Initial Integration of Immigrants

You can obtain the certificate at the administrative office. There, you submit your application and pay the fee. You will not receive the certificate on the same day. It will be sent to you by mail or email.

We follow a standardized Slovenian language learning program. On the certificate, the program numbered 1 must be circled.

Enrollment is open year-round. First, you must submit an online enrollment application. Once we receive your application, we’ll send you an email within 14 days with all the enrollment details (date, time, location). Enrollment must be done in person. You must come in person to complete the enrollment process.

Courses start throughout the year, so you can enroll at any time.

Enrollment takes place in person in Ljubljana, at the headquarters of the Cene Štupar Institute. During enrollment, please fill out the required paperwork and submit the original certificate from your local administrative unit. We will also assess your prior knowledge of Slovenian during registration. The registration process takes about one hour. You must register in advance!

When you register, please bring a form of identification and a certificate confirming that you meet the requirements (from the local administrative office). It is recommended that you also bring a pencil.

The image shows an example of a certificate.

The course schedule is not set in advance. We will announce the schedule once we have enough registrations for the same time slot, at the same location, and with a similar level of prior knowledge of Slovenian. The schedule depends on the instructor’s availability. When placing you in a group, we take into account your chosen location and available time.

Approximate course dates:

• Morning classes: between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
• Afternoon classes: between 12:00 and 16:00
• Evening classes: between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
• Weekend courses: usually in the morning, between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. — only in Ljubljana

The start date of the course is not known in advance. We start new groups almost every month. We’ll place you in a group no later than two months after you enroll. We’ll start a group once we have enough registrations for the same time slot, the same location, and a similar level of proficiency in Slovenian. You’ll receive an email notification about the course start date.

The courses are held at various locations in Ljubljana, Domžale, Kamnik, Grosuplje, and Vrhnika.

Ljubljana: We offer courses at several locations in Ljubljana:

1. 5 Ambrožiča Novljana Street (BTC)
2. 11/12 Kališnikov Square (Ježica/Črnuče)
3. Thighs 7
4. Thighs 21

Domžale, Kamnik, Grosuplje, Vrhnika: We offer courses at these locations only in the evenings on weekdays (Monday through Friday, usually starting at 5:00 p.m.).

We do not offer weekend courses outside of Ljubljana. You can only attend weekend courses in Ljubljana.

When you register, you can choose a time slot (morning, afternoon, or evening) and a location (Ljubljana, Vrhnika, Kamnik, Domžale, Grosuplje). We’ll invite you to join the first available group based on your chosen time slot, location, and prior knowledge level. However, we don’t match you with a group on specific days just because that’s when you’re available.

No, you cannot switch groups once the course has begun. You are entitled to attend the Slovenian language course only once. You must begin and complete the course in the same group. As an exception, switching groups is permitted only if you move to another location.

Yes, you can take the exam even before the course ends.

If you have only submitted a request for a certificate, you must wait for the administrative unit to send you the certificate. The request alone is not sufficient to enroll in the course. You can only register for the course once you receive the certificate. If you have been waiting a very long time for the certificate, contact the administrative unit.

If you have a certificate with the number 2 circled, you can enroll in a survival-level Slovenian language course.

We do not offer these courses. Basic survival courses are offered by VERIS d.o.o. For information and registration, please contact them directly.

Once you complete the course with them, you are entitled to an additional 180 hours of Slovenian language instruction under the standardized ZIP program, which we administer. For this course, you must obtain a new certificate from the administrative office with the number 1 circled.

If your attendance rate is at least 80%, we will issue you a publicly recognized certificate of course completion at the end of the course. If your attendance rate is less than 80%, you will receive an internal certificate.

A certificate of course attendance is merely proof that you attended the course. It does not attest to your level of proficiency in Slovenian. To demonstrate your proficiency level, you must take an exam in Slovenian as a second and foreign language.

No. A certificate of course attendance is not sufficient to extend the temporary residence permit for accompanying family members. If you need to extend your temporary residence permit as a dependent family member, you must include a certificate proving your proficiency in Slovenian at least at the survival level with your application.

No. A certificate of course completion is not sufficient. You must also include a certificate of proficiency in Slovenian at least at the basic level (grade A2 or higher) with your application for a permanent residence permit. You will receive this certificate upon passing a state-recognized Slovenian language proficiency exam.

If you do not achieve an 80% attendance rate by the end of the course, you will not receive an officially recognized certificate of course completion. However, you may take the Slovenian language proficiency exam once free of charge. We recommend that you attend the course as regularly as possible to gain as much knowledge as you can. This will give you a better chance of passing the Slovenian language proficiency exam.