Exchange students in Slovenia choose different options for accommodation. Universities offer rooms in their public student dormitories, some students choose to stay in private student dormitories whilst others find private accommodation. Prices vary between cities and also depend on the type of accommodation chosen.
For more information about accommodation read the Accommodation page.
You might decide to open a bank account in Slovenia. This is especially popular among people from non-EU countries, due to the high charges imposed when withdrawing money. To open a bank account you need a personal identification document (ID), an EMŠO number (you will receive your Slovenian personal identification number once you enroll) and a Slovenian tax number.
A tax number is a unique identifier of a person for tax purposes. To get a tax number you need to complete the form for obtaining a tax number for foreign persons, and submit a copy of your ID and residence permit. You can either send the document or submit it in person to one of the tax administration offices. If you decide to submit it in person, a tax number may be assigned immediately.
More information
Slovenia has been using the euro since 2007. The euro is used by 15 other member states of the European Union, all of which have the same banknotes. Coins differ between countries, because each country adds their own design on one side of the coin. The exchange rate and rate of commission differs depending on where money is exchanged.
People in Slovenia are used to drinking tap water as it is clean and uncontaminated. The quality of the water differs from region to region because of multiple water systems. Among the cities, Maribor has the best quality of tap water. If you prefer bottled water, the choice in stores is wide and also includes some from local sources.
Slovenia can be considered a wine country. It has three wine growing regions and multiple types of wine that are only produced in Slovenia, as well as the oldest grapevine in the world (in Maribor). There is a vineyard or winery for every 70 people in the country. If you are interested in wine you can visit wine cellars around the country and don’t forget to try Slovenian Teran, Refošk, Traminec, Cviček and a few other wines.
Beer is also popular in Slovenia. The main brands are Laško and Union. There are also some restaurants with smaller breweries that serve their own beer.
Slovenians also love to prepare homemade spirits. Favourite aperitifs include slivovka (from plums), sadjevec (various fruits) and borovničke (from blueberries).
The following numbers should be dialled in the case of an emergency:
AMZS towing is not free, so in the case of a rental car it is advisable to check with the rental company which company they use.
Today’s cuisine in Slovenia is strongly influenced by neighbouring countries, but traditional Slovenian cuisine is still available in some restaurants. Some of the protected foods and food products with the designation of origin are Idrijski žlikrofi (dish made from dough filled with a stuffing), Prekmurska gibanica (dessert with 4 different fillings), Karst prosciutto and Tolminc cheese. Other traditional meals are buckwheat dumplings with sauerkraut and krvavice, potica, kremšnita, Carniola sausage, jota, Prekmurje bograč and many more.
If you want to know more about Slovenian cuisine check this page.
The official slogan of the I Feel Slovenia campaign that comprehensively represents life in Slovenia. Slovenians are a very active nation and enjoy outdoor recreation in the green hills, mountains, crystal clear lakes, rivers or at the seaside, walking, hiking, cycling, skiing…summer or winter time. We have a strong relationship to and with nature.
Ljubljana is the first EU capital to adopt a zero waste strategy (no rubbish is sent to landfills and incinerators) and was declared as the European green capital for 2016. This shows that dealing with rubbish is an important topic in Slovenia. Recycling rates have changed considerably lately. Every block of flats or house has a normal bin – for mixed waste – and an organic waste bin in the courtyard and other recycling bins nearby. Recycling is strongly encouraged.
There are two kinds of public holidays in Slovenia – national holidays and religious holidays, not all of them are work–free days.
The work free days in 2022 are:
8 February: Slovenian cultural festival – Prešeren Day 18 April: Easter Monday 27 April: Uprising Against the Occupation Day 2 May: Labour Day 15 August: Feast of the Assumption 17 August: Merging of Prekmurje Slovenians with the rest of Slovenia after World War I (not a bank holiday) 31 October: Reformation Day 1 November: All Souls Day 23 November: Rudolf Maister Day (not a bank holiday) 26 December: Independence and Unity Day
University academic calendars might differ between universities. See here for more detailed information: Ljubljana, Maribor, Primorska, Nova Gorica.
Ljubljana, Maribor and some other smaller towns offer free Wi-Fi in the city centre. The WiFree Ljubljana wireless network can be used for up to 60 minutes a day. Free wireless connection in Maribor can be used for up to 2 hours a day. Most restaurants, bars or pubs in towns and cities also offers free network connection to their customers.
In order to be able to work as a student in Slovenia, there are special rules that have to be followed. Foreign students that are here on international exchange programmes and have the status of student at one of the Universities in Slovenia can also work through this system.
If you want to learn more, visit our Working page.
Karst is a type of landscape that can be found in almost half of the area of Slovenia. You can find the picturesque “Kras” phenomena in the South-West teritory and it gave a name to karst type terrain all over the world. It’s main characteristic is limestone as a geological foundation. Slovenian Karst is home to many cavesa and you can visit most of them. The most famous is the Postojna cave, home to the very special, unique Human fish (Proteus anguinus).
Read more about Karst.
Živijo! The Slovenian language belongs to the group of South Slavic languages. It is one of the most diverse Slavic languages, because there are around 50 dialects divided into seven groups. There is a Slovenia proverb: “Every village has its own voice”.
Are you interested in learning the Slovenian language? Find out more about it here.
