A non-EU student admitted to a full degree programme in Slovenia needs a temporary residence permit for study (dovoljenje za začasno prebivanje zaradi študija), not a type D visa. It is issued for up to one year and renewed each academic year. Nationals who need a visa to enter, such as Russian citizens, file the first application at a Slovenian embassy, for Russia the embassy in Moscow, or, if they are already lawfully in Slovenia on a Schengen visa, at any Slovenian administrative unit. You must show at least $580 (€507.43) a month, health insurance, a police clearance certificate and proof of admission.
This guide covers the two ways to apply, the document list, fees, timing, renewal, the right to work, and what changed for Russian citizens in 2022 and 2025.
What the permit is and who decides
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Official name | temporary residence permit for study; the card is marked "študent" |
| Validity | for the length of study but no more than one year; usually until 30 September of the following year |
| Who decides | a Slovenian administrative unit (upravna enota), even when you apply at an embassy |
| Who can apply | the student, or the educational institution on the student's behalf; the institution cannot collect the card for you |
| What it depends on | enrolment in your programme; you must report at once if you interrupt, finish or leave your studies |
| Processing | the law requires study applications to be handled as a priority; official sources give no fixed number of days |
Slovenia issues type D visas for study to exchange students. If you are enrolling in a full bachelor's, master's or doctoral programme, you need the residence permit.
Two ways to file the first application
1. At a Slovenian embassy abroad. This is the standard route if you need a visa. A Russian citizen applies at the Slovenian embassy in Moscow and gives fingerprints there. The embassy forwards the file, an administrative unit in Slovenia decides, and you collect the card in person. The University of Ljubljana advises applying as soon as you are admitted, ideally 3–6 months before arrival, and warns that with this route you may not arrive in time for the 1 October start.
2. At an administrative unit in Slovenia. The Foreigners Act allows a first application inside Slovenia if you are there lawfully: visa-free (for nationals of visa-exempt countries), on a Schengen C visa issued by Slovenia or another Schengen state, on a residence permit from another EU state, or on a type D study visa from another EU state. You must apply before your permitted stay ends. A timely application earns you a certificate that counts as a residence permit until the final decision.
A C visa must still be issued for the genuine purpose of your trip, not as a workaround. Comparing the two routes:
| Via an embassy | Inside Slovenia | |
|---|---|---|
| When it fits | no valid Schengen visa, or you want certainty before leaving | you are already lawfully in Slovenia, e.g. on a C visa |
| Biometrics | at the embassy | at the administrative unit |
| Status while waiting | you stay at home until the decision | the filing certificate lets you remain |
| Main risk | missing the 1 October start | your visa or visa-free period expiring before you file |
| Paying fees | at the Moscow embassy, cash in euros only | bank transfer or at the administrative unit desk |
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) was rolled out at Schengen external borders from 12 October 2025 and was due to cover all crossing points by 10 April 2026, so passports are no longer stamped. The University of Ljubljana advises keeping proof of your entry date, such as the slip issued after biometric registration, a boarding pass or a ticket, because the date goes on the application form.
Documents
The list follows Infotujci and the University of Ljubljana for 2026/27.
- Completed application form for a study permit.
- Photo, 35×45 mm, suitable for biometric documents.
- Passport valid at least 3 months beyond the requested period, plus a copy. Because the permit is renewed every year, the University of Ljubljana suggests a passport valid at least until the end of December of the following year.
- Health insurance covering at least urgent care in Slovenia.
- Proof of funds of at least $580 (€507.43) per month for the whole period (see below).
- Police clearance certificate from your home country, no older than three months, apostilled where applicable and officially translated into Slovene. It is not required again for three years when you renew.
- Proof of admission or enrolment in a Slovenian programme.
- Any further documents the administrative unit requests in your case.
How much money you must show, and how
The student minimum equals Slovenia's basic minimum income, which has been $580 (€507.43) a month since 1 April 2026, about $6,910 (€6,089) per academic year. The figure is reviewed periodically, so check the current amount before you apply.
Accepted proof under the law includes:
- a bank statement from an account in Slovenia or abroad;
- a scholarship or funds provided by the educational institution;
- income from work, pensions, insurance benefits, property or capital;
- a written statement from your parents or legal guardian that they will support you, if the law of your country obliges them to.
The parental statement is handled differently in different places. The University of Ljubljana says the Ljubljana administrative unit accepts a statement signed by one parent in English or Slovene without notarisation. Infotujci refers to a certified and translated statement. If you apply through an embassy, confirm the required form there.
Fees and processing time
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Issue or renewal of a student permit | $57 (€50) |
| Application fee | $5 (€4.50) |
| Card production | $18 (€15.47) |
| Total when applying in Slovenia | $79 (€69.97) |
These are the amounts the University of Ljubljana gives for the Ljubljana administrative unit. If you file at an embassy, a consular fee applies; ask for the amount when you book.
Neither Infotujci nor the universities give a processing time in days. Study applications are handled as a priority, but actual timing depends on the embassy or administrative unit. Build in a buffer: have your admission documents, police clearance and proof of funds ready by the time the university issues its decision.
After you receive the card
- Register your address. In a student dormitory the administration does it. In private housing you must register within 8 days of receiving the permit, and your lease should cover the permit's validity.
- Join ZZZS health insurance if you did not arrive with EU coverage or cover under a social security agreement; you need proof of enrolment and form M-1.
