Ljubljana

Anastasia Presente, SoSe 2024

If you get the opportunity to spend a semester or a year abroad you should definitely take it.
I spent my erasmus Semester in Ljubljana, Slovenia and I had a lovely experience. I was there from the end of February to the end of June. It was an amazing experience because I met many students from various countries. Moreover, I discovered a new country and got to travel a lot.  Also, my English improved because I spoke it on a daily basis at university and with the people that surrounded me.

University life

At University I took courses that were held in English, more or less half of them were offered by the English Department, and the other half were courses offered by different departments, for example, the Department of History or Music. It was interesting to learn new subjects that I usually do not study.
The level of the courses was appropriate, they were not too difficult but also not too easy.
The University of Ljubljana is excellent, all the professors and staff are very nice and always willing to help you. The professors were competent and spoke good English, some of them were even native English speakers.
 

Accommodation and public transport

I lived in a shared apartment near the centre. I shared the apartment with another girl. We had to share our bedroom, but we also got a bathroom and a kitchen on our own
It took me more or less 10 minutes by bus to reach the University and the centre. The apartment was located in a green area where you could take walks and enjoy nature. In addition to that, there was a park nearby where I always went to rest and read. I would suggest looking for private accommodation. I have heard numerous complaints about the dormitories: other students mentioned constant parties, making it difficult for them to get any sleep.
Moreover, it is almost impossible to find good accommodation in the centre of the city, try to search a little further from the centre, public transportation is highly efficient so it’s no problem to get to the centre.
For public transport I used the Urbana card, it costs 20 euros per month, which is a good price. A single ride costs more or less 1 euro, and you will definitely use the bus more than 20 times a month.

Trips and travel

During my stay in Ljubljana, I had the chance to travel a lot. Due to Slovenia’s central location, you can reach the neighbouring countries quickly. The student organisation ESN organised various trips which I attended. I would recommend their trips because they are affordable and well-organized. I visited, the coast of Slovenia, Venice, Trieste, Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. Moreover, with friends, I went to Zagreb by train.  We also rented a car and did several trips within Slovenia.

Ljubljana is a safe and calm city. If you like cities that are not big, Ljubljana is perfect for you.
It is never crowded and it’s not a busy city like others. The Slovenians are friendly and always willing to help you. Almost everyone, except the elderly, speaks good English.

Overall, I had an amazing experience in Ljubljana, I fell in love with the city and the country, and I met people from all over the world. I would recommend Ljubljana as an erasmus destination if you like small cities and enjoy spending time in nature.