When you come to Slovenia you will probably get yourself a Slovenian phone number. It is necessary to have one if you want to use food coupons. There are four Slovenian mobile operators: Mobitel, Simobil, Telemach and Izimobil. Some organizations which support exchange students might offer one of them to you free of charge. Ask the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) section in your city about it.
Noise regulations in Slovenia are similar to other countries. Residential noise is prohibited after 10pm. Most student dormitories have security guards that make sure the rules are followed. The same rule about noise applies for private accommodation. Anyone making a noise after 10pm can be fined, but it depends on where you live and how strictly these rules are enforced.
You may also be fined in Slovenia if you:
Expect to be treated respectfully, but some rules or procedures are subject to different interpretations by officials. Native help is very welcome; ask your tutor or international relations officer for help.
Info about Visa and Residence permit
The popularity of public transport differs from city to city.
Ljubljana offers day- or night-time buses around the city. You can buy a time limited ticket, a monthly ticket or card with a certain amount of rides. There are also discounts for students. One 90-minute ride, with an option of changing buses, costs €1.20 and monthly tickets cost €20. For more information about connections and prices check the Ljubljana public transport web page.
Maribor public transport offers daytime buses around the city. A single ticket costs €1 and the city centre bus costs €0.50. You can also purchase a student monthly ticket, but in Maribor most students walk or use bikes. For more information about connections and prices check the Maribor public transport web page.
City transport in Koper is cheaper than in Ljubljana or Maribor. Single tickets cost €0.8 and monthly tickets cost €10. For more information about connections and prices check the Koper public transportation web page.
To travel between cities you can use train services. There are different types of trains travelling through Slovenia. For travelling within Slovenia there are three main types of trains. The first type is the regional, or local, train (RG/LV) which connect Slovenian towns on shorter and longer routes. This is the cheapest, though the longest, way to travel. The second type is the EuroCity (EC) train, which refers to international trains which go through major cities and make less stops than regional trains. The last type is the InterCity Slovenia (ICS) which connects Ljubljana and Maribor and only has 3 intermediary stops. This is the most expensive, but the shortest option. For more information about connections and prices check the Slovenian Railways web page.
Students in Slovenia commonly use shared rides, because they take less time. You can find rides between Slovenian cities and connections to other European cities on Prevoz.org or on BlaBlaCar.
You might have noticed, or will notice, that there are A LOT of churches in Slovenia, over 800 in fact. Many are perched on top of hills and often even the smallest of villages has at least one church. This would lead one to believe that the nation is very religious and, in the past, this was the case when the majority of the population were Roman Catholics. Nowadays, however, whilst Roman Catholics still significantly outnumber other religions, times are changing and the numbers of people attending church on a regular basis are noticeably falling. Minority religions include Protestant, Orthodox, Islam, as well as numerous others.
Shops in Slovenia have different opening hours depending on the size and location. Big shopping centres are usually open from 9am until 9pm. Supermarkets usually open around 7 or 8am and close around 7pm. Most of the bigger shops have reduced opening times on Sundays. If a supermarket is open on a Sunday it will close at 12pm or 1pm, though some shopping centres might be open until 3pm or even later. Most of the smaller specialist shops are closed on Sundays.
Slovenia offers the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian Plain and the Karst. All of these can be experienced in a small country in the heart of Europe. Slovenians are proud of their country’s natural diversity, architecture and traditional cuisine.
Slovenia has the oldest vine in the world (Stara trta in Maribor), the biggest ski jump in the world (Planica) and the lowest lying dining room in Europe (the Velenje Mining Museum). You can walk around Slovenian cities, climb at one of the hundred natural climbing areas, swim in the sea or lakes, ski at of the numerous ski resorts or cycle and hike in the well-preserved natural greenery of Slovenia.
Slovenia has something for everyone. Find more on the official travel guide from the Slovenian tourist board.
There are three public universities in Slovenia: University of Ljubljana, University of Maribor and University of Primorska. In addition, there are also private universities (University of Nova Gorica), academies or faculties. Check the list with connecting pages here.
Vine growing has an old tradition in Slovenia. There are three main vine gorwing regions: Podravska (North-East), Posavska (South-East) and Primorska (South-West). On a global scale, Slovenian wines are quite important, special and known for their quality and taste. Almost 70% of Slovenian wines fulfil the criteria for quality and premium wines, which is definitely a result of a highly-developed wine culture and demanding wine lovers –more info.
Slovenian authentic vines include: Zelen, Pinela, Pikolit and Vitovska grganja. In Maribor grows the oldest vine grape in the world – over 400 years old Black Velvet (Žametna črnina).
Slovenian diversity doesn’t stop with nature. Slovenian climate knows the four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) and combines three climatic influences – a harsh Alpine climate prevails in the mountains, the coast has a sub-Mediterranean climate, and the north-east lowlands have a continental climate. During winter temperatures are around 0°C or below and in the summer up to 25°C or 30°C. In autumn the weather can change constantly from sunny mornings to rainy afternoons.
The Slovenian national anthem is called Zdravljica, which translates as ‘A Toast’. It was written by the famous Slovenian poet France Prešeren. Listen to the lovely vocal interpretation recorded on the tower of the Ljubljana Castle.
Share:
info@studyinslovenia.si
[recaptcha]