Study in Estonia

Estonia boasts a long tradition of high-quality higher education. For young people, Estonias vibrant and international environment together with access to the latest developments in information technology make Estonia an attractive place to study and live. Higher education in this small EU state comes at a good value, with relatively low tuition and living costs.

Currently Estonian universities offer more than 100 recognised degree programmes in English. Shorter periods of study in Estonia are also available in semester or summer courses. Estonian universities have facilitated programs and structural changes in accordance with the European-wide Bologna Process and the creation of a common European higher education area.

After class, scholars enjoy opportunities to wander the medieval streets of Estonian old towns, attend concerts, participate in the lively night-life of modern clubs and bars, or escape into the riches of preserved natureendless forests, picturesque lakes, and white beaches. It is no wonder that Estonia, with only 1.34 million inhabitants, attracts annually more than 3 million tourists.

Institutions of higher education have made internationalization a priority. The Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia and the Archimedes Foundation lead the efforts to increase mobility of scholars and research within and outside of Europe. The Archimedes Foundation is an independent body established by the Estonian government in 1997 with the objective to coordinate and implement international and national projects for training, education, research, technological development, and innovation.

In 2008, the Archimedes Foundation initiated the Study in Estonia campaign to promote Estonian higher education abroad with support from the European Social Fund. Study in Estonia has partnered with Estonian higher education institutions that provide international degree programs, fully English-taught and accredited.

Why Study in Estonia?

Practical Information

TRANSPORTATION

Estonia is a small EU member state located in Northern Europe and is a part of the Schengen area. There are lots of different travel options - but most international students probably see their first glimpse of Estonia from a plane or ship. Whether one is travelling by air, sea or land, none of the ports of entry are far from the centre of town. Tallinn is accessible from everywhere in the world by plane and, currently, nearly 30 cities have direct connections with Tallinn.

BY PLANE
Tallinn Airport is located just 3 km from the city centre.

BY SHIP

You can come to Estonia by ship from Helsinki and Stockholm and, additionally, from Rostock and St. Petersburg in the summer.

BY BUS AND TRAIN

International coach lines connect Tallinn to Europe, and trains travel eastward.

LIFESTYLE

The life-style of Estonians is directly linked to their character, the weather and different seasons. In winter Estonians tend to be more home- and work-centred, while summer is a time for active open-air activities and vacations in the countryside. In recent years Estonia has developed an excellent infrastructure of cultural, social and sporting facilities. Throughout the year there is a wide range of activities and events striving to meet and even exceed expectations of local inhabitants and their international guests. Since regaining independence and a rise in living standards, there are more opportunities for travel and Estonians are eagerly seizing the chance to see the world.

Research & Careers in Estonia

Research

Doctoral programmes represent higher education of the third cycle, the purpose of which is to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for independent research, development or professional creative work. The access requirement for doctoral studies is the degree of master or a corresponding qualification. The nominal length of the programme is 3-4 years (180-240 ECTS credits). This is a research degree obtained after the completion and public defence of a dissertation based on independent scientific research or creative work. The universities award the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), with an indication of the field of study or the area of specialisation.

PhD studies in Estonia are for free and there is a very big chance to get a scholarship for your studies.

Read more about PhD degree here.

Living in Estonia

RESIDENCE PERMIT FOR STUDY:

All students who are not Estonian citizens or EU citizens (including EEA countries and Switzerland) need a temporary residence permit for study. EU citizens should obtain a temporary right of residence in Estonia. The temporary right of residence is granted for the period of 5 years.

In order to obtain temporary right of residence, a student should register his/her place of residence in the Local Government authority of the place of residence within 3 months from the day of entry to Estonia. In addition, a student has to apply for Estonian ID-card within 1 month from obtaining the temporary right of residence. More information can be found from the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board web page
Students who are third country nationals (not EU citizens) have to apply for a temporary residence permit for study at the Estonian Embassy or Consul in their home country or country of residence (more info
If there is no Estonian Embassy or Consul in your home country or country of residence, you should contact the nearest Estonian Embassy. Starting from the 1st of October 2010, all third country nationals who already stay legally in Estonia and wish to study at Masters or Doctoral level have a right to apply for residence permit for study at the Police and Border Guard Board.

A temporary residence permit is valid for maximum of one year and should be renewed at least 2 months before the date of expiration at the Police and Border Guard Board Estonian ID-card issued to a student is a document, stating that a student was issued a temporary residence permit for study in Estonia.

