For school year 2024 - 2025 the College offers four full scholarships to entering students, accepted after Grade 7: two Polansky Scholarships, one Oberbauer Scholarship and one Gipson Scholarship. These scholarships cover tuition fees for the five years that students are enrolled at the American College.

All families of Bulgarian seventh-grade students who have successfully passed the entrance exam and are offered admission to the American College of Sofia may apply for the Polansky, Oberbauer and Gipson Scholarships.

Although the selection committee considers a number of different criteria, financial need is the most important criterion in the selection process.

The Polansky, Oberbauer, and Gipson Scholarships are funded by the Tianaderrah Foundation of New York.

The Polansky and Oberbauer Scholarships were established in 2008, and the Gipson Scholarship in 2018, and they will pay all tuition fees of each recipient for the entire period of his/her enrollment at the College, provided each recipient maintains the minimum academic performance requirements of the scholarships.

Named for the Hon. Sol Polansky (1926-2016), former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria (1987-1990). Mr. Polansky was instrumental in helping the College reopen in 1992. Mr. Polansky continued his deep involvement with institutions committed to the political, economic, and educational development of Bulgaria. He served on the Boards of Trustees of the American College of Sofia as well as the American University in Bulgaria. 

Named for Joseph Oberbauer. An engineer and architect, Mr. Oberbauer moved to Sofia in the 1890s from Austria. He was one of the principal architects of the city plan of modern Sofia. He lived in Bulgaria until his death in the 1930s.

These scholarships were established with a generous grant from the Tianaderrah Foundation. They are intended to foster the concept of civil service in Bulgarian society. 

Named for the Gipson family, extraordinary ACS friends and supporters, and philanthropists of long-standing. Nellie and Robert Gipson share an abiding belief in the essential role of education in building a civil and democratic society. Nellie Gipson worked at ACS in the 1990s and joined the ACS Board of Trustees in 2004. Robert Gipson is the recipient of the Cyril and Methodius Medal for his many years of leadership in support of Bulgarian education, science, and culture.

The Sunrise scholarship was established in 2021 by an ACS alum who has chosen to remain anonymous. Currently the scholarship covers the full tuition fee for the education of three Bulgarian students for the complete five-year term of education. The Sunrise scholarship will be offered with preference to a student from Plovdiv whose family has high financial needs. Bulgarian students, recipients of the Sunrise scholarship, residing outside of Sofia, will have the opportunity to be accommodated for free at the dormitory of the American College of Sofia.

The recipients of the scholarship will have to maintain a GPA for every semester of minimum 5.25 and exemplary conduct throughout the five-year course of study at the American College of Sofia.

The Robin Mittenthal scholarship was established in 2023 by ACS alumna of the first graduating class since the school's reopening Daniella Molle '97 in honor of her late husband. The scholarship covers the full tuition fee for the education of one Bulgarian student for the complete five-year term of education, the first recipient of the scholarship being an incoming 8th grade student in the school year 2023-2024 at the American College of Sofia and will be offered again in 2028. The Robin Mittenthal scholarship is offered with preference to a student from a minority, from a single-parent household or residing outside of Sofia, whose family has high financial needs. Bulgarian students, recipients of the Robin Mittenthal scholarship, residing outside of Sofia, will have the opportunity to be accommodated for free at the dormitory of the American College of Sofia.

The recipients of the scholarship will have to maintain a GPA for every semester of minimum 5.25 and exemplary conduct throughout the five-year course of study at the American College of Sofia.

1. Approved documents for financial support. 

2. Evaluation of a composition on a given topic. The candidates will be invited to write the composition at ACS. 

3. Interview with the candidates approved on the basis of their composition results. 

4. The candidates’ overall results from the Admissions Exam.

For more information about Financial Aid for the Polansky, Oberbauer, Gipson and Sunrise Scholarships, please contact the Business Office.

The Teodora and Darina Spasov Scholarship, the first scholarship by a Bulgarian citizen, is named after two sisters who graduated from ACS with the classes of 2004 and 2005 respectively. The scholarship was established in 2005 with the goal of partially supporting the girl in every Class who has the keenest financial need and maintains a GPA of minimum 5.00 and exemplary conduct throughout her course of study.

The Boris Lozanov Scholarship was established in the 2021-2022 academic year by ACS parent Lyubomir Lozanov, in honor of his father, Boris Lozanov. This scholarship awards €5,000 annually to a deserving student for each of the five years of study at the American College of Sofia. To be eligible, the student’s family must demonstrate significant financial need, and the student must maintain a GPA above 5.00 and exhibit exemplary conduct throughout their time at the College.

In 2024, Mr. Lozanov introduced a second scholarship, The Maria Vladimirova Scholarship, in honor of his mother. This scholarship follows the same application process and criteria as the Boris Lozanov Scholarship.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Lozanov family for their generous contributions to education in Bulgaria and their continued support of the American College of Sofia.