Sofia, Bulgaria: Anglo-American School of Sofia: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

The Anglo-American School of Sofia (AAS) is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from pre -kindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The school was founded in 1967. The school year begins in the third full week of August and ends at the end of June. The 2023-2024 school year is from August 22 to June 27 (2024-2025 school year will start August 21).

Organization: The School Board of Directors governs the Anglo-American School of Sofia. There are nine members of the school board. Four Board members are appointed by the U.S. Ambassador (upon recommendation by the board), and another four members are appointed by the British Ambassador (upon recommendation by the board). The ninth board member is nominated by the parent community.

Curriculum: At AAS, our curriculum is designed with the intention to meet the mission and core values of the school. We offer an international and multi-sourced curriculum that is concept-driven and uses inquiry-based instruction. English is the language of instruction for all classes except for other languages. French, Spanish, Bulgarian, German (HS only) are offered along with physical education, art, music, theater, dance, and library. In both middle and high schools there are also additional courses in coding and robotics, global issues, sustainability, design and technology, orchestra, choir, creative writing, and forensic science. Student support includes English as an Additional Language (EAL), learning support, and counseling services. Students in elementary school have ready access to iPads and laptops. Students at AAS-Sofia in grades 6 to 12 bring their own laptops to school for use in their classes (BYOD). With their own devices in hand and with guidance from their teachers, engaged students have taken ownership of their education and are forming critical skills needed for success in learning and beyond. The school offers an extensive extracurricular program and is a member of the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) through which students participate in regional athletic and activity events. After-school
opportunities for elementary school students happen daily and benefit from a high participation rate, similar to the middle and high schools. The Council of International Schools (CIS) and The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredit AAS. This involves scheduled review and evaluation by an outside team and corresponding follow-up. The school is also authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as an IB World School.

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, AAS has 168 total staff including 88 teachers, 38 of whom are U.S. citizens, 29 host-country nationals, and 21 third-country nationals.

Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, AAS has 594 students (pre-kindergarten to grade 12).  Of the total population, 121 are U.S. citizens, 219 are third-country nationals, and 254 are host-country nationals.

Facilities: The state-of-the-art campus of eight hectares (19.7 acres) is located at the foot of Vitosha Mountain, in the Pancharevo region of Sofia. AAS is an award-winning facility (Building of the Year 2006, Building of the Year 2019, LEED Gold EBOM Award 2012 Leading in Energy and Environmental Design, and LEED Gold New Building 2013, LEED Gold 2021). The school building has a unique layout, which successfully combines design and functionality with energy efficiency. The school has three large wings (the Balkan Wing, the Vitosha Wing, and the Rila Renaissance Center). AAS facilities include a green roof, many open multipurpose areas for flexible learning environments, solar panels for heating water, photo-voltaic cells to collect energy, and a self-supporting water system that allows us to reuse graywater for toilets and irrigate green spaces with biologically cleaned graywater. The school offers many indoor and outdoor sports facilities (including two outdoor sports fields, an outdoor classroom, outdoor basketball courts , two tennis courts, two large gymnasiums), a theater, art studios, music rooms, a dance studio, science labs, a fitness room, two student-designed playgrounds that include zip-lines and a toboggan hill. The school has a garden and a pond. The library has 24,000 volumes, as well as a variety of online media. The science labs are well equipped and there is ample community space.

Finances: Annual tuition rates for 2023-2024 are as follows: Pre-kindergarten: €9,994; Kindergarten – Grade 5: €18,560; Grades 6-8: €19,960; and Grades 9-12: €21,322. The annual capital fee is €3,110. New students are charged a one-time registration fee of €1,007 payable on first enrollment and a one-time entrance capital fee of €1,560. For those who come to school by bus, the annual fee is €2,150. (All fees quoted in euros).

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective applicants of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and are provided by the school.