How do you book the exam, what does it cost, and who sits it free?

In short

• The exam runs 4 times a year, in the same week at every provider.
• Register and pay at least 14 days before the sitting.
• At LUNG the basic-level exam costs €172; the price is the same at every provider.
• If you finished the free ZIP course, your first attempt is free within one year of finishing it.

When the exam runs

The basic-level exam runs 4¹ times a year. Every provider holds it in the same week, so you can register with whichever provider suits you.

Booking and withdrawing

Register and pay at least 14¹² days before the sitting. Sittings can fill up, so book early: LUNG’s exam page, for one, marks the sittings that are full.

If you withdraw at least 4¹² working days before the sitting, you can move to the next one or get 85%¹ of the fee back. If you don’t come and haven’t withdrawn, you pay again for your next sitting.

What it costs

At LUNG the basic-level exam costs €172². The exam centre’s questions and answers say the price is the same at every provider and is set each year, so check it when you book.

The free first attempt

If you finished the free course for the initial integration of immigrants, known as ZIP, your first attempt at the exam is free. You need to sit it within one year³ of finishing the course (infotujci.si).

You show the certificate from your administrative unit, the upravna enota, when you register. Getting it can take several weeks², so ask for it well before the registration deadline.

Work back from your sitting

Pick the sitting you’re aiming for and count back from it: the registration deadline, the time your certificate may take, and the weeks left to practise before then.

Then make one plan you can keep, in a single sentence: “When ___, I will practise ___ for fifteen minutes.” For example: “When I’ve had breakfast, I will practise listening for fifteen minutes.”

Check yourself

How long before the sitting must you register and pay?

At least 14 days before it.

Sources

1. Frequently asked questions about the exams, CSDTJ, University of Ljubljana, read October 25, 2026
2. Slovene exam: dates, fees and the free first attempt, LUNG, the adult education centre in Nova Gorica, read October 25, 2026
3. The free Slovene course for initial integration of immigrants (ZIP), infotujci.si, the government's information portal for foreigners, read October 25, 2026

Related guides

• What happens on exam day?How the Slovene basic-level exam day runs: the written parts together, speaking before a committee, and what to bring, taken from the exam centre's rules.
• When do you get your results, and can you retake the exam?When the Slovene basic-level exam's results arrive, how to appeal, how retakes work, and the exam centre's published pass rates, each with its source.
• A2 or B1: which Slovene level do you need?The Slovene level a permanent residence permit asks for, who the law exempts, where to check for citizenship, and the proposed change to B1, with sources.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Besedica is not affiliated with the Centre for Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language (CSDTJ) or the University of Ljubljana.