Let Us Walk You Through AUBG

AUBG is a premier university in Central and Eastern Europe offering outstanding American-style education recognized in both the U.S. and the EU.

AUBG Quick Facts

Students

Number of AUBG Students In Fall 2021 970
Undergraduate Students 946
Graduate Students 24
Nationalities Represented on Campus 46

Academics

Number of Faculty 88
Number of Majors Offered 13
Number of Minors Offered 20
Average Class Size 23

Graduation Rate 79%
Financial Aid Each Year $4.8M
% of Students Receiving Financial AID 76%
Retention Rate After the First Year 95%

Why AUBG

AUBG puts you in the center

The American University in Bulgaria combines outstanding education accredited in both the U.S. and the EU with exceptional student experience on a modern campus. Upon graduation, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to begin a successful international career, launch your own business, or continue your studies in a top university.

The one-of-a-kind liberal arts educational system at AUBG puts you at the center and gives you countless opportunities for growth and success. With top professors coming from five continents, small class sizes, a practice-oriented curriculum, and a variety of majors and minors, you devise your own curriculum and focus on the things you are most passionate about. Upon graduation, you receive an international diploma accredited in both the U.S. and the EU.
Life’s never boring at AUBG. You can choose from over 30 student clubs and attend an array of events and conferences with international speakers on campus. At AUBG, you live and study in state-of-the-art facilities, including one of the largest English-language libraries in South-East Europe, a gym, a running track, a Mac lab, and a JMC studio. You get to make friends and share experiences with some of the brightest students coming from over 40 countries from near and far.
And for when you want to explore your surroundings, Blagoevgrad offers a number of cafes and restaurants, hiking trails and a historical district, while Sofia is an hour drive away, Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia are just around the corner and most European capitals are on a short flight distance from the capital.
Upon graduation, you join a united international alumni network that strives to make a difference in the region and the world. Our graduates go on to study at some of the best universities in the world like Harvard, MIT and the London School of Economics, work for companies like Google, BBC and Unicef, or establish their own successful businesses.

Diversity

Being a student at AUBG feels like traveling around the world! With students from 40 different countries and faculty from 5 continents, we have a lot to celebrate.

We take diversity seriously at AUBG: our unique position as a global university in one of Europe’s most ancient civilizations gives us a point of view you won’t find elsewhere.
Back in 1991, it all started with one international student from Norway - Kasra Mottahedeh. Nowadays, AUBG is home to some of the brightest students from over 35 countries.
As technology continues to make the world of work more connected, there’s never been a better time to make broadening your horizons a top priority. It’s well know that diverse teams perform better, and at AUBG, our Diversity Program will give you the edge.
Our Diversity Program kicks off right in Orientation week with a half-day workshop. After that, our dedicated Diversity Team (made up of a representative cross-section of students, staff and administrators, all of whom get special training) lead many fun and varied events through the year to inspire and encourage you to get involved. Some examples are International Week and Taste Fest.

MISSION

Our Mission

AUBG Mission Statement

Educating Democratic Citizens for Leadership, Service, and Personal and Professional Success

Vision

Our Vision

Our Aspirations for the Next Five Years

Located in the Balkans but with broad international reach, AUBG will provide students with a compelling mix of curricular and co-curricular experiences that teach them the flexibility, curiosity, and versatility to meet the challenges of our fast-changing world. By emphasizing strong intercultural experiences, as well as an invigorating entrepreneurial spirit, AUBG will provide graduates with the tools to succeed personally and professionally and ethically in whatever endeavors they choose to pursue. AUBG will expand its reach by taking advantage of new educational technologies and a strong distance-learning program, increasing enrollment, enhancing its public presence throughout the region and the world, and continuing to serve as a liberal arts beacon supporting democratic values, compelling teaching, engaged scholarship, and a welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and pluralistic community.

I am grateful to AUBG for providing the conditions to explore my interests.

Nikolay Gerdzhikov ('13)

AUBG Leadership

AUBG is led by President Dr. David Evans. The Board of Trustees (BoT) is the unversity's governing body and sets the strategic direction for the development of the University. The University Council (UC) is designed to encourage participation and interaction of the broader AUBG community with the BoT, University administrators, faculty, students, and alumni. And the University Committees address matters of policy and ongoing concerns. Learn more below.

President

AUBG President

Dr. David R. Evans has been President of the American University in Bulgaria since 2019 and has over 24 years of progressively responsible experience in university administration.

More about AUBG President

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the American University in Bulgaria and sets the strategic direction for the development of the University. Board members support the public image of the university and are philanthropic leaders, setting an example through their support to inspire other donors and friends.

See Board of Trustees members

University Council

Acting as an established arm of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Bulgaria, the University Council (UC) is designed to encourage participation and interaction of the broader AUBG community with the BOT, University administrators, faculty, students, and alumni in a manner providing essential human and material support for selected activities. The mission of the UC is to help raise the profile of AUBG, locally, regionally, and internationally, by engaging the interests and resources of individuals and organizations that can contribute to the continuing success of the University. All activities planned and sponsored by the UC are undertaken with endorsement of the BoT and the University Administration. They are intended to harmonize with AUBG’s mission and complement the ongoing efforts of the University's fundraising, programs and activities.

See university council members

University Committees

The American University in Bulgaria relies on university committees for advice to key administrators on matters of policy. They address ongoing concerns of the University and are constituted as needed.

