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Explore 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.

Plan for growth and development Campus Master Plan

AUBG Quick Facts

Students

  • Number of AUBG Students in Spring 23    1046
  • Undergraduate Students    987
  • Graduate Students    59
  • Nationalities Represented on Campus    44

Academics

  • Number of Faculty    104
  • Number of Majors Offered    14
  • Number of Minors Offered    21
  • Average Class Size    23

More

  • Graduation Rate    84%
  • Financial Aid Each Year    $4.8M
  • Students Receiving Financial Aid    81%
  • Retention Rate After the First Year    98%
Why AUBG

Why AUBG

AUBG puts you in the center

  • 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 on the AUBG campus. Within our small community of only 1200 students, 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 specialized rooms. 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. Meanwhile, the capital Sofia is just 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

Diversity

With students from 40 different countries and faculty from 5 continents, being part of AUBG feels like traveling around the world.

Mission

Our Mission

AUBG Mission Statement

Vision

Our Vision

Our Aspirations for the Next Five Years

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

Nikolay Gerdzhikov ('13)

AUBG Leadership

AUBG is led by President Dr. Margee Ensign. The Board of Trustees (BoT) is the university'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
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AUBG President

More about AUBG President
Leadership
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Leadership Team

Meet Leadership Team members
Board of Trustees
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Board of Trustees

See Board of Trustees members
University Council
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University Council

See university council members
University Committees
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University Committees

See University Committees
CIDC
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CIDC

Learn more about CIDC

AUBG History

AUBG History

1991

September 01

Volga dormitory opens for student use featured image

Volga dormitory opens for student use

November 16

The first AUBG newspaper, Aspecter, was published. featured image

The first AUBG newspaper, Aspecter, was published.

December 01

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

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

January 27

AUBG finds its voice: first choir established. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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

May 07

First AUBG class graduates. featured image

First AUBG class graduates.

September 01

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

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. featured image

FlashNews – the first online student publication – is launched.

November 22

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

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. featured image

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. featured image

Elieff Center for Education and Culture in Sofia officially opens.

May 11

First Executive MBA class graduates. featured image

First Executive MBA class graduates.

May 27

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

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. featured image

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. featured image

New academic and administrative building opens officially.

April 10

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

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

September 03

New library building opens doors. featured image

New library building opens doors.

September 27

Elvin Guri ’96 receives the first Distinguished Alum Award. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

“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. featured image

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.

October 03

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

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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. featured image

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 featured image

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 featured image

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 featured image

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. featured image

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

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. featured image

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.

January 12

Computer Training

September 04

What is NATO? Historical and contextual overview. featured image

What is NATO? Historical and contextual overview.

The Founding of AUBG Image

The Founding of AUBG

"The American University...Where? " (2011) by Dr. Robert Phillips Jr., Associate Professor of Politics at AUBG.

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Explore Interesting Facts about Bulgaria and Blagoevgrad

Discover Bulgaria & Blagoevgrad
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AUBG Virtual Tour

Since everything is online today, let’s jump into an amazing AUBG campus and walk through our corridors together!