Vocational schools offer manageable learning opportunities, providing preparation for both simpler and more complex occupations. To find a suitable school or field of study together with your child, use the Education Portal's search for fields of study or the Admissions Information System (SAIS). 

Many vocational schools offer curricula that have no prior education requirement, and which are also suitable for those who studied under the simplified curriculum or part of the coping-skills curriculum in basic school. You can get an overview of such fields of study from the Education Portal's list of fields of study.

Vocational education offers young people who need support a range of support measures – for example, the option to adapt or change the organisation of studies, the learning environment, teaching methods, and study time. Based on the pupil's needs, the school can, for example, draw up an individual curriculum, extend the study period, or allow study in a small group. It's important to remember that to graduate from vocational school, a student must acquire all the knowledge and skills described in the curriculum – these cannot be reduced. You can get an overview of such fields of study from the Education Portal's list of fields of study. 

Vocational education offers young people who need support a range of support measures – for example, the option to adapt or change the organisation of studies, the learning environment, teaching methods, and study time. Based on the pupil's needs, the school can, for example, draw up an individual curriculum, extend the study period, or allow study in a small group. It's important to remember that to graduate from vocational school, a student must acquire all the knowledge and skills described in the curriculum – these cannot be reduced.

The school ensures that support services are available to pupils. Support services include
career services,

• learning support,
• special education and social pedagogical counselling,

• psychological counselling.

  
  
  If necessary, the school can bring in additional specialists to help carry out the studies, such as a sign language interpreter, support person, or personal assistant.
  Many vocational schools have experience supporting learners with various special needs. Modern school buildings are also well accessible. When choosing a school together with your child, be sure to contact the schools that teach the fields of study you're interested in. The school itself can give you the most accurate information about fields of study, admission requirements, and how studies are organised. 

Higher education institutions provide various support services for young people with special needs, which can differ from one school to another. Always contact the university directly for the most detailed information. Many higher education institutions have designated student liaison officers for students with special needs, who are ideally suited to provide assistance.
If your child requires special arrangements for entrance exams, tests, or interviews (such as computer access, extra time, or a sign language interpreter), you must inform the university when submitting the application documents.
You can find out more about support services for students with special needs on the websites of higher education institutions:

• Estonian University of Life Sciences
• Tallinn University
• TalTech
• University of Tartu
• Tallinn Health Care College

• Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

  
   

Starting from the 2026/27 academic year, preparatory studies will replace the previous vocational-orientation studies for young people who have completed basic education but have not found a suitable further study option after finishing basic school. Preparatory studies allow the pupil to develop, based on their needs, the skills required to continue their studies. During the studies, counselling is offered to help with further educational and career choices. Preparatory studies generally last one academic year, but the study period may also be shorter if the young person finds a suitable study path earlier.
 

Before enrolling, you can often get to know a school better at open days or other events aimed at prospective students. Feel free to contact a school that interests you, or one close to home, at an early stage.
 

You can get advice and help making your choice from Töötukassa's career counsellors. Career counsellors work in every county. Career counselling is open to everyone, and the service is free for all.

The state pays an education allowance to students of vocational schools. To be eligible for the allowance, you must be enrolled in full-time study, and you must not exceed the allowed study time. You can apply for the allowance through your school. The allowance is awarded on the basis of academic results, which are used to establish a ranking list. You can apply for the allowance for five study months twice a year – in September and February.

In addition, special support is available at vocational schools. Special support is for students whose financial situation prevents them from continuing their studies.Information on the conditions for the special support can be obtained directly from the school.

If the vocational school is not in the same area as your home, reimbursement is made for public transport travel expenses. If a young person travels to school every school day, the allowance is calculated for one return journey per day. The school may also reimburse additional travel expenses related to the student’s studies, such as for practical training or participation in student competitions. To be reimbursed for travel expenses, you must submit an application to the school and attach your travel tickets.

If the vocational school does not have a hostel, or if your child cannot use a hostel because of their special needs and has to find their own accommodation while studying, they are entitled to reimbursement of accommodation costs. However, the public transport arrangements between home and school are also taken into account when determining this allowance. This means that you can apply for reimbursement if the total travel time by public transport to and from school is more than two hours per day. You are also entitled to claim reimbursement of accommodation costs if you cannot use public transport to go to school. To obtain reimbursement of accommodation costs, you must submit an application to the school.

During your studies, you can take out a student loan. To be eligible for a student loan, the student must have completed upper secondary education and studied for at least six months. You can apply for a student loan once a year during the academic year. A young person is entitled to a student loan from 15 September to 1 June of the following year. You can apply for a student loan from a bank.

While studying at a higher education institution, you can apply for a needs-based study allowance or a needs-based special allowance. Needs-based study allowance is linked to the family’s average income. You can apply for the allowance in both the autumn and spring semesters. The application process can be found on the Education Portal (login required).

If a student does not receive the needs-based study allowance because their previous income exceeded the threshold, but has recently decreased significantly, they can apply for a needs-based special allowance. The amount of the special allowance is 135 per euros month. To apply, you must contact the higher education institution directly.

A student with special needs is eligible to apply for a scholarship. The amount of the scholarship depends on the type and severity of the student’s disability and ranges from 60 to 510 euros per month. There are two application rounds per academic year. A student can choose one round to apply and submit an application once per academic year. The application process is in the application processing information system.

Education allowance for a disabled student is paid to a non-working disabled student who attends upper secondary school or a vocational educational institution or an institution of higher education and who has additional expenses in relation to their studies as a result of the disability. The allowance is intended as a monthly allowance for the period of study, to enable the use of special learning aids, special communication equipment, etc. The education allowance is paid according to the actual additional costs, from 6.39 euros to 25.57 euros per month. The education allowance is not paid for July and August. To get the allowance, you must submit an application to the Social Insurance Board. The application must be accompanied by an invoice or a payment order for the additional costs related to the studies.

Study Allowances and Study Loans Act
The types and amounts of state scholarships for students and the general conditions of and procedure for granting them

Ministry of Education and Research – Education Portal – Vocational Education
Ministry of Education and Research – Vocational education – Students with special educational needs
Education and Youth Board – Map of vocational educational institution and overview of study opportunities
Ministry of Education and Research – Vocational Education – Study allowances, reimbursement of travel costs, school meals, and other allowances
Ministry of Education and Research – Education Portal – Higher Education
The Education and Youth Board - Scholarship for students with special needs
Riigiportaal - Funding of university studies, study allowances
Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund - Career counselling
Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund - Career