Higher education can be acquired at a university or a professional higher education institution. Students usually study based on the 3 + 2 curriculum system. This means that the studies for a Bachelor’s degree or professional higher education usually last three or four years and are followed by two years of Master’s studies. There are also five-year programmes in which the Bachelor’s and Master’s studies are integrated (e.g. for class teachers). After the completion of Master’s studies, the student may undertake doctoral studies.
As of the academic year 2024/2025, amendments to the Higher Education Act will enter into force, concerning a number of issues related to students' financial obligations.
Entering a higher educational institution
The admissions system (SAIS) is a service for submitting an application for admission to an Estonian educational institution electronically, via the Internet. After submitting the admissions application, SAIS helps arrange the rest of the process until admission to the school, including conveying notices between the prospective student and the college/university, acceptance or refusal of the offer of admission, and much more.
Where to acquire higher education?
At a university, it is possible to undertake:
- professional higher education studies
- Bachelor’s studies
- integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s studies
- Master’s studies
- doctoral studies.
Professional higher education institutions offer professional higher education curricula and, in certain cases, Master’s-level curricula.
University
A university is an academic, research and development institution where studies take place on three higher educational levels: bachelor’s degree study, master’s degree study and doctorate study. Students may be full-time or part-time or external students. Estonia has two types of higher educational institutions: public universities and private universities.
Professional higher education
Professional higher education is the first stage of study in higher education. In this stage, the university student acquires the competences necessary for working in a definite profession or further master’s degree studies. Professional higher education may be acquired in applied higher educational schools, at vocational educational institutions, and in colleges of universities.
General requirements for organization of studies
The general requirements for higher education are set forth in the Higher Educational Standard, which is likewise the basic document governing issuing of education licenses to universities and accreditation of their curricula. When applying to university, it is a good idea to check whether the curriculum you are interested in is accredited. The Estonian Quality Agency for Higher and Vocational Education (EKKA) is responsible for the accreditation of universities and professional higher educational institutions. In the interests of impartiality, the council members may not be members of the management or administration universities or ministry officials.
More about higher education can you read on the webpage of Ministry of Education and Research and on the webpage of Eurydice.
Related articles
References
- Admissions Information System (SAIS)
- What should student know about their study programme (EKKA)
- Study programmes at Estonian higher education institutions
- Estonian Quality Agency for Higher and Vocational Education (EKKA)
- About higher education (Ministry of Education and Research)
- About Estonian education system (Eurydice)
Services
- Admissions Information System (SAIS)
- Application for needs-based study allowance
- Changing my data in Population Register
- Data from the Estonian Education Information System (EHIS)
- National examination data and e-certificate
- Query of own data and underage children (Population Register)
- Verifying the validity of e-certificate
- Viewing the data of graduated education
Laws
- Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act
- Estonian Academy of Arts Act
- Universities Act
- Private Schools Act
- Organisation of Research and Development Act
- Study Allowances and Study Loans Act
- University of Tartu Act
- Tallinn University Act
- Tallinn University of Technology Act
- Estonian University of Life Sciences Act
- Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Act