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Conducting Slovenian Language Proficiency Tests Based on the “Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language” Program
The Cene Štupar Institute – CILJ is an external contractor for the Center for Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language, which operates under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts (University of Ljubljana), responsible for administering proficiency exams in Slovenian as a second and foreign language in accordance with the officially recognized educational program “Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language.” We are also the contractor for the public procurement contract “Conducting Slovenian language proficiency tests based on the ‘Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language’ program.”
Description
Free administration of the entry-level or basic-level exam:
- a referral issued by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Care and Integration of Migrants (status of a person granted international protection);
- referral from the Employment Service of Slovenia;
- a certificate issued by an administrative unit
Client
Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Care and Integration of Migrants
Contract Number
C1542-25-000135, Sets 1 and 2
Project Duration
from 18. 12. 2025 or until the funds are exhausted, or no later than 31. 12. 2027.
Register for a free exam with Cene Štupar – CILJ
Sign Up for the Free “ZIP” Slovenian Language Course
Foreign nationals who are not citizens of the European Union, who do not have recognized international protection status, and who:
- reside in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of a permanent residence permit;
- reside in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of a temporary residence permit issued with a validity of at least one year;
- are family members of Slovenian citizens or EU citizens who reside in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of a residence permit for a family member, regardless of the length of their stay and the validity period of their temporary residence permit;
- reside in the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of recognized temporary protection in accordance with the law, which governs temporary protection for displaced persons, and to whom the competent administrative unit has issued a certificate confirming that they meet the conditions for a free initial assessment of their knowledge of the Slovenian language, as provided by law,
are eligible to take a one-time, free Slovenian language proficiency exam at the introductory, basic, advanced, and proficiency levels.
The competent administrative unit will issue the certificate to you based on the submitted application.
Key Information On May 16, 2024, the “Regulation on Providing Assistance for the Integration of Foreigners Who Are Not Citizens of the European Union” entered into force, introducing certain changes:
1. If you have a certificate titled “Certificate of Eligibility to Participate in the Slovenian Language Learning Program and to Take the First Slovenian Language Proficiency Test Free of Charge, ” the certificate indicates that you are eligible for a free course and a free exam. If you “Certificate of Eligibility for Participation in the Slovenian Language Learning Program and for a Free Initial Slovenian Language Proficiency Test” to enroll in the free course first, you must also submit a copy of your certificate of participation in the free course to the exam provider when you register for the exam.
- In this case, you are entitled to take your first free exam within one year of completing the free course.
2. If you have a certificate titled “Certificate of Eligibility for a Free Initial Slovenian Language Proficiency Test, ” you do not need to provide proof of attendance at a free course when registering for the exam.
3. If you have a certificate titled “Certificate of Eligibility for Participation in the Unified Program,” you must obtain a new certificate from the administrative unit for the free exam, titled “Certificate of Eligibility for a Free First Slovenian Language Proficiency Test.” Foreigners who have previously attended a free course but did not achieve an 80% attendance rate may also obtain a certificate for the free exam.
4. A candidate may take the exam even without having previously completed the free course.
5. Your exam registration is valid once you submit the original certificate to the exam provider.
6. When registering, the candidate selects the exam level (A1, A2/B1) and fills out the registration form.
7. The provider shall inform the interested candidate of the approximate schedule of the proficiency test at the same time as the test date.
8. The exam is administered individually and is taken only in person.
9. The knowledge test may be administered on several different days, but there must not be more than 7 days between them.
10. Interested candidates will receive the date and location of the exam no later than 30 days after submitting the original certificate.
11. The exam must be taken no later than 90 days after the original certificate is submitted.
12. If a candidate wishes to take the exam after the 90-day deadline, he or she must sign a written consent form.
13. If a provider has not scheduled an exam date within 90 days, it shall inform the candidate of the exam dates offered by other providers during that period. Exam dates for all providers
14. If a candidate completes only part of the proficiency test and has not provided a valid excuse for the other parts of the test, the candidate is considered to have failed the parts not completed.
15. If a candidate does not withdraw from the exam at least two business days before the exam date, he or she is no longer entitled to take the exam free of charge.
16. The candidate receives a certificate indicating whether he or she passed or failed the proficiency test.
The contracting authority and the contractor collect, store, and process candidates’ personal data for the purpose of implementing the program, in accordance with personal data protection legislation and pursuant to the tenth paragraph of Article 110 of the Aliens Act and Articles 60 and 61 of the Adult Education Act.
Legal framework: Article 106 of the Aliens Act, the Regulation on Providing Assistance for the Integration of Aliens Who Are Not Citizens of the European Union, Articles 60 and 61 of the Adult Education Act, Contract with UOIM No. C1542-25-000135, Modules 1 and 2
17. Illiteracy. When a person declares, in accordance with the Aliens Act, that he or she is illiterate, the service provider shall arrange for the person to take a proficiency test at the oral level only. Upon registration, the candidate must complete a special declaration and sign it in their own handwriting. In this case, after passing the exam, the person will be issued a certificate of oral communication proficiency, which will state that the person declared themselves illiterate, meaning that the certificate will not be valid for purposes such as citizenship, the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ), … Important: Illiterate applicants for Slovenian citizenship must obtain the appropriate certificate or decision authorizing them to take the basic-level Slovenian language exam for oral communication only at the administrative unit (they must submit the documentation obtained from their former school to the administrative unit). Illiterate candidates referred to the entry-level exam by the Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ) must obtain the appropriate referral from the ZRSZ.
More information: