Fulbright Bulgaria

14/08/2026

🏛️🌍 "This is an opportunity that simply cannot be missed."

Meet Angela Pencheva, archaeologist, representative of the Balkan Heritage Foundation, and Fulbright Visiting Scholar for AY 2026-27.

This spring, Angela will conduct research at the Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, where she will explore new approaches to the conservation, restoration, and presentation of archaeological sites in Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

For Angela, Fulbright is more than an academic opportunity. It's a chance to dedicate time to her own research, exchange ideas with colleagues from around the world, and return home with new perspectives that will benefit Bulgaria's cultural heritage.

💬 "At every stage of your professional journey, it's important to keep discovering new ideas, exchanging knowledge, and continuing to grow."

Congratulations, Angela! We look forward to following your Fulbright journey. 🇧🇬🇺🇸

📣 Inspired by Angela's story? The next competition for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program opens this fall. Stay tuned and start preparing for your own Fulbright journey!

12/08/2026

🎶🇧🇬 From America to the Rhodope Mountains.

Fulbright U.S. Student Researcher James Kogan took the stage at Gela, Bulgaria's most prestigious bagpipe competition, performing on the kaba gaida alongside some of the country's finest musicians. His heartfelt performance deeply moved the audience, who warmly applauded an American embracing Bulgaria's rich musical heritage with such dedication, respect, and skill. In recognition of his remarkable achievement, James received a special award for his outstanding performance.

Throughout his Fulbright year, James immersed himself in Bulgarian traditions while also reconnecting with his own roots by founding a vocal ensemble performing traditional Ukrainian songs in towns across Bulgaria.

This is the Fulbright spirit: learning, listening, preserving traditions, and building bridges through music. ❤️🇧🇬🇺🇸

11/08/2026

🇺🇸✨ Meet Tsvetelina Mancheva, recipient of the Bulgarian Leaders Fulbright Grant!

This fall, Tsvetelina will begin her Master of Science in Technology Management at Columbia University, taking the next step in her journey as a software engineer and future leader. We can't wait to see the impact she'll make when she brings her knowledge and experience back to Bulgaria.

📣 The competition for the 2027-28 Bulgarian Leaders Fulbright Grant opens in fall 2026 - stay tuned for the announcement!

06/08/2026

🏛️✨ What if a museum didn't just tell history, but invited you to experience it?

A fascinating new chapter is unfolding for the Historical Museum of Dimitrovgrad (Исторически музей Димитровград), where a multidisciplinary team led by Fulbright alumni Aneta Vasileva (architecture) and Velislava Petrova (cultural anthropology) is reimagining how museums can tell the stories of the communities they serve. Their winning concept will transform the museum into an interactive, participatory space that explores Dimitrovgrad's many identities, from its origins to its present and future.

Rather than presenting history as a fixed narrative, the new exhibition embraces multiple perspectives and encourages visitors to become part of the story. Through contemporary exhibition design, interactive experiences, and community participation, the museum will highlight Dimitrovgrad's remarkable ability to reinvent itself while preserving its unique character.

The project also brings together an international network of collaborators, including Fulbright U.S. Student Researcher James Kogan, whose immersive sound recordings will become part of the museum's permanent exhibition, adding a new sensory dimension to the visitor experience.

This inspiring collaboration perfectly illustrates the Fulbright mission: connecting disciplines, cultures, and people to create projects with lasting impact. By combining architecture, anthropology, history, sound design, and community engagement, the team is helping shape what could become one of Bulgaria's most innovative museums.

Read the full story on our website:

Dimitrovgrad’s Super-Power: Its Ability to Change While Remaining Itself

03/08/2026

📌 Please join us for a Zoom info session about Fulbright grants for U.S. citizens in Poland 🇵🇱, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 and Romania 🇷🇴.

⏰ August 6th, 2026 at 12:00 pm EDT (6:00 pm CET)

During this meeting, you will have the opportunity to meet representatives from three Fulbright Commissions – Fulbright Bulgaria, Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission and Fulbright Poland – and learn more about Fulbright grants for U.S. Students, Scholars and English Teaching Assistants (ETAs). You will also hear directly from Fulbright alumni about their experiences in these countries. We will conclude with a joint Q&A session, so please bring your questions!

This meeting is designed for potential U.S. applicants, Fulbright Program Advisors, and other university staff and administrators interested in current Fulbright opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe. We hope to see you there!

➡️ More info: https://fulbright.edu.pl/zoom-session-fulbright-grants-for-us-citizens-in-poland-bulgaria-and-romania/

✍️ Register for the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/RF6Vxph0SoG2qilGDw0ohw

31/07/2026

🚀 Advance your career with the world's leading project management certification. Whether you are leading projects today or preparing for your next career milestone, the PMP® / CAPM® Certification Training at Fulbright Bulgaria will equip you with the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to succeed.

Our intensive five-day course is fully updated for the new PMP® exam launching in July 2026 and is aligned with the latest PMI Exam Content Outline and PMBOK® 8th Edition. Led by Stefan Radev, PhD, PMP®, the training combines expert instruction, comprehensive exam preparation materials, and the 35 contact hours (PDUs) required to apply for the PMP® certification exam.

📅 Course dates:
September 25–27 and October 3–4, 2026

📍 Fulbright Bulgaria
12 Vitosha Blvd., Sofia

✅ Small-group, interactive training
✅ 35 PDUs certificate of completion
✅ Updated exam content and format
✅ Guidance on the PMP® application process

Early registration is open until September 1.

