About Estonia
The Republic of Estonia is a country in northern Europe. It borders the Gulf of Finland to the north opposite Finland, the Baltic Sea to the west opposite Sweden, Latvia to the south, and Lake Peipus and Russia to the east. The capital Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas in the country. The Estonian language is the autochthonous and official language of Estonia. It is the first language of the majority of the population and the second most spoken Finnic language in the world.
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Estonia is often overlooked when it comes to potential international study destinations, but this small country has a lot to offer. Students have the opportunity to receive a quality education at world-renowned schools without having to pay high tuition fees. Add to that the low cost of living, beautiful culture, and commitment to digital innovation, and Estonia is one of the most popular locations for entrepreneurs and tech startups.
Estonia is a highly digitized community and one of the most exciting countries in Europe for digital natives, tech-savvy entrepreneurs and ambitious startups. It is the first country to offer e-Residency (a cross-country, government-issued digital identity available to anyone in the world who wants to run a location-independent business online). This technology enables secure and convenient digital services that promote credibility and trust online. With an e-resident identity, entrepreneurs can start and manage an online business in Estonia from anywhere in the world. Successful Estonian startups that are now globally recognized include Skype, Wise, formerly known as Transferwise, GrabCAD, etc.
There are lots of historical landmarks in Estonia that visitors and international students can go for sight-seeing during vacations. Their summers are remarkable and there are sea sides, cozy beaches, and charming forests to explore. Some of the historical landmarks in Estonia are:
✓ Estonia National Museum
✓ Narva Castle
✓ Atlantis Water Aquapark
✓ Tartu Old City
✓ Kadriorg Art Museum
✓ Tallinn Old Town
✓ Alpakafarm
✓ Kuressaare Castle
✓ Toompea Hill
✓ Toompea Castle
✓ Haapsalu Old Town
✓ Fama Centre
✓ Saaremaa Museum
✓ Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
✓ Kiek in de Kok
✓ Kumu
Why Study In Estonia?
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High-quality Education
In a globalized, well-connected world, employers increasingly value graduates with international experience and education. Estonian universities have managed to produce graduates who meet these standards by providing high-quality education in all their educational institutions. Degrees from Estonia are recognized worldwide.
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Recognized Universities
Some of the Estonian universities are included in the QS World University Rankings 2016/17 and QS University Rankings: EECA 2016 (A ranking of the leading universities in emerging Europe and
Central Asia). These include:
✓ University of Tartu
✓ University of Tallinn
✓ Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)
✓ Estonian University of Life Sciences
✓ Estonian Academy of Arts
✓ Estonian School of Economics
✓ Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences
✓ Tallinn Health Care University
✓ Tartu Health Care University
✓ Estonian Academy of Aviation
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Cost of Living
The cost of living in Estonia is affordable for international students. The average monthly cost of living is €300 to €500. Business Insider ranks Estonia's capital Tallinn as one of the 9 cheapest cities in Europe in which to live. This usually depends on the student's city, choice of accommodation, lifestyle and spending habits. Public transportation in Tallinn is free for all students.
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Affordable Tuition Fees
Estonia offers affordable tuition for both bachelor's and master's degree programs compared to more popular international study destinations. Tuition fees at Estonian universities vary significantly depending on the level of study and the degree program. Doctoral programs are free for all students and, with the exception of some programs, tuition fees for bachelor's and master's programs range from €1,660 to €7,500 per year. Some of the more expensive majors with higher fees are medicine, law, business administration, and social sciences.
Wide range of courses.
Estonian universities offer a wide variety of courses. Some of the courses that international students can take include engineering (such as cyber security, robotics, electrical, industrial and computer and systems engineering), Software Development, Entrepreneurship, Aeronautics, Business administration, Corporate governance, Law, Medicine, Social sciences and Accounting.
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Programmes Taught In English
All Estonian universities offer English-language degree programs. There are over 150 English-language degrees at the graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels.
Study & Work
International students with valid study visas in Estonia are allowed to work 25 hours per week at school during their studies without applying for a work permit, earning about €3.48 gross per hour. They are allowed to work on the condition that it does not interfere with their studies, as students must complete all courses with good grades and finish their studies within the specified time frame. As Estonia is a technologically advanced country, there is a wide range of part-time jobs for international students in tutoring, language teaching, babysitting, interpreting, translating, data processing, administration, IT programming & development, office work, waitressing and shop work.
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Visa after studies
All non-EU students can extend their stay in Estonia for another 9 months after graduation to look for a job and apply for a temporary residence and work permit. A non-EU/EEA citizen can apply for a permanent residence permit after living in Estonia for 5 years with a temporary residence permit. Please note that the time you've studied in Estonia is counted towards your total with a coefficient of 0.5. For example, 4 years of study will count for 2 years of residence in this case.