Culture shock
Common experiences include excitement, administrative stress, loneliness, language fatigue, comparison with home, frustration, and a gradual sense of routine and belonging. These are not proof that the move was a mistake.
Build support in several places
- MSOS, faculty tutor, and student office
- International office and classmates
- Local student organisation and a sports or cultural group
- University counselling and healthcare
University support by city: in Ljubljana use Psychosocial Counselling, the Student Health Centre, faculty tutors, and Career Centres; in Maribor use faculty tutoring, mental-health and successful-study resources, and Career Centre UM; in Primorska use free Psychological Counselling UP, the Welcome office, tutoring, and ŠportUP; in Nova Gorica use tutoring, the student office, the Career Centre, mental-health guidance, KGS, and KAS.
Starting outside Ljubljana
Students in Maribor, Koper, Nova Gorica, Celje, and smaller centres should not be treated as remote members of an organisation based only in Ljubljana. MSOS content and events should publish local contacts, rotate or decentralise activities, offer online access, connect new students with people in the same city, and include city-specific administrative information.
Discrimination or harassment
Preserve messages, dates, names, witnesses, the contract, photographs, and medical or police evidence where relevant. Possible contacts include the university, faculty, police, equality institutions, legal support, the landlord authority, or an employer platform, depending on the issue.
A practical rule for asking for help
Do not wait until one problem affects five systems. An unpaid rent dispute can become an address problem, an address problem can delay residence correspondence, a residence delay can affect travel, and loss of status can affect meals, transport, work, insurance, and housing. Contact the responsible institution early and keep written records.
Sources and further information
- University of Ljubljana student life
- University of Maribor student portal
- University of Nova Gorica student guide
- Student Organisation of Slovenia
Last checked: 30 July 2026
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