- Open a bank account and get a tax number, both needed for student work.
- Report changes. If you stop studying, withdraw or complete your programme, notify the administrative unit immediately.
Renewing every year
Apply for renewal before your current permit expires, usually by 30 September. The University of Ljubljana says you can apply up to 60 days before expiry, including by post. You will need a new enrolment certificate, proof of funds and insurance; police clearance is not required again for three years.
Can you work?
Yes. With a study permit you can work through a student employment service using a referral (napotnica); you will need a tax number, a Slovenian bank account and an enrolment certificate. The minimum for student work since 5 February 2026 is $10 (€8.98) gross per hour, or $9 (€7.73) after the pension contribution. According to Study in Slovenia, an income-tax prepayment is also withheld from foreign students' pay; it can be reclaimed if Slovenia has a double taxation treaty with your country. Infotujci does not state a separate weekly hour cap for holders of a student permit.
You can also take full-time employment without changing your residence purpose. Your employer requests an information sheet (a labour-market test) from the Employment Service, after which the administrative unit adds labour-market access to your card. The application fee is $5 (€4.50), and you may start work once you receive the new permit showing labour-market access.
After graduation
Within two years of graduating from a Slovenian institution you can obtain a permit to look for work or set up a business. It is issued once, for up to 9 months, and cannot be extended. You may not work while holding it; once you find a job, you must apply for a new permit, such as a single residence and work permit, before it expires.
What Russian citizens should know
- Entry requires a visa. The Slovenian embassy in Moscow states that citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan need a visa to enter Slovenia; visa information for all of them is published on that embassy's page.
- Schengen visas cost more and require more documents than before 2022. Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 of 9 September 2022 fully suspended the EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement, so Russian citizens pay the standard $100 (€90) adult fee and meet standard documentary requirements.
- Multiple-entry visas are limited. A European Commission implementing decision dated 6 November 2025 restricts multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian nationals applying in Russia to close relatives of EU citizens or of Russians legally resident in the EU and to transport workers, with other applicants eligible only in justified cases. It concerns short-stay C visas only and does not govern residence permits.
- Where to apply for a C visa. At the Slovenian embassy in Moscow, at VFS Global centres in Russia or at the Hungarian consulate general in Yekaterinburg.
- Citizens of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. According to the same embassy page, C visas for Slovenia are handled by the Austrian embassy in Astana and the Hungarian consulate general in Almaty for Kazakhstan, the Italian embassy in Tashkent for Uzbekistan and the Swiss embassy in Bishkek for Kyrgyzstan.
- The admission interview. Since 2026/27, nationals of visa-required countries pass a paid mandatory interview before their university application is processed; see our guide to applying to Slovenian universities.
- Paying tuition. Transfer tuition and the funds you show only through legal channels, as described in our guide to paying from Russia.
Assembling and checking your permit file is provided under an agreement with StudyU; the permit decision is made by a Slovenian administrative unit and the visa decision by the consulate. For a full budget, see the cost of studying in Slovenia; for an overview of the country, see the Slovenia country page.
FAQ
Not for a full degree. Slovenia issues type D visas to exchange students; anyone enrolling in a bachelor's, master's or doctoral programme needs a temporary residence permit for study. If you are already lawfully in Slovenia, for instance on a Schengen C visa, you can file the permit application there.
Yes, the law explicitly allows it. Holders of a valid Schengen C visa, whichever member state issued it, may file their first application at a Slovenian administrative unit before their permitted stay ends. You then receive a certificate that counts as a permit until the decision. The visa itself must reflect the real purpose of your trip.
At least the basic minimum income for every month of study: $580 (€507.43) since 1 April 2026, or about $6,910 (€6,089) a year. Instead of a bank statement you can submit a statement by your parents that they will support you, if your country's law obliges them to. The required form depends on where you file.
Official sources give no fixed number of days. The law requires study applications to be prioritised, but timing depends on the embassy or administrative unit. The University of Ljubljana recommends applying at an embassy immediately after admission, 3–6 months before arrival, and warns that you may still miss the 1 October start.
Yes. You can work through a student employment service with a referral, or take a full-time job once your employer obtains an Employment Service information sheet and labour-market access is added to your card. From 5 February 2026 the minimum student-work rate is $10 (€8.98) an hour gross.
Graduates have a two-year window to request a one-off job-seeking or business start-up permit valid for up to 9 months, with no extension. Work is not allowed on it. Once you have a job offer, file for another permit, for example a single residence and work permit, before it runs out.
Sources
- Infotujci (the government information portal for foreigners): study permit, job-seeking permit after study, moving from study to employment — checked 29 September 2026.
- Foreigners Act (ZTuj-2, official consolidated text UPB15, Official Gazette No. 46/2025), Article 44 — checked 29 September 2026.
- University of Ljubljana: study permit — documents, fees, renewal, address registration — checked 29 September 2026.
- Study in Slovenia: temporary residence for international students, student work — checked 29 September 2026.
- Slovenian Embassy in Moscow: visa information, application locations and fees — checked 29 September 2026.
- Government of Slovenia: basic minimum income from 1 April 2026 — checked 29 September 2026.
- EU: Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500; Commission decision on multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals — checked 29 September 2026.
- ZZZS: health insurance for foreign students; minimum student-work rate — checked 29 September 2026.
- Exchange rate used: ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026, €1 = $1.1355 (ECB).
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