The education system in Estonia is based on four levels- preschool, basic, secondary and higher education. Basic Education starts at the of 7 and completed at the age of 17 years. Secondary education is a level of education that is based on basic education. Secondary education is divided into general secondary education and vocational secondary education which remain for three years and referred as the gymnasium"gümnaasium". Like basic education, general secondary education is funded by the state and the local government. The duration of studies in the post-secondary vocational education curricula on the basis of secondary education is from 0.5 to 2.5 years. Maturita exam is ending exam on 4-year secondary schools and is a requirement for university studies and higher professional schools. Maturita exams from all schools are equal and mean possibility to study in all types of universities. Matura is a matriculation examination and can be compared to A-Level exams or Abitur. The students after acquiring general secondary education can join studies either at a higher educational institution or to vocational education. Universities are institutions that provide academic higher education and can also offer professional higher education programs. Institutions of professional higher education provide professional higher education and may offer master level programs in the field of theology and defense or in other fields in cooperation with universities.The standard period of study in professional higher education is three to four years (180-240 ECTS). A person who has completed professional higher education shall be awarded with a diploma which enables access to Master's study. Higher education can be acquired, at a university, at three levels: Bachelor's Study, Master's study and Doctoral study. The nominal duration of Bachelor's study is three to four years (180-240 ECTS), Master's study one to two years (60-120 ECTS), and Doctoral study three to four years (180-240 ECTS). The standard period of Bachelor's and Master's study is at least five years in total. A single, Bachelor and Master study package in some specialties like dentistry, architect-engineer, basic medical studies, veterinary, pharmacy, and a classroom teacher program is also present, nominal duration of which is five to six years (300-360 ECTS). The following are images of some of the higher education institution of Estonia.

Estonian University of Life Sciences

Estonian Business School

Estonian Information Technology College

Tallinn University of Applied Sciences

Tallinn University of Technology

University of Tartu

The Admission Deadlines

0The admission deadlines vary at different universities but mostly bachelor and master degrees admission are carried out during April to June whereas admission to doctoral programs take place during May & June.The deadlines may be different at some universities and it is better to check website of the university of choice.

General Requirements:

For admission to a university, there are some general and some institution-specific requirements. The general requirements are binding on all higher education institutions. There are no enrollment requirements for exchange students besides an agreement between partner universities.

Bachelor degree applicants are required to have completed their secondary education or an equivalent education,
Master Degree Applicants are required to have completed bachelor-level studies,
Doctoral Degree Applicants must have completed master-level studies.
Applicants also need to present a certificate of English skills. All internationally recognized language proficiency tests (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL) are accepted, though some institutions may run individual language tests. Usually, the required minimum test result for BA and MA is 5,5 in IELTS and 70 in TOEFL (IBT). Please check specific English language requirements on university`s admission website, as requirements might be a bit different for each university. Depending on the institution and program,
There might be additional entrance tests such as an interview, written essay, portfolio etc.
The evaluation of foreign higher education qualifications and qualifications giving access to higher education is conducted by the Estonian National Academic Recognition Information Centre (Estonian ENIC/NARIC.

Candidates should apply directly to the higher education institution for more detailed information on admissions and scholarship opportunities.

http://www.studyinestonia.ee/

Exchange students

Student exchange is based on bilateral agreements between partner institutions. There are also different exchange programs facilitating the mobility of students. Further information on application conditions and procedures is available on the respective university's webpage.

Erasmus students

Twenty-three Estonian higher education institutions participate in the European Community action program Socrates/Erasmus, the framework for support of European activities of higher education institutions, including exchange of their students and teaching staff. Every participating higher education institution has its own Erasmus co-coordinator who provides academic information for prospective Erasmus exchange students.

Visiting students

Visiting students are international students who plan to study at the host institution for up to one year at either the graduate or postgraduate level. Further information on application conditions and procedures is available on the home university's and/or prospective host university's webpage.

Fee & other cost

Tuition Fee

Tuition fees in different universities can vary considerably depending on the level of studies and the specialty in question. Generally, tuition fees vary from 1660 EUR to 7500 EUR per year (except Medicine program with 11 000 EUR per year) for Bachelor and Master programs. Some of the more expensive specialties are medicine, law, business administration and social sciences. Some higher education institutions may differentiate tuition fees for students from the European Union and from outside the European Union. In addition, some universities offer various Master and Bachelor programs with no tuition fee at all. All doctoral studies in Estonia are without tuition fee. Exchange students are exempt from tuition fees and are entitled to a small grant if stipulated in the agreement.

Important:

To get the most recent information for tuition fees, contact the higher education institution you are interested, at online admission system: www.estonia.dreamapply.com.

Other Costs

The boarding & lodging cost depends upon life style, living habits and choices of the students. So these are estimated, not fixed and may differ due to impact of above referred factors.

Monthly living costs ranges between €300–€500.
Accommodation cost ranges from about €100 for a place in a double room in the residence hall to €180–€450 per month or more for a private flat.
Students can usually enjoy a comfortable life with around €200–250 per month for food.
Other miscellaneous cost may include €50–100 per month

Scholarships

The following links and the site of the Ministry of Education and Research Estonia are useful contacts for scholarships

Bachelor Degree Scholarship

Master Degree Scholarship

Doctoral Degree Scholarship

For incoming short-time mobility

Researcher's Scholarship

Estonian National Scholarship Program for international students, researchers and academic staff to support their to the Estonian institutions of higher education (HEI) and research and development institutions. Grant can be applied for research, scientific work, teaching, cooperation with colleagues etc. The beneficiaries may include, professor, associate professor, lecturer, assistant of the university and junior researcher, researcher, senior researcher or leading researcher etc.

The scholarship programs are managed and approved under the supervision of Archimedes Foundation Estonia from January to December.

Visa & Residence Permit

Non-EU citizens :

Students from non-EU areas need a temporary residence permit for study from the nearest Estonian Embassy or Consul which are handling visa for their home country or country of residence . The application begins after student has been accepted to study on chosen program and after university has forwarded required acceptance documents.

It is possible to apply for C- (short term) or D-visa (long term) to travel to Estonia and apply for residence permit after arrival.

EU citizens

EU (including EEA countries and Switzerland) citizens should obtain a temporary right of residence in Estonia. After obtaining the temporary right of residence within 3 months from the day of entry to Estonia.They should apply for an Estonian ID-card within 1 month of obtaining the temporary right of residence.

Guidelines: