International Youth Day

12 August, International Youth Day

At the beginning of 2026, there were 27.1% fewer young people (aged 15–29) in Slovenia than at independence. Nearly half of the population aged 20–24 was enrolled in tertiary education last year. The employment and unemployment rates among young people (aged 15–29) were both below the EU average.

In 1999, the United Nations designated 12 August as International Youth Day to draw attention each year to various topics and issues affecting young people and to highlight their important role in society. In 2026, the theme of International Youth Day is "Different Contexts, Shared Aspirations." With this theme, the United Nations aims to acknowledge that while young people’s lives are shaped by different national and local circumstances, their aspirations are remarkably similar. In all countries and communities, young people strive for dignity, opportunities, meaningful participation, decent work, quality education, and a sustainable future. There is no single definition of "youth." The term often refers to people aged 15–29, although it is sometimes used for those aged 15–24 or 15–34.

Fewer and fewer young people

The number of young people aged 15–29 in Slovenia continues to decline. At the beginning of this year, there were 328,771 of them, 27.1% fewer than in 1991. Their share of the total population was highest in the year of Slovenia’s independence (22.5%), while in 2026 it stood at 15.4%.
Among the statistical regions, Osrednjeslovenska recorded the highest share of young people at the beginning of this year (17.6%), while Pomurska ranked last (12.5%). Among EU Member States, Denmark had the highest share of young people (19.0%), while Bulgaria had the lowest (13.7%). Slovenia ranks among the countries with the lowest shares of young people. Last year, only Bulgaria, Lithuania (15.1%) and Latvia (14.6%) recorded lower shares than Slovenia, while the EU average was 16.4%.



Most young people have completed upper secondary education

Last year, just under half of young people aged 15–29 had completed upper secondary education (46.6%), 35.1% had completed basic education, and 18.2% had completed tertiary education. When interpreting these data, it is important to note that a significant share of this age group is still enrolled in education. The picture is quite different when looking at the educational attainment of 29-year-olds: 9.7% have completed basic education or less, 51.1% have completed upper secondary education, and 39.2% have completed tertiary education.

The majority of Slovenia’s population aged 15 or older has completed upper secondary education (52.0%), followed by those with tertiary education (26.6%), while the smallest share has completed only basic education (21.4%).

The largest number of pupils enroled in technical and vocational upper secondary education

In the 2025/26 school year, 86,624 pupils were enrolled in upper secondary education. The largest number were enrolled in technical upper secondary education (46.8%); 34.4% were enrolled in general upper secondary education; and 18.8% were enrolled in short-term vocational and vocational upper secondary education. The largest share of male pupils, 43.4%, chose the fields of engineering, manufacturing technology, and construction, while the largest share of female students, 43.0%, chose to pursue their education in the fields of basic and general education.



Nearly half of young people enrolled in tertiary education

In 2025, 49.0% of Slovenia’s young population aged 20–24 was enrolled in tertiary education. Among the 27 EU Member States, Slovenia ranks just below the top in this indicator. In 2024, 46.9% of young people aged 20–24 in Slovenia were enrolled in tertiary education. Only Greece recorded a higher share than Slovenia (49.4%), while the EU average was 36.7%. The lowest shares were recorded in Malta (27.4%) and Luxembourg (9.3%).



How many young people are not enrolled in education?

Most young people in Slovenia aged 18–24 are enrolled in education. Last year, 5.5% of people in this age group had no formal education or had completed only basic education and were not enrolled in education or training. The lowest share of such individuals among EU Member States was recorded in Croatia (2.1%). The EU average was 9.1%.



Among the population of Slovenia aged 15–29, 7.6% were neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025. Based on this indicator, Slovenia ranked among the top three most successful countries; only the Netherlands (5.3%) and Sweden (5.9%) had lower rates. Romania had the highest rate at 19.2%. The EU average was 11.0%.



Unemployment rate below the EU average

Among young people aged 15–29 in Slovenia, the employment rate was 47.1% last year. The rate was below the EU average of 49.1%. The highest rate was recorded in the Netherlands (79.9%), and the lowest in Italy (33.1%).
The unemployment rate among young people in Slovenia (8.7%) was much lower than the EU average (11.7%). It was lowest in Malta (6.1%), and highest in Spain (18.6%).



Lower at-risk-of-poverty rate among young people

In 2025, the at-risk-of-poverty rate among young people in Slovenia aged 18–24 was 8.2%, while for the total population of Slovenia it was 14.3%. The EU average was 16.3%.

Among EU Member States, Slovenia had the lowest at-risk-of-poverty rate for people aged 18–24. It was followed by Malta with 8.5%, while the highest at-risk-of-poverty rates in this age group were recorded in Finland (37.0%) and Denmark (30.4%). The EU average was 21.8%.



Nearly 65% of young people in Slovenia have at least basic digital skills

Active participation in modern society is increasingly linked to the level of digital skills and the ability to use information and communication technologies effectively and safely.

There are differences in this regard between young people aged 16–29 and the population aged 16–74. One third of young people had above basic digital skills, while this share was 20% for all individuals aged 16–74. In both cases, Slovenia lags behind the EU average. The share of young people aged 16–29 in the EU with above basic digital skills stood at 43% in 2025, while the share for individuals aged 16–74 was 31%. In both Slovenia and the EU, fewer than 1% of young people and 2.5% of the total population lacked digital skills.



Nearly three-quarters of young people in the EU live with their parents

Last year, 79.9% of young people aged 16–29 in Slovenia were still living with their parents. Among men, the share was 83.2%, and among women, 76.1%. Slovenia was well above the EU average of 68.5%. Denmark had the lowest share of young people living in the same household as their parents (32.5%), while Croatia had the highest (89.1%).

In 2025, young people in Slovenia moved out of their parents’ homes at an average age of 28.8 years. On average, men moved out at the age of 30.0 years, while women did so at 27.5 years. Young people in Finland left their parents’ homes the earliest, at an average age of 21.3 years, while those in Croatia did so the latest at 31.5 years. Across the EU, young people moved out of their parents’ homes at an average age of 26.3 years.

SiStat

Methodological explanations

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