AUBG Raises the “Monopoly Money” with 33.3%

Students at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) are reacting negatively to a proposed 33.3% increase in the annual meal plan deposit, part of a broader budget proposal for the 2026–2027 academic year.

On January 28, 2026 the Student Government of AUBG sent an email from its 13th Regular Meeting in which they stated that there is a new budget proposal for the Academic Year 2026–2027. The proposal featured a 3% tuition increase, meal plan deposit rising to €400 per year, and increase in housing prices of around 2.5% yearly. This is because some faculty members expressed dissatisfaction with the current salaries.

The sharp increase in the meal plan deposit has raised the most concern among students. Many question both the necessity of the increase and the value they receive in return.

Elena Angelovska, who is the representative to the committee in the student government, explained that this increase is in order for AUBG to secure revenue, and theoretically improve the quality of the food.

If the price increase comes into force, all students in AUBG will be affected, most of which see the change negatively. Most upset however will be 3rd and 4th year students, as they are forced to move out of the campus and live further away from the canteen making it even harder for them to spend that “monopoly money” as some call it.

Ilia Ushev, a student at AUBG, said he rarely uses his meal plan because he is dissatisfied with the food. “I don’t even use the money in the canteen, because the food is not good,” he said. He added that any unused balance is reset at the end of the academic year and is lost. “At this point, they are just trying to get as much profit as they can from us.”

The Student Government Board stated that it will ensure “the students’ voices are officially heard” before the proposal is voted on.

Final increases of the fees for students are expected to be published between April and May 2026.