Stanislava Stoykova was born in Varna (Bulgaria) in 1980. She received her first violin lessons at the age of nine, switched to the viola at the age of 14 and was accepted to the specialised music high school in her hometown. After graduating from high school, she began her studies at the State Academy of Music in Sofia, which she continued in 2001 at the University of the Arts in Berlin with Ulrich Knörzer and from 2004 at the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar with Erich Krüger. In the 2004/05 season, she was member of the Orchestra Academy of the Frankfurt Opera. From 2005 to 2007, Stanislava Stoykova was a member of the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker, where she was taught by Wilfried Strehle. She completed her soloist diploma with honours in Felix Schwartz's class at the Rostock University of Music.

She was member and principal viola of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester from 1999 until 2005 and of the New Symphony Orchestra in Sofia. She also played in the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and in numerous chamber music ensembles. Stoykova has been a member of the Staatskapelle Berlin since September 2007. She is also a member of the salon orchestra "Unter'n Linden", made up of musicians from the Staatskapelle. Since 2018, she regularly tutors the viola section of the GMJO.