IB Diploma: University Admission in Slovenia

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

For an IB student, Slovenia is straightforward on paper. The full IB Diploma is treated by law as equal to the Slovenian general matura, which is the entry requirement for university programmes, so you do not go through the recognition procedure that other foreign school certificates need. The difficulties are the timing, because IB results arrive in July, and the language of the programme.

Which IB document counts

According to the joint call for 2026/27, the IB Diploma is equivalent to the general matura certificate under the Matura Act and needs no recognition. The proof the call accepts is the IB diploma or, if the diploma has not been issued yet, the IBO Results summary that says "Diploma Awarded" or "Bilingual diploma awarded". A course result without the diploma is not enough for the matura route.

The call also says that candidates who receive an IB certificate rather than the diploma must go through recognition of education. See document recognition for Slovenia. The same equal status applies to the European Baccalaureate, though its grades are converted by a different rule.

What programmes require

For university programmes and single-cycle master's programmes, the entry condition is the general matura or an equivalent. Some programmes add a specific condition, an aptitude test or a language level, so read the entry line for each programme in the call. The call does not give an IB subject list, so ask the faculty if a programme depends on a subject you did not take. For the rules, see how to get into a university in Slovenia.

How your IB result is scored

If applicants who list a programme first outnumber its places by 10% or more in the first round, enrolment is limited and applicants are ranked by points. For IB holders, the call says:

• the result of the IB is converted to the Slovenian scale under the Regulation on the implementation of the International Baccalaureate programme
• that result also stands in for your grades of the third and fourth year, in the share of points the programme sets for them

So the IB overall result does the work of both the matura and the school grades. Each programme publishes its own weights in the call, and our catalogue shows past minimum scores for programmes that limited enrolment. See all programmes in Slovenia.

Deadlines

Slovenian deadlines come before IB results:

• the first application on eVŠ runs from 18 February to 18 March in 2026
• applicants who finish school in 2026 and take the IB in Slovenia have their results sent by their school on 10 July, with their consent
• applicants who take the IB abroad must upload their IB documents by 31 July in the first round, or by 27 August in the second round

In practice, you apply in February or March, before you have your results, and upload the diploma or the IBO Results summary by the end of July. The dates for 2027 will be in the next call. See admission calendar for Slovenia.

Non-EU IB students

Non-EU citizens apply for the places announced for foreigners, in the periods each institution sets. The University of Ljubljana's second period for non-EU applicants, on 2 and 3 September 2026, is open to some groups without a first-round recognition decision, and IB and European Baccalaureate diploma holders are among them. That gives IB holders a route to apply in September even without a first-round decision. Non-EU citizens who completed secondary school in Slovenia apply in the round for Slovenian and EU citizens.

Language

Most programmes are in Slovenian, and some require proof of the language at a level set by the programme. If you studied in English, look at the 12 programmes taught in English as well as Slovenian. The University of Ljubljana's English-taught business programme asks for English at B2 before enrolment. See bachelor's degrees in English in Slovenia and IB Diploma universities in continental Europe.

Where to look next

• Student visa for Slovenia
• How much it costs to study in Slovenia
• Admission calendar for Slovenia

Official sources

• Common provisions of the call 2026/27, items 6 and 9 and annex 6 (in Slovenian)
• Application periods for non-EU foreigners 2026/27 (in Slovenian)
• University of Ljubljana: recognition and validation procedure

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.