See University Committees

CIDC

We are working towards turning the Center for Information, Democracy, and Citizenship into a centerpiece of the university’s identity and continuing to educate the most prepared leaders to build a better, safer, more just future for all.

Learn more about CIDC

Public Documents

Financial Statements

AUBG History

1991

June 24

First Opening Ceremony: AUBG opens doors with 16 full-time faculty members welcoming 208 brave students.

September 08

Institution Status

September 30

First day of classes.

November 01

First meeting of the AUBG Board of Directors.

September 01

Volga dormitory opens for student use

November 16

The first AUBG newspaper, Aspecter, was published.

December 01

First theater production staged at AUBG – Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town”, directed by Al Cyrus.

January 27

AUBG finds its voice: first choir established.

September 01

Bistritza Residence Hall first houses students. Curious fact: it was previously a presidential apartment of Bulgaria’s communist head of state, Todor Zhivkov.

April 05

Galina Chuleva ’95 becomes the first presidential medalist at AUBG.

May 07

First AUBG class graduates.

September 01

50 rooms are rented in the Riltzi Motel to accommodate the increasing number of students.

April 23

First More-Honors Academy show was organized.

September 11

Skaptopara I Residence Hall officially opens.

November 27

First ground broken on the Skaptopara campus.

September 01

FlashNews – the first online student publication – is launched.

November 22

First visit by U.S. President: Bill Clinton receives an honorary doctorate from AUBG.

March 28

AUBG receives accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

June 14

AUBG is accredited by the Bulgarian National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency.

October 05

Skaptopara II Residence Hall opens its doors to students.

October 04

Students bid farewell to Volga and Hilltop – the last dormitories outside the new campus.

March 19

Elieff Center for Education and Culture in Sofia officially opens.

May 11

First Executive MBA class graduates.

May 27

First Alumni Mega Reunion brings together all 11 classes of AUBG students.

April 01

First student-organized AUBG Olympics bring together more than 500 community members.

July 20

The Bulgarian National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency bestows the highest accreditation evaluation to AUBG.

October 20

The American University in Bulgaria celebrates its 15th anniversary.

May 12

New academic and administrative building opens officially.

April 10

First musical production by the Broadway Performance Club, Chicago, premieres.

September 03

New library building opens doors.

September 27

Elvin Guri ’96 receives the first Distinguished Alum Award.

October 04

Ground turned on the Skaptopara III Residence Hall.

April 03

AUBG grants the first Tchaprachikoff scholarships for graduate study at top 20 U.S. universities.

April 04

The Griffins American football club host the first national tournament in American flag football.

May 16

AUBG library named after Dimi and Yvonne Panitza at official ceremony.

January 20

AUBG and Blagoevgrad officials cut the ribbon on the Skaptopara III Residence Hall.

April 05

“Hairspray” becomes the first AUBG musical that goes on a national tour.

May 15

The New Academic Building becomes Balkanski Academic Center in honor of Professor Minko Balkanski.

March 01

AUBG graduate Georgi Iliev wins the 2010 Book of the Year award in Bulgaria for his novel Holy Fool: Dogtown.

May 14

Groundbreaking for America for Bulgaria Student Center.

October 03

AUBG marks its twentieth anniversary with a birthday gala in Sofia’s Ivan Vazov Theater.

October 19

New Student Center opens doors, named after America for Bulgaria Foundation.

March 15

Radio AURA, the oldest student club on campus, celebrates its 20th birthday.

May 10

The EMBA Program and the Elieff Center celebrate 10 years of excellence and achievements.

December 11

America for Bulgaria Student Center named Building of the Year.

November 06

AUBG’s website named “Institutional Website of the Year” in the 15th annual competition BG Website 2014.

April 25

The second alumni mega reunion gathered more than 300 alumni and at least as many students to celebrate 20 years since the commencement of the first AUBG class.

October 17

The ABF theater becomes the Dr. Carl Djerassi Theater Hall.

September 30

AUBG celebrates 25 years of academic excellence and educating bright minds from all over the world.

May 10

Elieff Center and EMBA Program Celebrate 15 Years in Sofia

May 19

Elvin Guri ’96 receives first-ever Distinguished AUBG Alumni Award for Social Innovation and Change established by Board member Princess Maria Louisa

November 04

Elevate, the first in the region accelerator program, launches to help student entrepreneurs and alumni start their businesses

September 08

Dr. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, receives the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from AUBG.

September 09

AUBG MultiTalent Quest

September 16

AUBG Mega Reunion

March 01

The AUBG alumni-founded fin-tech company Payhawk becomes first-ever Bulgarian startup company valued at over $1 billion after raising $100m in a Lightspeed-led Series B extension.

September 24

AUBG Golf Tournament

September 06

Add/Drop Week

September 29

Russia, NATO and The West: Disinformation and Political Contestation in Central and Eastern Europe

September 15

Anne de Colbert-Christophorov Exhibition Opening

September 19

SEAccelerator Info Day

September 29

A Celebration of the New Minor in Creative Writing

September 29

Investigating Disinformation and Foreign-Sponsored Propaganda: A Case study of Montenegro

September 26

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AUBG Quick Facts

Students

Academics

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Why AUBG

Outstanding Academic Experience

A Vibrant Community

A Bright Tomorrow

Diversity

Our Mission

Our Vision

AUBG Leadership

AUBG President

Board of Trustees

University Council

University Committees

CIDC

Public Documents

AUBG History

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