Most state-funded universities in Bulgaria would not increase the number of students admitted for the 2009/10 academic year, aiming to ensure a high level of the education they offer, Sega daily reported on February 10 2009.

All schools that receive state subsidies have to present the exact number of students they are planning to admit to the Ministry of Education for approval.

One of the most desirable higher education institutions in the country, the University of National and World Economy, announced that will admit 3475 students. Most of the available places would be for economics majors and a smaller part for those wishing to earn a law degree.

Three years ago, the school departed from the traditional entrance exam, where all candidates wrote thesis on a given question, and which is still used by some universities for "selection" of students. Instead, admission tests to determine knowledge of the Bulgarian language, Bulgarian history, geography and economic system are conducted.

The management of the Technical University of Sofia, as well as the one in Gabrovo, said that they would like to keep the number of new students low so to maintain high level of education. In Gabrovo, the technical university will admit 690 full-time students and 310 part-time for the bachelor's programmes and 200 for the master's, Sega daily quoted dean Deshka Markova as saying.

One of the oldest schools in the country, the Academy of Economics in Svishtov, announced plans to admit 2500 students, about 2300 of them for the bachelor's programmes.

The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia would offer the same number of places as the last year's – 690 students for the bachelor's programmes. Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, the largest in the country, has not presented the number of places on offer in the different departments.

Sega daily said that the only school that plans to increase admission quota by 20 per cent is the Medical University in Sofia.