Estonia: An envious student lifestyle

13 Feb 2019

A nation that recently announced it’s making public transport free, Estonia is a country known for its generous attitude towards education.

Small in size but blessed with vast academic opportunities, this country has quickly developed into a tourist hub and a popular international study destination.

As Estonia’s Minister of Education Mailis Reps explains, “Our children get school textbooks free of charge; there has been a considerable increase in teachers’ salaries in the periods since I have been the minister. There have been additional finances allocated for extracurricular activities and education provided by music and sports schools and other hobby groups.”

If you take a quick look at current country rankings, you’ll noice Estonia popping up in many top 10 spots:

Maths and science education quality, 2018:

1. Singapore
2. Finland
3. Switzerland
4. Lebanon
5. Netherlands
6. Qatar
7. Belgium
8. Estonia
9. Hong Kong
10. US
11. Slovenia
12. Denmark
13. UAE
14. Canada
15. Germany

(World Economic Forum)

Longer list: https://t.co/ZbIQBrJ1NX

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) February 8, 2019

International students are always welcome to take courses at Estonian universities.

While there are various academic institutions that supply English-taught degrees, it’s always recommended that you study a little Estonian language to help with the day-to-day cultural experience.

Currently, university education is free of charge for students from EU countries, yet fee-paying international students may also benefit from the free extracurricular activities and city events.

Unlike other global universitiesthat tend to have extensive hidden costs, the Estonian education system prefers to be fair and transparent.

As the Estonian Education Minister reiterates, “I think that university education is expensive everywhere. We have established proportions, so universities have to decide how many fee-paying students they can have and how many students can learn free of charge.”

Hi-tech Estonia

Apart from its open education approach, how else may you benefit from the study scape of Estonia?

According to CNBC, the country has evolved into one of the most tech-savvy societies on the planet, “A key feature of Estonia’s digital society is e-Residency, a first-of-its-kind initiative that allows individuals to start businesses in the country without living there. The programme serves as a launching pad for companies looking to do business in the European Union (EU) and benefit from the EU’s single market.”

With the benefit of building a business, this could be an excellent academic adventure and entrepreneurial venture for you. Granting global citizens the freedom to create start-ups and follow their personal blueprint for life, this is a vibrant kingdom full of free thinkers.

Not to mention, the digitisation of the country will heighten your educational experience with smart-tech whiteboards and the freest internet in the world.

Incredible quality of life

Alongside a terrific academic experience, you’ll be pleased to know that if you choose to study in Estonia, your quality of life will prosper!

According to the Numbeo Quality of Life Index for 2019, Estonia ranked 11th place with a score of 180.88.

Recognised for its safe cities and commitment to nurturing the well-being of its citizens, studying here could be one of the best choices you’ll ever make!

So, with an exceptional reputation for its education system and a long list of study abroad advantages, would you be keen to study in Estonia?