The modern Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA) is a state tertiary institution located in Varna. The academy has its own flag,  seal and holidays:

7 December – Patron Day (The birth date of poet Nikola Vaptsarov).

9 January – Day of the Academy (Date of its establishment).

Maritime School is the name under which Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy is popularly known. The academy is the oldest technical educational institution in Bulgaria. It has contributed not only to the development of the Bulgarian Navy, but also to the growth of this country’s technical intelligentsia and the establishment of Bulgarian maritime industry.

Today Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy is  national institution for tertiary education, training and research in the field of national security and defense, maritime business and maritime technologies.

The academy has received accreditation by the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation as tertiary educational institution valid for six years.

The structure of the academy consists of three main units:

Navigational Faculty,

Engineering Faculty,

Postgraduate Studies Department (PGSD)
Training is conducted in 12 undergraduate, 13 masters and nine doctoral programs. The number of cadets, students and doctoral students exceeds 2,000.

Every year over 3,500 officers, NCOs, civilian personnel and civilians undergo training in the post-graduate, training and specialized courses for marine and other specialists.

Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy employs 116 qualified lecturers – officers and civilians, 44 of which professors and associate professors, and 21 lecturers have PhDs.

Commandant of Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy is Commodore Prof. Boyan Kirilov Mednikarov, DSc.