On the territory of Slovenia, there are 47 colleges, in which 29 study programmes are represented. Each year, more than 10,000 applicants, including citizens of other states, choose these educational institutions. Colleges of Slovenia attract foreigners because of the wide choice of study programmes, the opportunity to obtain a residence permit for the period of study, and, of course, the high quality of education.
Future students can choose any major – from Cosmetology to Nature Conservation, from Mechatronics to Marketing! But who are they, these numerous foreign students?
Education in Europe for All Ages
European education attracts not only yesterday’s schoolchildren from different countries. There is no age limit here! In general, all applicants can be divided into the following groups:
- Teenagers who have just completed their last year at school. Slovenia’s colleges belong to the stage of higher education called “Višja šola”. This means that any person who has completed high school or college in his/her native country, passed all of the final exams successfully and received a final certificate/diploma, can become a student. Slovenian colleges are a great way for students to start a career in Europe. Education in such educational institutions provides up to 40% of practice in the leading companies of the country. Most often, yesterday’s students are happy to be hired at those enterprises where they passed their internship.
- People who have decided to receive additional education. For those who dream of mastering a sought-after speciality without spending 3–5 years for studying at a university, Slovenia’s colleges are an excellent option. Training here lasts only 2 years (4 semesters). Once a diploma is received, you can start looking for a job of your dreams.
- People who want to get a residence permit. Studying in a Slovenian college is one of the ways to obtain residence permit status. Most study programmes do not require entrance exams. Only for some of them, you need to perform a creative task. There are no mandatory requirements for knowledge of the language, so there are usually no difficulties with admission. In addition, students have the right to combine work with study, and most have been successfully doing this since their translocation to Slovenia.
Challenges and Pitfalls
Many undeservedly believe that if there are no entrance exams, then there is no need to prepare for admission to an educational institution. This common misconception is most often the cause of disappointment in the future. What difficulties can students face?
- Language barrier. Despite the fact that English has long been recognised as an international language, teaching in Slovenia is conducted in the national language. Therefore, we recommend mastering Slovenian at least at the basic level. It is an easy task, especially for speakers of other Slavic languages. You will have no difficulties, while the obtained knowledge will be an excellent base during adaptation in the new state and help with employment.
- Incorrect preparation of documents. It is worth taking care in advance that by the time you are admitted to your chosen educational institution, all the necessary documents are well-prepared. The terms for issuing some certificates can be delayed up to 2 months, other papers, on the contrary, have a limited validity period. If you do not pay due attention to this, you can miss the enrolment to your dream study programme.
- Failure of deadlines. In Slovenia, there are several rounds for admission to universities and colleges. Many applicants hope that if they do not have time to get enrolled during the first round, they will definitely enter during the second one. However, vacant slots for the chosen study programmes may simply finish. During the second round, applicants can be enrolled only in those study programmes that still have vacant slots for admission.
2TM experts will advise you on any issues related to admission to colleges in Slovenia. We will help you choose a study programme and prepare all the necessary documents so that you do not miss anything!
