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Student Life

Your new chapter starts here, on the AUBG campus!

The Skaptopara Campus

Our Skaptopara campus is where AUBGers study, live, and keep active. It is home to the three Skaptopara Residence Halls, Balkanski Academic Center, Panitza Library, and America For Bulgaria Student Center, all connected by a beautiful green park along the Bistritsa river.

With students from over 40 countries, the area feels like being part of a mini-map of the world! In this safe, secure, and comfortable environment, lifelong friendships are born and minds are opened amid diversity and mutual respect.

Residence Halls
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Residence Halls

Residence Life at AUBG
Food and drinks
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Food and drinks

Dean of Students Office

The Dean of Students Office seeks to enhance the student life experience through mission-driven co- and extra-curricular educational and recreational programming. It encourages student initiatives that relate to the core Liberal Arts values of – the appreciation and celebration of community and civic engagement, diversity, equality, inclusion, integrity, and ethical leadership.

The Dean of Students, alongside the Assistant Dean of Students, provides leadership to the Student Affairs Department whose mission is to offer academic, personal, and career development support, health and well-being services and resources, meaningful residential life programs as well as sports and athletics opportunities to the student body. The Dean of Students works closely with various student organizations (e.g. Student Government, Student Clubs, etc.) and individual students, and represents their interests. Additionally, the Dean of Students fosters collaborative relationships among students, faculty, and staff in the spirit of the creative, respectful, and supportive AUBG community culture. The Dean of Students and the Assistant Dean of Students serve as facilitators for non-academic issues.

Students are encouraged to address the Dean of Students Office with all questions regarding student life policies and procedures and to learn what forms of student support services are available – from forming new student clubs to seeking help with emotional distress. Communication with the Dean of Students is privileged and private and the Office of the Dean of Students is a designated AUBG Safe Space.

All in one place

  • AUBG offers counseling to students and alumni to help them identify which talents, interests and values will help them make educated career choices.

    The annual Job fair brings on campus dozens of companies that offer internship, part-time and full-time positions to students and alumni. For the ones interested in the non-governmental sector, the NGO fair covers this area.

  • The Health and Well-Being Center provides physical and mental health services to the students. It is regulated by the best professional standards and strict confidentiality in accordance to the Bulgarian legislation and the standards of the American College Health Association, such as consultations, crisis intervention, preventive care and health education.

    Some of the services:

    • Health education program
    • Personal and emotional counselling
    • Crisis intervention
    • Mental health workshops
  • Students from across the world can spend a semester or a year at AUBG and become a part of our unique and diverse community in Eastern Europe through the Erasmus+ program, ISEP Study Abroad, or our partnership with the University of Maine. The same programs give AUBGers the opportunity to visit hundreds of universities across the world.

  • Our goal is to help you thrive academically. That's why our special teams help you on every step of the way.

  • AUBG students stay connected long after graduation as part of the AUBG alumni network. They come back on campus, share life lessons and help current students find their own way on impacting the world. You can also take advantage of the AUBG alumni mentoring program.

  • AUBG strives to promote international awareness by allowing students to experience other cultures. During the four years of studies, students learn to respect similarities and differences related to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or social background.

  • Anything a student needs is assured on the AUBG campus:

    • All-campus Wi-Fi network
    • Computer labs
    • Specialised computer labs
    • Office365 student account
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AUBG showed me a canvas and gave me the colors to paint my future.

Marina Tsutsumanova, senior at AUBG

Clubs and activities
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Clubs and activities

Take a look at the list of our student clubs and see which ones suit your personality and passions.

    • President: Stefani Dushilova
    • Vice President: Antoana Bakalova and Miroslav Ivanchev
    • Advisor: Prof. Elena Radeva & Prof. Momtchil Karpouzanov
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    Associates Consulting Club’s main purpose is to consult companies on real-life business cases in the fields of finance, marketing, sales, product development, etc. Its practicality enables its members to experience what it is like working in a professional setting, communicating and proposing ideas to business managers on a weekly basis and preparing detailed consulting reports backed up by an in-depth market analysis, data gathering, and discussions. During the process, ACC’s members acquire skills, which make them better candidates for job applications post-graduation while enriching their experience and networking connections in the business world. So far Associates Consulting Club has completed 8 business cases successfully. The club is divided into 5 departments- Marketing, Finance, Sales & PR, Events, and Social Media. Since Fall 2022, ACC has also developed a new department- Human Resources.

