Recognition of Knowledge

The recognition of formally acquired knowledge refers to knowledge obtained in accredited study programs at higher education institutions (at home or abroad).

Knowledge acquired through formal education may be recognized if it is comparable in content and learning outcomes to the course units of the study program in which the candidate is enrolling. Recognition may be granted with or without a grade, depending on the availability of evidence and the suitability of the assessment. Knowledge is recognized within the time frames described below: 

• Proof of prior education and passed exams for general subjects is taken into account if it is not older than 10 years from the date of issue.
• Proof of passed exams in core professional subjects is taken into account if it is not older than 5 years, or when assessed by the course holder, who provides a professionally substantiated opinion on recognition.
  
  

After enrolling in a study program, a student may submit a request for the recognition of study obligations already completed at Alma Mater or at other higher education institutions. To do so, they must complete the digital form "Application for the recognition of study obligations" and attach the following mandatory enclosures:

• Certificate of passed exams (mandatory original copy or scanned original),
• Syllabi (course content descriptions) of the subjects you wish to have recognized.
• Proof of payment for the processing of the application in accordance with the AMEU price list (optional)

We recommend that before completing the application, you first photograph or scan the mandatory enclosures and save them on your computer.

Preliminary recognition (before enrollment)

Candidates who wish to obtain a decision from the Commission for Study Affairs on exam recognition before enrollment must also attach proof of payment of the processing costs in accordance with the valid AMEU price list, unless the exams were taken at Alma Mater.

If the candidate completes enrollment in the study program, this amount is deducted from the first tuition installment. Payment details are provided here.

Deadline for submitting the application

The Commission for Study Affairs will consider only complete applications received no later than 15 November in the current academic year. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Please list in the application all subjects you wish to have recognized for the entire period of study, regardless of the year in which you are enrolled. The application may be resubmitted only if you obtain new formal education during your studies. The Commission for Study Affairs considers student applications in accordance with the approved schedule of the CSA for the respective academic year.

You will be notified in writing by email of the Commission's decision at the address you provided in the Application.

Tuition reduction due to recognized obligations

Based on the decision on knowledge recognition, the student may claim a tuition reduction for the current academic year, as follows:

• 30% reduction if 20–30 ECTS are recognized in an individual year
• 50% reduction if 31–40 ECTS are recognized in an individual year

The reduction applies only to fully recognized study obligations. A copy of the recognition decision must be attached to the tuition reduction request, and the request must be submitted no later than 8 days after receiving the decision. Later requests cannot be taken into account.

Criteria for recognition

The Commission for Study Affairs will take into account formally acquired knowledge, qualifications, and abilities that fully or partially correspond in content and level of difficulty to the general or subject-specific competences of an individual study program.

Recognition is carried out in accordance with:

• the Higher Education Act, and
• the Criteria for Transfers Between Study Programs.

The main criterion for recognition is the comparability of the content, scope, and level of difficulty of previously completed obligations with those in the Alma Mater study program.

Contact for assistance

For additional information or assistance in preparing the application, you may contact the Office for Study Affairs:         referat@almamater.si        

Candidates who wish to have informally acquired knowledge and skills recognized as an entry requirement or as part of the obligations of the study program in which they are already enrolled may apply for the recognition of informally acquired knowledge and skills. This refers to knowledge and skills acquired outside formal educational institutions, often through work experience, training, seminars, courses, independent work, etc.

For successful recognition, this knowledge must reach a comparable level of difficulty and substantively cover areas similar to individual subjects or groups of subjects within the selected study program.

The procedure for recognizing informally acquired knowledge and skills begins at the request of the candidate, who submits to the student office the Application for the recognition of informal knowledge . For students of the physiotherapy study program, the Certificate of completed physiotherapy work is mandatory. The candidate must submit all evidence necessary for the evaluation of informally acquired knowledge and experience, such as certificates of training, descriptions of work tasks, employer recommendations, examples of products or projects, a portfolio, professional contributions, or other documentation proving the acquired knowledge.

The procedure for recognizing informally acquired knowledge proceeds as follows: the candidate first completes a special application in which they specify which knowledge they are claiming and which subject this knowledge is intended to replace. They attach appropriate evidence, which is then reviewed by the competent commission. In case of ambiguity, the faculty has the right to request additional explanations, a personal interview, or even a knowledge assessment. Based on a comprehensive evaluation, the commission issues an opinion and a decision on recognition, which is entered into the student's record book. In most cases, an obligation recognized in this way is not graded numerically, but is recorded as "completed." The procedure for evaluating and recognizing informally acquired knowledge and skills may be subject to a fee based on the price list adopted by the Alma Mater Management Board.

Application for the recognition of informal knowledge 
Certificate of completed physiotherapy work for the purpose of recognition of clinical training

Candidates who hold a foreign educational certificate and wish to continue their education in a study program in the Republic of Slovenia must have a decision recognizing their right to continue education in university or professional higher education study programs (hereinafter: recognition decision). Candidates who already have a recognition decision or nostrification shall proceed in accordance with the instructions for submitting evidence of meeting the enrollment requirements and shall submit the decision together with all supporting documents via the eVŠ portal. For candidates who do not yet have a recognition decision, the completed electronic application form for study, filled out in eVŠ, also counts as an application for the recognition of foreign education. Candidates who submit an incomplete application for the recognition of education for the purpose of further education will be individually notified in writing or through the eVŠ portal of the request and deadline for supplementing the application. The procedure for recognizing education is conducted by an authorized person of the higher education institution to which the candidate has applied for study.

Documents required for the procedure

1. an e-copy or photograph of the document(s) of completed education abroad that they wish to have recognized for consideration in the admission procedure;
   The document from point 1 must be appropriately legalized, namely:
   • Without legalization: Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
   • Other EU countries: certified copy · Other non-EU countries: Apostille, if the country that issued the document is a signatory to the Hague Convention.
   • All other countries: Certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the foreign country and super-certification by the diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Slovenia abroad accredited for that country, or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
2. an e-copy or photograph of the document(s) of the court-certified translation of the educational certificate from the previous indent into Slovenian, unless the document is issued in Croatian, English, German, or Italian;
3. an e-copy or photograph of evidence of the content and duration of the education and the obligations completed during the education – a transcript of grades from at least the last two years of secondary education or a transcript of grades from higher education studies and/or a diploma supplement;
4. an e-copy or photograph of the document(s) of the court-certified translation of the educational certificate from the previous indent into Slovenian, unless the document is issued in Croatian, English, German, or Italian;
5. a brief chronological description of the entire education, prepared and signed by the holder of the educational certificate or their legal representative.

Candidates submit e-copies or photographs of the supporting documents to the eVŠ portal and subsequently send the appropriately legalized documents to: Alma Mater Europaea University, Slovenska ulica 17, 2000 Maribor.

The list of documents required for the recognition procedure may vary depending on the country of origin of the educational certificate, so we recommend that candidates inquire in advance with the authorized person about the more detailed list of documents or information related to the procedure (       international@almamater.si       ).