diff --git a/css/pages/_blog.css b/css/pages/_blog.css
index c957971a..bfe60c59 100644
--- a/css/pages/_blog.css
+++ b/css/pages/_blog.css
@@ -186,6 +186,16 @@ a.blog-card { text-decoration: none; color: inherit; }
 /* Vary the placeholder heights so the wall feels playful, not uniform */
 .blog-card:nth-child(3n+1) .blog-thumb { min-height: 180px; }
 .blog-card:nth-child(4n+2) .blog-thumb { min-height: 120px; }
+/* Real cover image inside a card thumb (replaces the icon placeholder) */
+.blog-thumb--image { position: relative; padding: 0; }
+.blog-thumb--image img {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    object-fit: cover;
+    display: block;
+}
 .blog-card-body { padding: 18px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; }
 .blog-card h3 { margin: 0; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.3; color: #101828; }
 .blog-card p { margin: 0; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; color: #667085; }
diff --git a/en/blog/index.html b/en/blog/index.html
index 525f729c..d3d57ee2 100644
--- a/en/blog/index.html
+++ b/en/blog/index.html
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="blog-grid">
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="where-to-search-for-accommodation-in-slovenia/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-house" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Macedonian students settling into accommodation in Slovenia"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Student life</span>
                             <h3>Where to search for student accommodation in Slovenia</h3>
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="ad-futura-scholarship-slovenia-2026/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-hand-holding-dollar" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Macedonian students together in Slovenia"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Guides</span>
                             <h3>Study in Slovenia with an Ad futura scholarship</h3>
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="welcome-days-slovenian-universities-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-people-roof" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-img-1.webp" alt="New students at a university welcome day in Slovenia"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Student life</span>
                             <h3>Welcome Days at Slovenia's four main universities</h3>
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="study-in-north-macedonia-government-scholarship-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-graduation-cap" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-1.webp" alt="Students at a university event"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Guides</span>
                             <h3>Study in North Macedonia with a government scholarship</h3>
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="study-tips" href="learning-slovene-where-to-start/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/msnl-2.webp" alt="Macedonian students practising Slovene together"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--study-tips"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i> Study tips</span>
                             <h3>Learning Slovene: where to start</h3>
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="community" href="how-i-coped-with-leaving-home/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-8.webp" alt="A student reflecting after moving abroad to study"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--community"><i class="fas fa-people-group" aria-hidden="true"></i> Community</span>
                             <h3>How I coped with leaving home</h3>
diff --git a/mk/blog/index.html b/mk/blog/index.html
index e6a91265..aabf578e 100644
--- a/mk/blog/index.html
+++ b/mk/blog/index.html
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="blog-grid">
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="where-to-search-for-accommodation-in-slovenia/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-house" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Македонски студенти се вселуваат во сместување во Словенија"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Студентски живот</span>
                             <h3>Каде да барате студентско сместување во Словенија</h3>
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="ad-futura-scholarship-slovenia-2026/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-hand-holding-dollar" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Македонски студенти заедно во Словенија"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Водичи</span>
                             <h3>Студирајте во Словенија со стипендијата Ad futura</h3>
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="welcome-days-slovenian-universities-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-people-roof" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-img-1.webp" alt="Нови студенти на ден за добредојде на универзитет во Словенија"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Студентски живот</span>
                             <h3>Денови за добредојде на четирите главни универзитети во Словенија</h3>
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="study-in-north-macedonia-government-scholarship-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-graduation-cap" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-1.webp" alt="Студенти на универзитетски настан"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Водичи</span>
                             <h3>Студирајте во Северна Македонија со владина стипендија</h3>
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="study-tips" href="learning-slovene-where-to-start/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/msnl-2.webp" alt="Македонски студенти вежбаат словенечки заедно"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--study-tips"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i> Совети за студии</span>
                             <h3>Учење словенечки: од каде да започнете</h3>
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="community" href="how-i-coped-with-leaving-home/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-8.webp" alt="Студент во размислување по преселбата на студии во странство"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--community"><i class="fas fa-people-group" aria-hidden="true"></i> Заедница</span>
                             <h3>Како се справив со заминувањето од дома</h3>
diff --git a/si/blog/index.html b/si/blog/index.html
index 3f39e931..99295bc4 100644
--- a/si/blog/index.html
+++ b/si/blog/index.html
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="blog-grid">
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="where-to-search-for-accommodation-in-slovenia/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-house" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Makedonski študenti se vseljujejo v nastanitev v Sloveniji"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Študentsko življenje</span>
                             <h3>Kje iskati študentsko nastanitev v Sloveniji</h3>
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="ad-futura-scholarship-slovenia-2026/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-hand-holding-dollar" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-image2.webp" alt="Makedonski študenti skupaj v Sloveniji"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Vodniki</span>
                             <h3>Študij v Sloveniji s štipendijo Ad futura</h3>
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="student-life" href="welcome-days-slovenian-universities-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-people-roof" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event4-img-1.webp" alt="Novi študenti na uvajalnem dnevu univerze v Sloveniji"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--student-life"><i class="fas fa-mug-hot" aria-hidden="true"></i> Študentsko življenje</span>
                             <h3>Uvajalni dnevi na štirih glavnih slovenskih univerzah</h3>
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="guides" href="study-in-north-macedonia-government-scholarship-2026-2027/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-graduation-cap" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-1.webp" alt="Študenti na univerzitetnem dogodku"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--guides"><i class="fas fa-signs-post" aria-hidden="true"></i> Vodniki</span>
                             <h3>Študij v Severni Makedoniji z državno štipendijo</h3>
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="study-tips" href="learning-slovene-where-to-start/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/msnl-2.webp" alt="Makedonski študenti skupaj vadijo slovenščino"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--study-tips"><i class="fas fa-lightbulb" aria-hidden="true"></i> Nasveti za študij</span>
                             <h3>Učenje slovenščine: kje začeti</h3>
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
                         </div>
                     </a>
                     <a class="blog-card" data-topic="community" href="how-i-coped-with-leaving-home/">
-                        <div class="blog-thumb"><i class="fas fa-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></div>
+                        <div class="blog-thumb blog-thumb--image"><img width="1600" height="1067" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="../../images/event3-photo-8.webp" alt="Študent v razmisleku po selitvi na študij v tujino"></div>
                         <div class="blog-card-body">
                             <span class="blog-tag blog-tag--community"><i class="fas fa-people-group" aria-hidden="true"></i> Skupnost</span>
                             <h3>Kako sem se spopadel z odhodom od doma</h3>