Experiences abroad during primary or secondary school
When going abroad at primary or secondary level, you should start preparing a year or a year and a half before you depart. First, you should get acquainted with the general information: find out which opportunities are available (studying, traineeships, voluntary work, language courses, summer schools) and how to finance them. For information on the different opportunities to go abroad, visit the website of the Education and Youth Board.
Decisions on the recognition of upper secondary school studies completed abroad are made by the teacher’s council of the school, comparing the studies completed abroad with the Estonian curriculum.
Educational programmes
European education programmes are in Estonia intermediated by the Education and Youth Board. The programmes support the development of lifelong learning, promote international cooperation in all fields of education, enabling international education migration for students and teachers. More information about programs (for example Erasmus+, Dora Plus) and about scholarships can be also find on the homepage of Education and Youth Board.
An overview of the study options in Estonia can be found on the portal Education Estonia (incl. educational institutions that offer English-language education: from kindergartens to universities). For a comprehensive overview of higher education and all study programmes available in English, visit Study in Estonia.
What to consider before applying
Where to go?
Should you search on your own, ask for advice from your home university/vocational school’s external relations department or Erasmus coordinator.
How are studies organized?
Make sure whether the curriculum of the university you selected has been accredited by a competent body. It is also necessary to know what the educational system is in the foreign country and what privileges are conferred by the final diploma you aspire to obtain. Europe is striving for a harmonized higher educational system but currently there is an abundance of qualifications and systems.
What is required?
Contact the educational institution you selected and find out what documents are needed and when the deadlines are. What is the tuition? What are the language proficiency requirements? And what are the housing conditions?
How to finance your studies?
Determine the sources of financing – an Erasmus scholarship will not cover all of your costs related to studying. You will be bound to require additional financing. Source of financing are the following: tuition or student loan; Estonian and foreign state and private scholarships. Obtaining a scholarship is generally a long-term process – applications are accepted a couple times a year.
Living abroad
You should resolve all of the practical issues related to a stay in a foreign country: a visa (if you are not an EU citizen); residence permit; health insurance (check with the Health Insurance Fund) e.c.
Academic recognition and professional recognition
In Estonia, the Academic Recognition Information Centre (Estonian ENIC/NARIC) is responsible for academic recognition and for professional recognition.
Academic recognition is the recognition of a foreign qualification for the purpose of further studies. In academic recognition, the evaluators mainly seek to assess whether the applicant is capable of continuing studies in the chosen direction and at the chosen level.
The need for academic recognition may arise when a person holds a diploma of the home country and seeks admission to a further stage of studies in a foreign country or seeks admission to further studies in the home country after completion of the previous stage or period of studies abroad.
More information about academic recognition and about professional recognition can be found on the website of the Estonian ENIC/NARIC.
Read also the article "Recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Estonia" in the State Portal.
Related articles
References
- Scholarships for studying and working in Estonia
- Portal Education Estonia
- Portal Study in Estonia
- Starting school in another EU country (Your Europe)
- Admission and entry to university in another EU country (Your Europe)
- Recognition of professional qualifications in Estonia
- Academic recognition of a foreign qualification
- Estonian ENIC/NARIC (Academic Recognition Information Centre)
- Free movement of professionals
- ENIC/NARIC