee amount is published by the school. Admissions require an entrance evaluation and an education contract is signed on enrollment.

Tuition fees (annual amounts; 2026/2027 academic year unless noted)

- Students who have completed Grade 4: EUR 4,650 per year.
- Newly admitted students who have completed Grade 7: EUR 4,650 per year (for admitted candidates after the Admission Exam).
- Students admitted via external 7th-grade evaluation in the event of vacancies (meeting the stated points threshold): EUR 5,150 per year.
- IB Diploma Programme (2026/2027): for students studying both the national programme and the IB Diploma – EUR 6,960 per year; for students studying the IB programme only – EUR 6,300 per year.

- The school publishes tuition as an annual charge; it does not publish a standard per-term fee breakdown. Where tuition is expressed, it is defined on a yearly basis.

What the tuition covers

- The published tuition amount for 2026/2027 is stated to cover education, school uniform, insurance, medical service, and security on school premises.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Parents of newly admitted students sign an education contract with a five-calendar-year term that secures financial obligations; specific billing dates, installment schedules and late‑payment penalties are defined in that education contract rather than in a published standard schedule.

Boarding fees

- No separate boarding or residential fees are published. There is no published indication of a school boarding programme or boarding charges.

Other costs and mandatory charges

- School uniform, insurance, medical service and security are included within the published tuition for 2026/2027. For the merit-based 20% scholarship quota, awarded students are required to pay the school uniform only.
- No separate published lists of additional mandatory charges (for example a published technology fee, activity fee, or separate IB examination charges) are provided in the publicly-available tuition summary.

Refund information

- The school requires an education contract that secures financial obligations; no separate, detailed public refund schedule or general refund policy is published alongside the annual tuition statement. Refunds and adjustments are governed by the terms of the education contract.

Fee payment options

- No standard list of accepted payment methods (credit/debit card, bank transfer/IBAN, online payment provider) is published with the tuition schedule. Administrative contact details are provided for billing or contract matters, and payment terms are handled as specified in the education contract.

Brief note on scholarship/subsidy arrangements that affect fees

- American College Arcus operates a merit-based arrangement in which 20% of admitted students with the highest entrance-exam averages may receive free education; these scholarship recipients are reported as required to pay the uniform only, subject to academic performance requirements to keep the award. Separately, specific company-sponsored placements are described as fully subsidized for their duration provided minimum academic standards are maintained.

Summary of publicly available fee items

- Published, specific annual tuition amounts are: EUR 4,650 (standard admitted students as described), EUR 5,150 (certain externally-admitted candidates), EUR 6,300 and EUR 6,960 (IB options). These annual figures are the school's published fee statements for 2026/2027. The school publishes tuition on an annual basis and does not publish a standardized per-term breakdown, a separate application fee amount, a published billing calendar, a published refund schedule, explicit boarding fees, or a public list of accepted payment methods in the tuition pages. Parents should expect the education contract to set definitive billing dates, payment schedule and contract terms.
Academics

American College Arcus teaches IB (MYP), IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum, British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE.

Curriculum
The school implements the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP). The language of instruction is English. MYP covers grades 6–10 and combines the national curriculum with IB methodologies; the Personal Project is the culmination of MYP in grade 10. The Diploma Programme is a two‑year pre‑university program for students aged 16–19, with six subjects chosen from six groups (Bulgarian A: Literature; English B HL/SL; German B HL/SL or ab initio; Geography HL/SL; History HL/SL; Biology HL/SL; Chemistry HL/SL; Computer Science HL/SL; Mathematics HL/SL; Visual Arts HL/SL or another elective). DP assessment includes internal and external components, plus the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirement and the Extended Essay. The IB framework guides the curriculum alongside national requirements, emphasizing inquiry, interdisciplinary connections, and global perspectives.

Exam Results
Graduating students achieved a Very Good 5.48 on the Bulgarian State Matriculation English exam (B2 level).

Higher Education Progression
Graduates enroll in universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Italy, and Canada, often with scholarships.

Gifted and Talented
A 20% quota provides free education for admitted students with the highest entrance-exam averages; these students pay only for the school uniform, and continuation depends on maintaining a Very Good average.
Parent Experience

History
American College Arcus welcomed its first students in 2003. The school offers a 3-year junior high program (Grades V–VII) and a 5-year program (Grades VIII–XII), with students organized into three profiles: Foreign languages, Mathematics, and Natural sciences. Professional training includes Mechanical Technician and Application Programmer. The school is licensed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education (Order RD 14-76/21.05.2003) and is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. The Class of 2026 graduated on June 20, 2026; students have earned distinctions in national science competitions, and the school publishes the Arcus Digest e-newspaper.

