How do you apply to an international school in Ljubljana? Contact the school directly, submit an application with the last two years of school reports, a passport copy and the birth certificate, then sit an English and maths assessment. Most schools take applications year-round for a September start, with the main round closing between February and April. Places in small year groups fill first.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by David from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Ljubljana is a small capital with a small international school market, and that combination shapes everything about international school admissions in Ljubljana. There are only a handful of genuinely international options, year groups are often a single class, and a school that had space in March can be full by June. Families who treat the application as a formality to be done after the move tend to find the year group they need is closed.
This guide walks through the sequence, the documents, the assessments and the enrolment rules that apply to foreign nationals in Slovenia.
How the Ljubljana market is structured
Most international provision sits within a few kilometres of the city centre, which in a city of under 300,000 people means almost everything is within a twenty-minute drive of the main expatriate residential areas. The unusual feature of Ljubljana is that one of the strongest international programmes runs inside a public school. Danila Kumar operates an international department alongside its Slovene programme, which means its costs are far below a standalone private campus and its admissions are shaped partly by public-sector rules.
The rest of the market is private: British-curriculum, IB-oriented and smaller bilingual projects. Each has its own admissions calendar, and none of them share a central application platform, so every application is separate.
Curricula you will be applying to
- International Baccalaureate: PYP and MYP are established in the city, with the Diploma Programme available at the upper end.
- English National Curriculum: including IGCSE, at the British-curriculum school.
- Slovene national curriculum with English support: the route most long-stay families eventually consider, and free at public schools.
- Bilingual and immersion projects: smaller, usually primary-focused, and often with different entry points.
Where to apply in Ljubljana
Danila Kumar International School
The international department of a public school, running the IB primary and middle years programmes. Ask early about capacity in your child's exact year group, because the department is deliberately small and does not expand to meet demand.
British International School of Ljubljana
An English National Curriculum school. Worth confirming which year groups are running as mixed-age classes in the year you are applying, since in a small school this changes from one intake to the next.
Ljubljana International School
An English-medium option aimed at internationally mobile families. Ask how many students typically leave at the end of each year, because in a transient intake mid-year places do open up.
ERUDIO International School
Part of a wider Slovene education group, which gives it a clearer route into local upper-secondary and tertiary study than the standalone international schools offer.
The admissions sequence, step by step
Step one, enquiry and tour. Contact the admissions office directly by email. Ask in the first message whether there is space in the specific year group for the entry date you need. That one question saves weeks.
Step two, the application form and documents. Every school will ask for the same core set: a completed application form, a copy of the child's passport or ID, the birth certificate, school reports for the last two academic years, and a passport photograph. Reports issued in a language other than English or Slovene usually need a translation, and some schools ask for it to be certified. Start that translation before you need it, because it is the step that most often delays an offer.
Step three, assessment. Expect an English language assessment and a maths paper appropriate to the year group, plus an interview with the head of section. For applicants to the final years of secondary, schools also look at whether the subjects already studied line up with what they can offer, which in small schools is a genuine constraint.
Step four, the offer and deposit. Offers usually come with a deadline of one to two weeks and a deposit to secure the place. The deposit is typically one term of fees or a fixed enrolment charge, and at most schools it is non-refundable once the place is accepted.
Step five, registration in Slovenia. Children of foreign nationals resident in Slovenia have the right to compulsory basic education on the same conditions as Slovene citizens, and newly arrived pupils in the public system are entitled to additional Slovene language instruction in their first year. Even if you are choosing a private international school, the residence registration and health insurance paperwork usually has to be in place before the school can complete enrolment, so run the two processes in parallel.
What it costs and when you pay
Indicative annual fees for 2026 entry run from roughly EUR 3,000 to 7,000 at the public international department and smaller bilingual projects, and roughly EUR 9,000 to 16,000 at the private English-medium schools. On top of tuition, budget for a one-off registration fee of EUR 200 to 1,000, a refundable or non-refundable deposit of one term, school lunches of roughly EUR 800 to 1,200 a year, transport where the school runs a bus, and examination entry fees in the IGCSE and IB Diploma years.
Practical advice for applicants
Apply before you sign a lease. In a city this size, the school decision should come first and the neighbourhood second. Reversing the order leaves families commuting across town for a place that was never in question.
Ask about the exit route, not just the entry. If your child will finish secondary in Ljubljana, ask precisely which IB Diploma or A Level subjects have run in the last three years. A published subject list and an actually taught subject list are different documents.
Keep a public school option open. Many families who arrive intending three years end up staying longer. The Slovene public system is well regarded and free, and the language support in the first year makes the transfer more realistic than parents expect.
Compare schools side by side
To see how these schools compare on curriculum, fees and parent feedback, start with our independent ranking: best international schools in Slovenia.
More guides to schools in Ljubljana
- How to choose an international school in Ljubljana
- Bilingual schools in Ljubljana
- Best international schools in Slovenia
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply for a September start in Ljubljana?
Aim to apply between January and March for the following September. Schools accept applications year-round, but the main round closes in late winter and small year groups are often full by spring. If you are applying later than April, ask directly about capacity before paying any application fee.
Does my child need to speak Slovene?
Not for the international schools, which teach in English and admit beginners. For the public system, Slovene matters more, although newly arrived pupils are entitled to extra Slovene instruction in their first year. Many international families learn the language gradually while the child studies in English.
Can we apply to more than one school at once?
Yes, and in a market this small you should. There is no central admissions platform in Ljubljana, so each application is independent and holding two offers briefly is normal. Watch the deposit deadlines, because accepting one place and then withdrawing usually means losing the deposit.