I came to Slovenia in 2016 to study at the International Relations programme at the University of Ljubljana, but did not know Slovenian at all.

I passed a 60-hour course, where classes were held 2 times a week, and I mastered the Slovenian language at B2 level. I began to speak Slovenian confidently because I communicated with my group mates as much as possible. I constantly had to remind them to speak Slovenian with me, not English, because for me it was important.

In the first year of study, it was very hard for me – I went to the library all the time and studied a lot. It was necessary to do double work – first translate and understand all unfamiliar words in a text, and then study the topic. It really exhausted me and complicated the learning process. Therefore, in the first semester, I postponed two exams to the second half of the academic year. However, in the second semester, I passed all my exams! In particular, we had the subject “Basics of Economics”, which I passed in Slovenian and received 8! Now it is much easier for me, because I understand everything and speak Slovenian fluently. I recommend future students, who do not know the language, first, to acquire basic knowledge of Slovenian by passing intensive courses, and it is desirable that they take place shortly before the start of your studies. This way you will not forget the language, but, on the contrary, immediately start using it in practice. My second advice is to communicate as much as possible, “speak out” and do not be afraid to make mistakes! No wonder they say – he is lifeless that is faultless. It worked for me and it will work for you too!