Community
Enyovden is celebrated each year with the Director's Trophy Cup Tournament. Graduation ceremonies are held for graduating classes, including the Class of 2026 on June 20, 2026. The school publishes an e-newspaper, Arcus Digest. Faith and Love is a charity club at American College Arcus that organizes activities.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The American College Arcus dormitory is a private residential building in Veliko Tarnovo. It has 29 rooms in total, including 19 en-suite twin rooms and 10 single rooms. The dormitory includes a foyer, a kitchen, and a library, with 24-hour security and surveillance and a professionally trained residential supervisor. Each room has Wi‑Fi, cable television, air conditioning, a fridge, and a telephone. Dormitory Usage Rules include a curfew hour and 24‑hour monitoring for student welfare.

Academic Facilities
The curriculum is licensed to teach Grades 8 through 12 by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. English is developed during the 8th-grade preparatory year and becomes the medium of instruction from Grade 9. The school offers two concentration areas: Foreign Languages and Information Technologies, and has offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme since 2007, with some IB students choosing to take exams for the Bulgarian National Diploma. From Grade 10 students may continue with the National Curriculum or the IB Diploma, and the college maintains a staff of 22 teachers with a Director and a Deputy Director, for a student–teacher ratio of 7:1.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The Debating Club – Model United Nations is active at American College Arcus. Students have achieved distinctions in national competitions, including a Distinction at a national science competition in 2026, a Gold Medal at the Lodovico Ferrari International Tournament, and first and second places at Srebarna 2026. An internal e‑newspaper, American College Arcus Digest, is published for student engagement.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers a five-year course of study for Grades 8 through 12 with two concentration areas: Foreign Languages and Information Technologies. From Grade 9 most subjects are taught in English, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program has been available since 2007. Scholarships have been offered since 2005 to high‑achieving entrants, including a 20% tuition‑reduction quota for admitted students who excel in entrance exams or spring competitions.

Arts & Creative
Music and Arts are taught in Grade 9 as part of the curriculum. The Arts curriculum is integrated into the regular program, alongside other core subjects.

Cultural & Language
The school has a diverse community with students from six countries. English is the medium of instruction, with most subjects taught in English from Grade 9. Foreign Languages and Information Technologies are the two major concentration areas, and the school has offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program since 2007.

Social & Hobbies
Students attend free elective classes according to their interests to gain additional knowledge and to prepare for standardized tests and university admission examinations. Electives provide opportunities to explore personal interests beyond core subjects. These electives are described as part of the High School Program.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
A modern dormitory is available for students coming from outside Veliko Tarnovo. Tuition for 2026/2027 covers education, school uniform, insurance, medical service and security on the school premises. Physical Education is part of the curriculum.
Languages

Language Provision
Languages taught include English, Bulgarian, German, and Spanish. From IX to XII, terminology in subjects is taught in Bulgarian and English. English is the medium of instruction in grades 9–12, and the second foreign language options are German or Spanish. A third foreign language may be formed if there is sufficient demand.

Bilingual Teaching
English is the medium of instruction in grades 9 through 12. Bulgarian language and literature are taught in Bulgarian. The preparatory year focuses on intensive English to prepare students for English-language study. A native English-speaking teacher and a Bulgarian English teacher work with the same group of students to support bilingual learning.

Immersion Programs
English-language immersion is the primary mode of instruction in grades 9–12. In the preparatory year, students undertake intensive English study (18 hours per week) to reach a level enabling study of English-language subjects.
Admissions

Admissions
Admission to American College Arcus is granted to students regardless of sex, nationality, ethnicity, social class, or religion. Education is fully subsidized by Arcus Co. and Armaco JSC; the students do not pay a tuition fee for the first school year and the next four years if they maintain a minimum GPA of 3.50 at the end of each school year. Prospective students are required to sit for an entrance examination, the results of which determine whether a student will be admitted to the College. The College admits students in both specialized and professional training. 72 students are admitted to the College in the specialized training majors: Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Natural Sciences. The tuition fee is 4,650 EUR. Since 2018/2019, 20% of admitted students who ranked highest in the entrance exam receive free education; those students pay only for the school uniform and remain eligible for free education in following years if their average grade at the end of each school year is at least Very Good 5.25.

Scholarships
20% of admitted students who ranked highest in the entrance exam receive free education; those students pay only for the school uniform; they remain eligible for free education in the following school years if their average grade at the end of each school year is at least Very Good 5.25.
School Events
The school has not added events
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