Take the next step toward internationally recognized project management certification and join a community of professionals committed to excellence.

Learn more and reserve your place:
https://www.fulbright.bg/en/project-management-professional-pmp-capm/

29/07/2026

🇧🇬❤️ "Bulgaria is full of surprises." As her Fulbright journey came to an end, U.S. English Teaching Assistant Sarah Beth Olson reflects on the country she has called home over the past academic year.

From breathtaking mountain hikes and fields of spring flowers to unforgettable meals and the warmth of the people she met along the way, Sarah discovered what so many Fulbrighters come to cherish: Bulgaria is a hidden gem waiting to be explored.

In this video, she shares a simple piece of advice for the next generation of Fulbright ETAs:

💬 "Be open to anything, even if it's outside your comfort zone."

Whether it's trying a bowl of шкембе чорба for the first time or joining a horo dance in the middle of dinner, Sarah believes that saying "yes" to new experiences is what transforms a year abroad into a lifetime of memories.

Her story is a beautiful reminder that the Fulbright experience is about much more than teaching. It's about curiosity, connection, friendship, and embracing every opportunity to learn from another culture.

Thank you, Sarah, for your enthusiasm, openness, and the impact you've made during your year in Bulgaria. We wish you all the best on your next adventure and hope Bulgaria will always feel like a second home. 🇺🇸🇧🇬

27/07/2026

🎥 "There are no age limits when it comes to growing as a person and continuing to learn."

For decades, Rosen Tsvetkov has been one of Bulgaria's most respected journalists, bringing important stories into our homes with professionalism, integrity, and curiosity. This fall, he begins a new chapter as Bulgaria's Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow for AY 2026-27.

Rosen will spend the academic year at Arizona State University, where he will collaborate with journalists and media professionals from around the world, expand his expertise, and become part of the global Humphrey network of accomplished leaders.

In this video, Rosen shares an inspiring message for anyone considering taking the next step in their career:

💬 "You have to find the courage within yourself to ignore the idea that everything has to happen by a certain point in your life. On the contrary, you have to step outside your comfort zone. You have to keep challenging yourself. And there are absolutely no age limits for that."

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is designed for accomplished mid-career professionals who are committed to lifelong learning and creating positive impact in their communities. Rosen's journey is a powerful reminder that growth never stops and that the best opportunities often begin when we dare to embrace something new.

We wish Rosen an inspiring year at Arizona State University and look forward to seeing the knowledge, ideas, and experiences he will bring back to Bulgaria.

Congratulations, Rosen! 🇧🇬🇺🇸

24/07/2026

📚 We are delighted to celebrate the work of Sofia University PhD student Adela Angelo Mirolevska, who continues to make a meaningful contribution to literary scholarship and translation following her Fulbright Visiting Researcher grant at Hunter College, New York, during AY 2025-26.

Adela is the author of the afterword to the newly published 2026 Bulgarian edition of Sylvia Plath's landmark poetry collection Ariel, translated by Rumen Pavlov and published by "Da" Publishing House. Her insightful essay offers readers a deeper understanding of one of the most influential voices in twentieth-century poetry.

In recognition of her expertise, Adela was invited alongside poet and literary critic Silvia Choleva to discuss the new edition on Bulgarian National Television's Култура.БГ, where she shared her perspectives on Plath's work, its enduring significance, and the challenges and rewards of bringing it to Bulgarian readers.

Adela's accomplishments reflect the lasting impact of the Fulbright experience, demonstrating how international research and academic exchange continue to enrich scholarship, literary criticism, and cultural dialogue in Bulgaria.

Congratulations, Adela! We look forward to following your future contributions to literary studies and translation.

🎥 Watch the interview here:

Стихосбирка „Ариел“ на американската поетеса Силвия Плат е издание, което излиза на български език в майсторския превод на Румен Павлов. Сборникът вкл...

22/07/2026

🎭🌍 Fulbright connections take center stage. In 2022, Bulgarian stage director Javor Gardev went to the North-Western University as a Fulbright Visiting Researcher. It was there that he first met Valleri Robinson, Associate Professor of Theatre Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Today, their academic collaboration continues in Bulgaria. As a 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Scholar, Valleri is conducting research in Sofia on her book, "Directing in Context: Javor Gardev's Transformative Theatre, 1994–2024", working closely with Gardev to document and analyze three decades of his groundbreaking work.

On July 10, Valleri traveled to the ancient Theatre of Epidaurus to witness the première of Gardev's new production of Bacchae, an event she describes as "one of the most remarkable experiences in the theater I'll probably ever have."

Reflecting on the performance, Valleri praised Gardev's visionary use of space, the immersive staging, and the remarkable collaboration between actors, designers, and the ancient venue itself.

"The premiere... felt like about a seven-minute standing ovation. It was stunning. It was astounding... cheers of 'bravo.' It was really quite a remarkable experience for everybody that was in the theater."

Her words capture not only the artistic triumph of the production, but also the enduring value of the Fulbright Program. What began as a scholarly exchange in Chicago has evolved into a lasting international collaboration, demonstrating how Fulbright fosters relationships that continue to inspire research, creativity, and cultural dialogue long after the grant period.

Congratulations to Javor and Valleri on this remarkable milestone. We look forward to Valleri's forthcoming book and to seeing this inspiring partnership continue to flourish.