Finding a good reason to study abroad these days could be daunting because there are lots of them. One is affordable universities and cities to study in. I’ve listed and reviewed cheap universities in Estonia for international students, tuition fees, living costs, etc.
It is not a must for all international students to study at top study abroad destinations like USA, UK etc, if you cannot afford it, there are still affordable countries to study in and still obtain quality education. One of them is Estonia, study in Estonia today!
Why study in Estonia as an international student?
- Tuition fees in this country is highly affordable compared to North American countries.
- Many of Estonian Universities offer English-taught programs, this is very welcoming to foreign students
- Most of their student cities are cheap to live in and study
Tuition Fees in Estonian Universities
We know that different institutions set their tuition fees based on the programs and may be season. But we always provide the average tuition fees obtainable in a particular country, do well to find out specific tuition fees from your school of choice.
Universities in Estonia charge tuition fees between 1023 Euros to 7350 Euros per year.
It is likely that postgraduate or masters programs cost more depending on area of specialization.
These fees are very cheap even more than other European countries, you can compare and see.
You can even apply for a tuition waiver or available scholarships if you still can’t afford the tuition fees or even get a student loan to ease the financial stress.
Cheap Universities in Estonia – Admission requirements
To stand a chance of being given admission to study in any of the universities in Estonia, you have to be eligible. This means that you must meet all admission requirements or confirm if a pathway program exist for your program and enroll.
For undergraduate programs, basically you need an SSCE or high school certificate and proof of language proficiency. For graduate studies, you need transcript, first degree certificate and even 2 recommendation letters from your former lecturers, preferably, professors or doctors. You can prepare your thesis, CV and statement of purpose. Check with your school to confirm what is required.
Cost of Living in Estonia
Of course you would like to know how much you should be budgeting on a monthly basis if you are living in Estonia. I would say it depends largely on your lifestyle or spending habit; major and minor cities are not same when it comes to cost of living. Below is a breakdown of costs you are likely to in cure during your stay abroad.
Affordable Accommodation in Estonian Universities
If you are on scholarship, your sponsors would mandate that you stay in the school’s accommodation which normally cost from €100 per month.
Your accommodation cost is a reflection of the size of the flat and location; on average you should budget about 200 to 500 euros per month.
Transport Fare in Estonia
You can expect to board a bus for free in some cities in Estonia as long as it is public transport. For other cities, you can be charged a token of about 8 to 10 euros per month on a public transport or a little bit above that for private cabs.
Affordable Universities in Estonia – Scholarships
If you are going to study in Estonia as an international student, I advice you apply for the government of Estonia scholarship, it is offered to students who are either taking a taught course or doing research.
Their scholarships is mainly accessible to masters and PhD students. If they consider undergraduate students, it is on a rare occasion and mainly to waive tuition fees, not fully-funded.
List of Cheapest Universities in Estonia for International Students
- Tallinn University
- Audentes University
- Concordia International University Estonia
- Estonian Academy of Arts
- Estonian Academy of Music
- Estonian Agricultural University
- Estonian Business School
- Estonian Public Service Academy
- International University Estonia
- Tallinn Institute of Technology
- Tartu Medical School
- University Nord
- Concordia International University Estonia
- Tallinn University of Technology
- University of Tartu
- Estonian Business School
Review of 5 Cheap Universities in Estonia for International Students
1. Tallinn University
Estimated tuition fee; from USD 1,000 a semester to USD 2,500.
Tallinn University (TU), which is located in the capital city of Estonia, was originally established in 1919, but became a university in 2005. In the QS World University Ranking, it is ranked among the top 1000 universities and is one of the highest.
TU is the cheapest university in Estonia and is divided into six Schools of Humanities, Education, Natural Sciences and Health, Governance, Law and Society, Film, Media, Arts and Communication, and Digital Technologies. It also has a college, six centers of excellence, and four institutes for science.
With over 8,000 students, foreign students represent about 9 percent of the TU student population. This low cost university in Estonia has hundreds of study agreements with universities around the world and is home to one of the few English-taught schools in the country.
