FAQ

Question: We missed the Open Doors days and the informational meetings for prospective students and their parents at ACS. Can we still visit the College and receive information about the application process? 
Answer: Yes. You just need to get in touch with Reception and we will help you arrange a tour around the ACS campus. During the tour you will be able to ask all your questions regarding the application process.

Q: Does ACS organize preparatory courses for prospective students? 
A: No. The entrance exam at ACS is consistent with the expected academic level of seventh-graders. No preparatory courses are needed to cope with the exam, which tests how applicants manage in an unusual situation. Preparation might be harmful by creating false expectations in the applicants as to the contents of the exam. ACS does not organize any preparatory courses, nor have we authorized any organizations or persons to engage in such activity.

Q: What documents are needed for the exam registration?
A: Exam registration is done online and will be available on our website in February. In order to register you need: (1) the applicant’s original grade book (бележник), certifying that the applicant is currently in seventh grade and has a GPA of at least 5.00 (out of 6.00, with 6.00 being the highest possible grade) for the first semester. For students from schools with electronic grade books - a signed and stamped first semester transcript listing grades and class hours per week, (2) A recent photo of the applicant.

Q: Should a parent be involved in the exam registration process and why?
A: Yes. During registration the parent needs to submit personal information and sign a declaration of consent with the exam conditions, which can be done by a parent only.

Q: Is it possible for just one parent, or the applicant, or a third party to make the exam registration on their own?
A: One parent can make the registration as long as he/she has all the documents needed for exam registration. The applicant or a third person, on the other hand, can not make the registration as the parent needs to submit personal information and sign a declaration of consent with the exam conditions and this can not be done by anyone but a parent (or guardian).

Q: Is it possible for a Bulgarian student to transfer to ACS after 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, or in the middle of a school year? 
A: Currently it is not possible for students who have only attended Bulgarian schools to transfer to ACS in the middle of a school year. However, the College offers admission to Bulgarian students after the completion of 8th and 9th grade when class size allows. For more details visit Bulgarian Students Admission after Grades 8 and 9.

Q: Which academic grades from seventh grade are taken into consideration when reviewing an application?
A: No grades from seventh grade are taken into consideration. The ranking of each applicant is based solely on their exam result. A GPA of at least 5.00 for the first semester is merely a pre-requisite for the exam registration. Later on, when enrolling a student at ACS, the same minimum GPA for the full school year is required.

Q: What identification documents do I need to have with me on the day of the exam?
A: Make sure you have with you one of the following identification documents: (1) a valid passport, (2) an authenticated student ID-card, or (3) a personal ID-card.

Q: What should I bring with me to the exam?
A: It is crucial that you bring an identification document (valid passport, authenticated student ID-card, or personal ID-card). You do not need to bring any pens and pencils, as all materials will be provided for you during the exam. Mobile phones will be turned off and collected in a corner of the exam room. You may choose to take something to eat and drink with you for the time before the actual exam starts. Water will be provided during the exam.

Q: When does the exam start?
A: Usually we ask candidates to arrive by 8:30 AM. Assisted by our student helpers the applicants are registered and taken to their exam rooms. The exam itself starts at approximately 10:00 AM.

Q: How long does the exam take?
A: A little more than 130 minutes. You have 30 minutes for the essay and 25 minutes for each of the four multiple choice/short answer portions of the test. Extra time is allotted for acquainting the candidates with the applicable instructions before each component of the test. The exam starts at approximately 10:00 AM.

Q: Is there a break during the exam between the essay and the test?
A: No.

Q: What is the approximate ratio of applicants to available places? 
A: The number of applicants varies between the years. In the last couple of years the ratio was roughly 3 : 1.

Q: What result do I need to achieve on the exam in order to be accepted at ACS?
A: There is no lower limit. It all depends on the results of all of the applicants. Currently, the College admits 180 students based on their admissions exam results. The top 110 boys and 110 girls are invited to enroll. The rest of the candidates are put on a reserve list. If positions are still available at the end of the enrollment process, reserve list candidates are invited based on their exam score, regardless of their gender.

Q: Do I have to answer all questions on the test to score high?
A: No. Try to answer as many questions as possible, starting off with the ones with obvious answers then proceeding to the ones that only require simple calculations. Only when you are done with those should you take up the most time-consuming questions. Candidates could consider leaving a few minutes at the end for filling in random answers to the questions you have not yet answered, as no points are deducted for wrong answers.

Q: How many children are there in each room during the exam?
A: The number varies between 15 and 20 depending on the classroom.

Q: How is the exam score calculated?
A: The score is a simple sum of the points from the essay and those from the test. The essay is worth 20% of the grade and the test is worth 80%.

Q: When will the results from the exam be ready?
A: This depends on the number of applicants. If the trend from previous years is repeated, the results will be ready approximately three weeks after the exam.

Q: What does the tuition fee cover?
A: The full tuition rate covers the education costs and materials, such as personal Chromebook, as well as use of the school laboratories, libraries, and sports facilities. The fee does not include food, transportation, school trips, and other supplementary costs.

Q: Do electives and clubs have participation fees?
A: No.

Q: Is there some kind of organized transport for the ACS students?
A: No.

Q: What is the dorm fee?
A: The dorm fee is set each year by the Board of Trustees. The fee covers three meals a day at the school’s cafeteria on week days, washing services, internet, cleaning the rooms, etc. For school year 2023-2024 the dorm fee for Bulgarian citizens is 5,600 Euro.

Q: Our child is among the accepted students, but we are afraid we will not be able to afford the full tuition fee. Can our child still study at ACS?
A: Absolutely. The families of all applicants we invite to enroll at ACS can apply for a tuition fee reduction. After all necessary documents have been handed in, the financial aid committee decides on the size of the fee reduction for each individual family. For more information please take a look at Tuition Rates and Scholarships.