Low Tuition Universities in Estonia, Admission Requirements and Essential Information for International Students

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia.

The climate in Estonia is mostly mild, with warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature in July is about 21 degrees with highs of about 30 degrees. The average temperature in the winter is about -8 degrees C, with lows of about 23 degrees C.

Estonia is one of the least-populous countries in Europe, with just 1.3 million inhabitant The capital city Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas of the country. The Estonian language is the official language of Estonia. Estonia uses the Euro (€) as its currency.

If you are interested in studying in Estonia and you want to know the its higher education system, living costs, tuition fees,  admission requirements and the lists of low tuition universities, this article is just for you.

Higher Education in Estonia

Estonian higher education has two cycles

The first cycle is undergraduate education. Bachelor’s degrees normally take three or four years. The extra year can be necessary if you have to undertake a placement as part of your degree or if it’s a technical subject, like medicine or engineering. At this level, the basic knowledge and skills related to a specialty are obtained.

The second cycle is postgraduate education. Master’s degrees take two years, no matter the subject. Master’s level studies are devoted to in-depth preparation for the specialty. Some schools also now offer accelerated postgraduate degrees which take only one year.

The third cycle is PhD studies. A Doctoral degree takes at least four years to complete. Many PhD students choose to teach part-time whilst studying, meaning that a third cycle degree can take as long as six years to complete in Estonia.

 Living Costs

Student accommodation costs

These are the two most popular types of accommodation:

  • Student dormitories (single, double, or triple rooms): only offered by some universities. They are usually in great condition, and the monthly cost of 80–150 EUR also includes the utilities.
  • Private housing: rent costs between 200 and 550 EUR/month. You can pay less by sharing a larger apartment with other students. You also need to cover the monthly utilities (150–200 EUR) and the initial deposit (equivalent to 3 months’ rent).

    Food costs in Estonia

    On average, students spend around 300 EUR per month on food and groceries. All universities have cafeterias with good food at reasonable prices, and you can also look for daily specialities or discounts in pubs or cafes.

    These are some of the average prices for food products in Estonia:

    • 1 loaf of bread: 0.81 EUR
    • 1 litre of milk: 0.72 EUR
    • 12 eggs: 1.52 EUR
    • 1 kg of local cheese: 7 EUR
    • 1 kg of apples: 1.32 EUR
    • 1 kg of bananas: 1.09 EUR
    • 1 meal at affordable restaurants: 8 EUR

     

    Transportation costs

    In Tallinn, public transport if free for all students. In other cities, like Tartu, a monthly transport pass with a student discount costs around 7–8 EUR. Other transport options are:

    • taxi: 2.50 EUR at start, 0.65 EUR per km
    • bike renting: 10 EUR for a weekly membership, 30 EUR for an annual membership

Check out other living costs in Estonia on numbeo

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees at Estonian institutions vary depending on whether you choose a public or private institution. It will also depend on what level you are studying at, as doctoral degrees in Estonia are free of charge to all students. On average, you should expect a bachelor’s or master’s degree to cost between €1,000 and €8,000 per year. If you choose to take a specialised degree, such as a medical degree, you should expect it to cost around €11,000 per year.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree course:

  • Secondary School Certificate (ISSC)
  • Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC)
  • English Language Test is required to get admission in Bachelor’s degree courses. You can submit IELTS or TOEFL.

 Master’s degree course:

  • Secondary School Certificate (ISSC)
  • Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC)
  • Bachelors Certificate & Transcript

Other Important documents that are required to get admission for both bachelor’s and master’s degree courses are the following:

  • Passport
  • Recent Photo
  • CV & Motivation Letter
  • Completed and signed admission letter from the higher institution of Lithuania
  • Two Reference or Recommendation letters from teachers or employer (if you have worked).

Low Tuition Universities in Estonia

  1. University of Tartu
  2. Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)
  3. Tallinn University
  4. Nord University
  5. Estonian University of Life Sciences
  6. TTK University of Applied Sciences
  7. Estonian Business School
  8. Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
  9. Estonian Academy of Security Sciences
  10. Estonian Academy of Arts
  11. Pallas University of Applied Sciences
  12. Estonian Aviation Academy

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