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6 universities in Estonia for international students on a budget
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18 Sep 2024
Located in Northern Europe, Estonia is a small country with around 1.3 million people. For those of you who have not heard of Estonia, it will surely surprise you — in all the right ways.
Known for its lush forests, rich history, and medieval architecture, this is one of the least populated European countries. Yet, Estonia is miles ahead in its economy — making it a developed country with much to offer.
Estonia has a well-developed advanced higher education system. With more than 20 public and private educational institutes dedicated to higher education as well as many scholarships and financial aid available to students.
From free healthcare and education to a highly developed science and IT industry, living here is great for international students. They also benefit from the unique opportunities offered by the hundreds of startups that have chosen Estonia as their headquarters.
The best part? All education is free at the PhD level in Estonia.
As for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, tuition fees vary depending on whether you choose a public or private institution.
However, the cost of education in Estonia is still much lower than in many other European countries. Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree at any Estonian public university costs between US$1,847 and US$8,346 (1,660 and 7,500 euros) per year.
6 cheap universities in Estonia
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Tallinn University
Founded in 1919, Tallinn University is one of Estonia’s oldest universities and is named after the country’s capital.
There are six schools specialising in many interdisciplinary fields. These include humanities, education, science and health, governance, law and society, digital technology, film, media, arts, and communication. As a full research university, it has no less than four research institutes. It focuses on areas of educational innovation, digital media, culture, health and lifestyle.
The university supports international students by offering classes in English. As a result, it has a higher number of international students than many other large institutions in the region. International students from over 40 countries are enrolled at Tallinn University.
The average tuition fees vary depending on the course, with some programmes starting from as low as US$4,674 per year for bachelor’s degrees and US$4,228 per year for master’s degrees.
University of Tartu
The University of Tartu is Estonia’s national university. Founded in 1632 by King Adolf Gustavus of Sweden, the university is located in the city of Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city.
The university’s four faculties — humanities, social sciences, medicine and science and technology — offer a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. Most programmes are offered in the Estonian language, and these are free of charge.
However, there are English-taught programmes available, such as business administration and science and technology.
The tuition fee ranges depending on the programme. For bachelor’s, it goes from US$4,674 to US$6,676 per year; for master’s, it goes from US$4,451 to US$6,676.
Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)
Tallinn University of Technology — better known as TalTech — is at a scenic location in Mustamäe. TalTech was founded in 1918 and is the only technical university in Estonia, focusing on engineering and technology, business, information technology, economics, science, public administration and maritime affairs.
Here, students forge the future. TalTech creates real things from scratch on the spot, like Iseauto, the first self-driving car in Estonia, smart road covers, or smart elevators. This attracts people from all over the world to its halls, and TalTech boasts the highest number of foreign students (16%) and lecturers (17%) compared to Estonian universities.
The university has five schools: the School of Engineering, the School of Information Technologies, the School of Science, the School of Business and Governance, and the Estonian Maritime Academy.
Studies for EU/EEA citizens are tuition-free (except at the School of Business and Governance). Tuition fees start at US$3,783 per year and go up to US$7,789 per year.
All PhD programmes in Estonia are free for international students. Source: Ben Stansall/AFP
Estonian Business School (EBS)
Established in 1988, the Estonian Business School is the oldest private business university in the Baltics. The aim of the school is to provide aspiring business students with the academic knowledge, skills and values to make them successful. Here, over 40% of EBS’s student body are international students.
As with most business schools around the world, accreditation is important. In 2020, EBS underwent institutional accreditation and upon achieving great results, was awarded the Estonian Quality Agency for Education (HAKA) Quality Label for seven years.
Aside, in 2016, EBS’s English-language bachelor’s level International Business Administration study programme became the first in Estonia to receive the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Accreditation, which is among the highest level recognition business schools can receive.
Tuition fees vary depending on the programmes chosen. For bachelor’s degree courses, the tuition fee ranges from US$7,455 to US$7,789 per year. Meanwhile, the tuition fee for master’s degrees ranges from US$8,902 to US$10,015.
Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA)
The Estonian Academy of Arts is a public university based in Tallinn that was founded in 1914. It is known as the only Estonian institution for higher education in regard to design, media, art, architecture and history. EKA is dedicated to raising the bar of education through its efforts to spread awareness and foster creativity.
Their bachelor’s programmes include accessory design, animation, architecture and urban design, art history and visual culture. As for master’s programmes, they offer ceramics, heritage and conservation, fashion design, and glass art.
All of the school’s bachelor’s degree programmes are taught in the Estonian language and require at least a B2 in order to be eligible to apply. However, there are master’s programmes that are delivered in English.
Tuition fees for non-EU citizens range from US$4,228 to US$8,902 per academic year.
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Estonian University of Life Sciences
The only university in Estonia whose priorities in academic and research activities provide the sustainable development of natural resources and the preservation of heritage and habitat. The Estonian University of Life Sciences ranks #54 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 for agriculture and forestry.
The university has three institutions: the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Institute of Forestry and Engineering. All of them offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Estonian and English.
The tuition fees here range from US$4,228 to US$4,896. The integrated BA and MA for Veterinary Medicine cost a little more, at US$5,230 per year and totalling US$31,380 for the six-year programme.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on September 18, 2024.