Students from third countries have to register their place of residence in the Local Government authority within

1 month from the arrival to Estonia on the basis of residence permit for study.

For the most updated information about residence permits please visit the web page of Police and Border Guard Board

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SOME FACTS:

Estonia has developed really fast during the last decades and certainly you would like many things here:

- Estonia was the first country to facilitate online voting nationwide

- In January 2010, the capital city of Tallinn was chosen among the worlds seven most intelligent communities for the fourth year in a row by intelligentcommunity.org

- Estonia is an e-society, with electronic ID-cards, e-government, etc.

- Tallinn was the 2011 European Capital of Culture

- Homeland of Skype - the Skype software was developed by Estonians

- Reporters Without Borders ranks Estonia 3rd worldwide in The Press Freedom Index

- In 2012, Estonia has the biggest internet freedom in the world (2nd USA)

- ESN Survey 2010 says that European students had the biggest satisfaction with their exchange studies' living environment in Estonia (2nd Portugal, 3rd Austria)

Regulations & Advice

Member of European Union since 1-1-2004

About

Estonia is, in effect, two entirely different countries summer Estonia and winter Estonia. Perhaps inside every Estonian, every citizen of a northern country, there are two different people a summer one and a winter one.

Summer Estonians ask friends out and laugh merrily. In October, the whole of the country plunges into a dank darkness which penetrates to the bone and does not begin to recede till March. In November and December, at midday there is a short period of daylight, but by three o'clock in the afternoon night is once again beginning to draw in.

In summer, things are quite the opposite. From March onwards, daylight increases right up until June when night is almost banished. Dusk slips over into dawn. This descent from light into darkness and the rise back into light continues incessantly. This has no doubt influenced the Estonian language, way of thinking and, through that history, much more than any other factor.

Estonia differs both from Scandinavia and other Baltic countries in that its geographic location means that from the end of April until halfway through August, its territory lies in what is termed a zone of astronomical twilight. No more than a couple of hundred kilometres in breadth, this zone is quite unique in the world as a whole. In practice this means that after sunset it is no longer light, but neither does it become completely dark immediately. This phenomenon is unknown outside the zone of astronomical twilight. It must therefore affect the Estonian spirit in a way that it cannot for those who do not know twilight. It is possible that the basic characteristics of the nation come from the constant oscillation between light and darkness in the surrounding landscape.

One interesting phenomenon is that Estonians are held together more by language and geographical location than by blood. History books confirm that through Estonian veins flows the blood of nearly all the peoples of Europe, since Estonia has known wars, famine and plagues and therefore has relatively frequently lost a large proportion of its population, leaving the country empty for invading peoples, Swedes and Danes, Finns and Germans, Dutch and Scots, Russians and Poles, all of whose descendants constitute the Estonians of today. For this reason, Estonians can look quite varied and there is no dominant colour of eye or hair, shape of head or face. Some have brown eyes, others blue, grey or green, hair can be blond or dark. Estonians can be slow and aloof or fiery and impatient.

Nevertheless, Estonians have several striking and uniting qualities. The first of these is nostalgia. This is a constant theme of Estonian poetry and folk song, literature and journalism. It is possible that the huge upheavals of the 20th century - the Siberian labour camps and German refugee camps have increased the strength of the this feeling. But the roots of this go deeper to the time when the Scottish soldier, the Danish sailor and the Swedish settler ended up in the foreign soil of the far North and who in the twilght of Estonia longed for his distant home.

There is no dominant colour of eye or hair, shape of head or face among Estonians. Another quality which unites Estonians is a reverence for science and technology. An Estonian wants everything scientifically confirmed, otherwise he cannot believe in it. On the one hand, Estonians tend to rapidly take on board every innovation, on the other, they find it almost impossible to promote things new and untried until their worth has been scientifically proven. In general, in every Estonian there is a battle between conservatism and a sense of adventure. As with the landscapes of winter and summer. Sometimes one wins, sometimes the other.

The third characteristic of Estonians is a sense of humour, of mockery, irony and self-irony. Estonian humour is blacker than that of the English, and is mostly gallows humour. Behind the brave facade of Estonian irony lurks eternal nostalgia and a tender heart. For generation upon generation, Estonians have learnt to be fighting fit, even in the most hopeless of circumstances.

And it is, incidentally, hope which unites Estonians. They hope to return home, even though home may mean different things to different Estonians.