The less numerous generations, and above all the austerity measures and consequent reductions of budget funds have forced the public universities to reduce the number of study places for the new study year. At Maribor University there will be for example 6.4% less available study places than last year, explained the vice-chancellor of the university Mihaela Koletnik.
Also the members of the Ljubljana University have reduced the number of study places. This year 570 less places are available for the first cycle Bologna degree, and approximately 400 study places less for the second cycle degree. The Ljubljana University chancellor Ivan Svetlik explains that in order to achieve savings, the separate faculties will revise their operation through rehabilitation plans, thus assuring more rational operation, "in other words that means less programmes, and less choice".
The University of Primorsko will offer less study places as well; it has the largest financial problems. Chancellor Dragan Marušič said that for now they are not decreasing the number of their study programmes, but are trying to enter the foreign markets with their programmes in the English language.
This year 18,101 study places are available at public universities and higher education institutions, i.e. 1000 less places than available last year. But several hundreds of study places should be added to that number, available at private higher educational institutions. It means that the faculties are in for a heavy battle. They will have to be very persuasive to convince new students to choose their faculty.