Reviews of Univerza v Ljubljani | Slovenia

Useful | 2

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Academic

Course recommendations

for sociology, little is available in english.. but a bit more every year. but you can pick up classes in all universities around town. i ended up studying economics, international relations and diplomacy (EXCELLENT CLASSES AND EXPERIENCES AT FDV), popular culture, protection of environment, tourism, and any classes, but only with books and meeting teachers now and then. the quality is different for each classes and faculties... you wont meet any local student in economic faculty, but in social sciences you will make dozens of friends.

My academic experiences

Quality of courses

Variety of courses

Access to resources

Interaction with teachers

Interaction with international students

Interaction with local students

Personal comments

More classes in English in certain faculties... I actually did not study what I was supposed to, but ended up studying a lot of fascinating things, I had a speech in front of foreign affaor minister at the national parliament... I now have solid backgrounds in different fields, I dont regret anything. My home university is happy with it.

My opinion of the university assessment

Exams at end of course

Exams throughout the course

Essays and/or projects at the end of course

Essays and/or projects throughout the course

Overall

Useful | 3

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Languages

Language of instruction: English

Local language was: Different than language of instruction

Was learning English a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my English

Was learning the local language a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language

How much did you improve your English?

My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

How much did you improve your the local language?

My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)

Language difficulties

Social

Educational

Administrative / Institutional

Overall

Personal comments

People speak English, especially students, and you wont have any problem. Ive had an intensive 4week language class in the beginning, just enough to get used to it... Slovenian is hard for most foreign students. I understand what people talk about most of the time, understand peoples' interactions, but thats it. Its sometimes not easy when you are alone with 10 local students (but you cant complain about that!). but overall, they are happy to adress you in English, and many also speak German, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Croatian etc... and they will be happy to practice your language. I was able to hitch hike around, and make basic communications in German, Slovene, English, Latin, Whateverian...

Useful | 5

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Overall

I wish I had known...

that I would give up learning Slovene so fast. I would be ready to come back here and fully learn it tho, provided i have time for it.

In my opinion:

Everybody loved it, you will too!

Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important

Academic reasons

3

Culture

4

Costs

3

Activities

2

Campus life

2

Party / people

2

Weather / location

3

Personal recommendation

They make it very easy and convenient for foreign students. It is one of the world's best welcome organization. They will make you go out, travel, meet people, discover things, until you do it yourself.

During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot

Became familiar with another culture

4

Traveled

4

Improved language skills

3

Met people from other countries

4

Became more independent

3

Partied a lot

4

Experienced a change in life

3

Advanced my studies & career

4

Final comments

Everybody keeps asking you "Why Slovenia??" Well, why not?! Theres absolutely nothing wrong with it. Its a very small country, which brings many advantages. To me, it was just an average European country, nothing special to be afraid of, many things to discover, safe, very nice people, although they can sometimes explain to you for 40 minutes in a club that they are not part of the balkans, that theyre more like Germans or Italians... Whatever, just go and find out by yourself. the education level is high, student facilities are excellent, one of the best place to travel from... I even went to Sicily for a week for free thanks to the University.

Useful | 2

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Expenses

Main source of funding:

Family

Other sources of funding:

Personal savings<br> An ERASMUS grant

Work opportunities:

I worked, but it was illegal/cash in hand work

Personal spending habits

Fantastic system of coupons to go and eat 3 course meals in maxican restaurants for 3€, macdonalds for 1.5€, chinese for 2€... etc, with 100 restaurants to choose from. food in supermarket is same price as western europe. Its OK, as a cooking Frenchman I didnt suffer as I did in England or Norway. Mobile phones is slightly cheaper. Housing is same price as Western Europe for the same quality, but I settled with less and was happy with it. Nightlife is way cheaper, which makes you drink 10 vodkas in a club instead of 3 beers in your home country. so the money spent is the same but its more fun. I travelled a lot around (many countries very near!), but it was rather cheap though. and Hitch Hiking is a true alternative, Ive used it to go back to France, to go to some croatian islands, to visit places in Slovenia, go and have a pizza in Italy... Overall, its slighlty cheaper than France, but you are very tempted to spend more. You wont have any big financial trouble though.

Nightlife, Travel:

was the same price as at home.

Housing, Telephone, Food, Overall:

was less expensive than at home.

Accessibility of student needs

Second-hand text books

Second-hand household items

Computers / Internet

Administrative

Money from home

Personal comments

I went every now and then getting Euros from an Italian bank (and to compare slovene and italian pizzas), and then exchange them in Slovenia. costs less. no financial surprise. Its almost useless working in Slovenia: very hard to find if you dont speak slovene, and the money is not worth it. its better to work a little in the summer before. I did earn a little money tho, from TV appearances to some french translations... its more for fun and experience. But overall, I didnt manage to spend all the money I had saved for this year. Ill try and spend it very hard next year.

Useful | 2

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Housing

Type of housing: different colocations through the year

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: colocation again...

Why?

It is the best independent way to choose who ull live with, and have your own place our of student craze.

Personal assessment

Cost

Facilities

Location

Cleanliness

Space

Personal comments

the university provides student doms (room sharing) for cheap, for about half students. they try and help the others find something. they wont let you down in a hotel for long. Ive had good and bad housing experiences, Ive lived in 4 different places in a year. But I know the city perfectly, great souvenirs, always possible to have some extra people crashing in the country without notice. Ive had some really odd flatmates, but they taught me rather OK slovenian

Useful | 2

jerome d

Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
International Relations, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Student life

Describe host city:

Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal social experience

Activities

Nightlife

Travel

Overall

Personal comments

I met hundreads of people in a year, Erasmus students and Slovene students, have been invited to countless parties, travelled to budapest, sicily, san marino, venise, trieste, vienna, zagreb, croatian coast, all around slovenia... Hitch hiking in Slovenia is a must: easy safe and fast. The city is burgeonning, many new places open every year, and there is for every taste: from Metelkova, the alternate free neighbourhood, to posh-expensive-showing-off Global. Just try and visit as much as u can, and see what you like. Parties can be wild anywhere. Student doms on tuesdays, drinking WeekEnds with the international student office, party in the park... you name it.

Univerza v Ljubljani

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