    • President: Petar Nedev
    • Vice Presidents: Ivan Karadzov and Vyara Pavlova
    • Treasurer: Zheliana Borisova
    • Club Advisors: Prof. Magdalena Bernaciak and Prof. Evelina Van Mensel
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    Better Community Club (BCC) is a union of students, aiming to create a community of equality, tolerance and personal integrity. We strive to create a better world and inspire more people to be better and care for those in need. Our initiatives are mainly oriented in social entrepreneurship, charity and donations, contributing to the community and bringing people together regardless of their differences.
    Leaving a positive impact on the community and the world lies at the heart of our club.
    BCC welcomes students from all majors and standings who are passionate about building a better and more caring society.

    • President: Kristian Petrov
    • Vice Presidents: Christina Baytcheva and Martin Nedev
    • Club Advisor: Yasen Nedelchev
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    Blagoevgrad Griffins is an officially registered American Football team formed in 2003 by students of the American University in Bulgaria. Based in Blagoevgrad, Griffins are part of the Bulgarian Federation of American Football. Griffins have won several awards in the Championship series against its counterparts such as Sofia Bears, Sofia Knights and others. Among our other achievements are organizing the first National American Football Tournament in Bulgaria and victories in the annual Griffin Bowl. Since 2021, the club has organized on-campus events that promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and has supported charitable organizations.

    • Producer: Lilia Petrova
    • Assistant Producers: Bianca Deyanova and Zeina Abu Rumman
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    The Broadway Performance Club is a student club that strives to bring the magic of the New York Broadway Stage to the AUBG community and to audiences all around Bulgaria. The club was created in 2007 and is run entirely by current students coming from multiple nationalities and united by their love of musical magic. Our goal is to bring the Bulgarian audience to the world of Broadway by recreating famous productions. For the past 15 years we have brought to life more than thirteen musical productions to more than 50,000 audience members in multiple Bulgarian cities, and even Serbia, and our performances have been covered by many well-known media outlets. Our main event is the Musical - we work on it for the whole academic year and have a premiere and a tour in April. We also have smaller events throughout the year to spark interest in everything creative.

    • President: Svetoslava Kumcheva
    • Vice President:: Mariya Vlaykova
    • Treasurer: Frantsiska Kutevska
    • Club Advisor: Prof. Senem Konedareva
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    Samodiva BFDC is known for its mission to enrich the communities in AUBG, Blagoevgrad and Blagoevgrad region by teaching Bulgarian historical and regional folk dances and dance customs in a fun, interactive and energized way. Every year we present our artistic performance that includes acting and dancing, intertwined to display the spirit of exquisite literary works of prominent Bulgarian authors.

    • President: Dragomir Vasilev
    • Vice Presidents: Boris-Mihail Hadzhimalakov and Yulvie Nuri
    • Treasurer: Aleksandra Balkanska
    • Club Advisor: Prof. Rossen Petkov
    Experience more:

    AUBG Business Club is an organization run by highly motivated students who strive to bring value to the AUBG community. We aspire to expand students’ know-how in the fields of management, marketing, investment, economics, human resources, and finance. We seek to offer students these conveniences to be academically and professionally fulfilled and ready to face the market. You can create prospective partnerships by working closely with some well-known professionals who work for influencing companies in the region. The opportunity to work on challenging projects in a professional, yet friendly environment gives you the chance to be well-prepared for the job market that you would enter after your studies.

    • Presidents: Kristiana Dimitrova and Simona Simeonova
    • Editor-in-Chief: Bianca Deyanova
    • Producer: Spencer Collins
    • Treasurer: Kristian Deyanov
    • Club Advisor: Prof. Laura Kelly
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    AUBG Daily is the organization behind the university newspaper, which is the only independent media on campus. It is led entirely by students devoted to the cause of independent journalism and freedom of speech. AUBG Daily strives to inspire the entirety of the student body to express themselves freely and voice their opinions. As an organization, we work towards fostering an enlightened community of people, while seizing every opportunity to tell stories. Every semester we release a printed copy of our newspaper while continuing to regularly publish articles on our website. Along with that, AUBG Daily creates collaborations in the form of exhibitions, workshops, and conferences with renowned individuals in the field of journalism and beyond.

    • President: Ani Kovacheva
    • Vice President: Gabriela Stefanova
    • Head Coach: Dimitar Vitliyanov
    • Treasurer: Anton Perederii
    • Club Advisor: Prof. Ilya Levine
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    Led by students with extensive experience in competitive debating (including past members of the Bulgarian National Debate Team) The AUBG Debate Club unites all students who are passionate to develop their reasoning, argumentation, and public speaking skills!

    The club is mainly devoted to training students in debating so that they can represent the university in national and international championships and compete against representatives of some of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the world such as Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, etc. In addition, the club aims at spreading the debating spirit on campus by organizing educational workshops on debate-related topics and competitions that would gather debaters from close and far!

    We offer two types of membership – Regular (includes debating and training) and department membership (supporters of the clubs mission).

    • President: Martina Stoyanova
    • Show Directors: Mia Haydushka and Alexandra Rousou
    • Treasurer: Monika Kadinova
    • Head of Marketing: Mirela Yovcheva
    • Head of Sponsorship: Vladi Kalauzka
    • Faculty Advisor: Prof. Maia Parmakova
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    We are a group of people passionate about dancing and expressing emotion through various types of dance styles and music. We center our artistic energy mainly on organizing our biggest event “The Grant Final Show” at the end of each academic year. Around that time we try our best to organize smaller dance shows where we get to enjoy some quality fun time with our amazing AUBG community. We are great enthusiasts about having the time of our lives and dancing the worries away.

    • President: Martin Bozhankov
    • Vice President: Veliyana Georgieva
    • Treasurer: Owen Kemerer
    • Club Advisor: Prof. Jean Crombois
    Experience more:

    Model European Union Blagoevgrad (MEU Blagoevgrad) at the American University in Bulgaria organizes an annual international conference – Model European Union (MEU). The main objective of this conference is to simulate the decision-making procedures of the European Union. Both high school and university students from all around Europe will gain the opportunity to learn how the European Union reaches conclusions and ratifies laws. The participants will be able to use the knowledge they have acquired during their studies practically and gain some invaluable professional experience. Our team in the club always strives to provide participants the opportunity to attend and participate in a professional-level simulation. Participating gives the chance for young and ambitious professionals to strengthen connections, exchange ideas, encounter and get to know different cultures and languages, improve personal skills, and experience and learn about the functions and processes of the European Union. Since 2021 the club is organizing a new event, called EU Weekend, which combines different EU related workshops, games, quizzes and activities.

Sports on campus
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Sports

Academic discipline and success is performed best when the body feels good. AUBG motivates students to take care of their physical health in one of the many sport facilities or benefiting from the organised sport workouts.

  • This outstanding venue, housed in the award-winning ABF Student Center, is fully equipped for a variety of sports - football, basketball, volleyball, tennis and handball. It is open for students to train individually or in groups. And above it all, an elevated running track allows you to stay active even when the weather doesn't allow it.

  • The on-campus fitness center is located in the basement of the ABF Student Center. It offers a variety of cardio equipment, training machines and free weights to those who love to stay in shape.

  • The recently renovated Skapto I Gym is available to all students who want to practice boxing, yoga and to the ones who have joined the AUBG performing clubs.

  • The Skapto II Gym is perfect for those who are interested in zumba, pilates, and other cardio-intensive workouts.

  • The soccer field is welcoming to all soccer enthusiasts. Located right behind ABF Student Center, it hosts the AUBG Soccer League.

  • AUBG has two hard-court tennis courts available for students who want to enjoy the outdoors.

  • Apart from the indoor option to play volleyball in the Sportshall, teams can also take advantage of the nice weather and book the outdoor volleyball court.

  • Just like the volleyball court, the outdoor basketball court welcomes students to shoot hoops after classes.

  • AUBG students can receive discounts at different sports facilities around Blagoevgrad such as the Olympic-size swimming pool "Pirin".

  • Blagoevgrad is surrounded by mountains that offer 85 kilometers of snowy slopes open to ski and snowboarding lovers.

Student Government
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Student Government

The Student Government is the directly elected representative body of the students at AUBG.

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International Students

AUBGers come from across the globe. Here is everything you need to know about moving to Bulgaria and life as an international student.

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