International student tuition fees range from EUR 1,650 (USD 1,800 approx.) to EUR 2,000 (USD 2,200 approx.) for bachelor’s degree programs per semester. Master’s degree programs range from EUR 913 (approx USD 1,000) to EUR 2,250 (approx USD 2,500). For all candidates, doctoral degree programs are totally open, and several scholarships are available for foreign students.
2. Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences
Estimated fee for tuition; between USD 3,500 and USD 5,000 annually.
The Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences (EUAS), a private university that began its operations in 1992, is our next cheap university in Estonia. It is situated in a business park called Ülemiste City in the capital city.
EUAS offers its 1,600 students both bachelor and master’s degree programs. Such programs are available in Russian, Estonian, and English. In areas like game design and development, start-up entrepreneurship, software development, international business management, and creativity and business innovation, you can find majors.
EUAS has several cooperation agreements with higher education institutions in the region and also works to associate students in their fields of study with companies.
3. Estonian Business School
Cost of Studying; from USD 2,500 a semester to USD 3,900.
The Estonian Business School (EBS), which was established in 1988, is another choice for those who would like to pursue a major in the economic sector. Among business schools worldwide, it is well recognized and has international accreditation for all its programs.
This accessible Estonian university offers two separate bachelor’s degrees, a one-year master’s degree program and two two-year master’s degree programs with two specializations.
EBS also has a Management Training Center and has collaboration services for its more than 1,500 students with more than 70 universities overseas. In Helsinki, Finland, this university has another campus.
Tuition fees for bachelor’s degree programs range from EUR 2,300 (approximately USD 2,500) to EUR 3,200 (approximately USD 3,500) per course. Master’s programs cost between EUR 2,750 (approximately USD 3,000) and EUR 3,500 (approximately USD 3,900). The fees for entry include an application fee of USD 130.
4. Tallinn University of Technology
Estimated tuition fee; from USD 4,900 per academic year to USD 9,000.
Next on our list of Estonia’s cheapest universities is TalTech. The Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) was established in 1918 and is one of the top-ranked universities in Estonia, ranked by the QS World University Ranking among the 601 and 650th best universities.
TalTech has two branch colleges in the cities of Tartu and Kohtla-Järve, in addition to its main campus in Tallinn. TalTech is split into four schools: business, engineering, IT and science. It also has a shipping academy and four departments.
There are 30 English-taught programs at this Technical University. Four bachelor’s degree programs, 16 master’s degree programs and 10 doctoral degree programs are included. It also has two master’s degree programs offered in collaboration with other universities in Estonia.
In these programs, more than 10,000 students and 1,600 foreign students receive education each year.
Tuition fees are per credit measured here. For English-language teaching services, the cost per credit varies from EUR 55 (USD 60) to EUR 100 (USD 110). This means that tuition fees will go from USD 3,600 to USD 6,670 if you take 60 credits per academic year.
Students have to pay an extra fee in certain schools, which ranges from EUR 1,200 (USD 1,315 approx.) to EUR 3,000 (USD 3,300 approx.) depending on the program. In most schemes, EU students are excluded from paying tuition fees.
5. University of Tartu
Estimated tuition fee; between USD 4,200 a year and USD 13,150.
The University of Tartu (UT) is Estonia’s oldest, highest, and best-ranked university. It was originally founded as the Academia Gustaviana during the times of the Swedish Empire, in 1632. In 1919, it became the University of Tartu (UT) after many transformations.
In the QS World University Ranking, UT is ranked 301st, which makes it the highest in Estonia. It has buildings that include botanical gardens, museums, and many sports facilities in the city of Tartu.
This affordable university in Estonia is divided into four main universities in the fields of medicine, science and technology, the arts and humanities, and medicine. These schools include numerous schools and institutes. Three bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and 35 doctoral degree programs comprise English-taught programs. At UT, half of the study carried out in the country is completed.
Tuition fees range from EUR 3,800 (approx. USD 4,200) to EUR 6,000 (approx. USD 6,570) per academic year. The only exception is the medical scheme, which costs EUR 12,000 (approximately USD 13,150) a year. Admission grants are awarded to the best candidates and other financial assistance programs are also available.
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