So how do you find TEFL jobs in Slovenia? What kind of teaching opportunities are available?
First off, it’s important to consider geography: the bigger cities, like Ljubljana and Maribor, will have loads more opportunities than smaller regions of the country. While other tourist destinations like the much smaller town of Bled have a booming tourism industry, that doesn’t necessarily translate to a glut of ESL jobs.
As covered, you’ll need a job before heading over, so as to meet visa requirements. With that in mind, where can TEFL teachers find work in Slovenia? The kinds of teaching opportunities available to ESL teachers in Slovenia aren’t anything out of the ordinary. The country has a robust public education system, as well as several dedicated language schools, international schools and universities.
Requirements - especially in regard to qualifications - differ for each type of institution, while employers will have their own criteria in mind for applicants.
Public schools
TEFL teachers can definitely find work within state schools in Slovenia, but it’s not to say that every public school teaches English.
Education is mandatory for children aged 6-15, and in the state school system, a range of languages are taught from an early age, including Slovenian, Italian and Hungarian. The best practice for finding work in the Slovenian public school system is to seek out specific opportunities with schools that teach English, as opposed to blanket applications.
Language schools
Perhaps the most obvious route to teach English in Slovenia is through a language school. There are several companies offering English lessons in Slovenia to both child and adult learners, especially in bigger cities like Ljubljana and Maribor.
Berlitz and Jezikovna Akademija are two of the biggest employers, with jobs coming up in Celje, Koper, Novo Mesto and more. These language-learning facilities are particularly keen to hire TEFL teachers with an understanding of business English, given the number of adult learners who want to learn English for career opportunities. Obviously, TEFL certification is a real boost here, but you are unlikely to need a degree or teaching experience.
International schools
Like Croatia, Slovenia is very popular with English-speaking immigrants from around the world. As such, the demand for international schools has only grown, and these schools are typically bilingual, with English playing a prominent role.
Jobs in international schools are a little harder to land unless you have at least a bachelor’s degree, a teaching certificate and some teaching experience. However, they do offer amongst the best teacher wages in Slovenia.
Universities
Slovenia has some of the most prestigious universities in central Europe, and many of these institutions teach in English, at least to some extent. This, of course, means that there are opportunities for TEFL teachers, either in terms of lecturing or in providing translation and classroom assistance for English-speaking students.
You’ll require a bachelor’s and, in some cases, a master’s in order to work at a university. Like international schools, though, the wages are considerably better than in the public school system.
Private tutoring
With English being taught in some public schools, most (if not all) international schools, language centres and universities, there’s very clear and obvious demand for TEFL tutoring in Slovenia.
Of course, it’s difficult to get a visa just to tutor. You’re far more likely to get a Slovenian working visa if you have an offer of employment from an institution. Tutoring is a far better idea for when you’ve established residence within Slovenia and are looking to generate extra income.
Some employers might be fine with you tutoring outside of your working hours, but it’s important to clarify that with your employer, as well as with the relevant tax authorities. The demand is there, certainly, but there are risks attached.