Frequently Asked Questions
APPLICATION / ARRIVAL
When is the application deadline?
How do I apply?
Where should I send my application documents?
Can I send my application and documents by e-mail or fax?
What is a certified/notarized translation of a document?
Do you have an application, examination or admission fee?
When will I learn about the status of my application?
Do I have to notify the university that I have accepted the study place?
When do I need to arrive in Tartu?
If my English score is not high enough can I take a preparation course before the main studies?
Can I get a scholarship to study at the University of Tartu?
STUDIES
Which programs are taught in English at the University of Tartu?
Can an international student take courses from different faculties?
I want to learn Estonian. Is it possible during my main studies at the University of Tartu?
Do you offer any grants or scholarships for international students?
What is the duration of a semester at Tartu University?
How much does it cost to study at the University of Tartu?
When do I need to pay my tuition fee?
How is the credit system arranged at the University?
How many ECTS do I have to get?
PRACTICAL ASPECTS
Do I need a visa to come to study in Estonia and how do I get it?
How can I rent a room in the dormitory?
How to find an apartment?
Do I have to share my dormitory room?
What is already there in dorms (such as kitchen utilities) and what should be brought along?
How far is the dorm from the bus-station?
How much does it costs to live in Tartu?
How can I travel from Tallinn to Tartu?
How can I contact other international students before arrival to Tartu?
Is it legal for a foreign student to work part-time during his/her studies in Estonia?
Is it possible for student to find a job in Tartu?
Can I stay in Estonia after my studies?
What is the weather like in Estonia?
What are Estonians like?
Do I need to speak Estonian to live in Tartu/Estonia?
APPLICATION / ARRIVAL
When is the application deadline?
Visiting and exchange students:
For autumn semester: 1 June (EU applicants), 1 May (non-EU applicants)
For spring semester: 1 November (all applicants)
Degree-seeking students:
English-language programmes: 16 April
Estonian-language programmes and PhD programmes: 3 June
Exchange and visiting students: http://www.ut.ee/en/prospective-students/exchange-and-visiting-students
Degree-seeking students:
Bachelor's: http://www.ut.ee/en/prospective-students/bachelors-studies
Master's: http://www.ut.ee/en/prospective-students/masters-studies
PhD: http://www.ut.ee/en/prospective-students/doctoral-studies
Where should I send my application documents?
International Student Service,
University of Tartu,
Ülikooli 18,
50090 Tartu,
Estonia.
Can I send my application and documents by e-mail?
All the application documents have to be sent by regular post.
What is a certified/notarized translation of a document?
A certified/notarized translation is translation of an original document into English done by a certified translator, confirmed by a notary or issued by the school who issued the original document.
Do you have an application, examination or admission fee?
There is no application, examination or admission fee. Information about current tuition fees. Exchange students do not have to pay the tuition fee.
When will I learn about the status of my application?
Please see admission information. Admission results are announced by 3 June (English-language programmes) or by 18 July (Estonian-language programmes). Applicants will be notified of the results by email.
Do I have to notify the university that I have accepted the study place?
We ask degree students to confirm acceptance of the study place within a week after receiving the notification of admission.
Exchange and visiting students are not required to send the confirmation, but they must inform us in case of declining the admission offer.
When do I need to arrive in Tartu?
The autumn semester starts at the beginning of September and the spring semester in the middle of February. There is an Orientation Course organised for international students one week before the start of the autumn semester and in the beginning of the spring semester to introduce the university and the town and which will help the students to get to know each other.
If my English score is not high enough can I take a preparation course before the main studies?
University of Tartu does not provide a preparatory course of English as a foreign language. Applicants must have the required proficiency in English by the application deadline.
Can I get a scholarship to study at the University of Tartu?
A number of scholarships is available for international students at the University of Tartu , mostly on Master's and PhD level.
STUDIES
Which programs are taught in English at the University of Tartu?
Currently University of Tartu offers several degree programs on Bachelor, Master and PhD level with instruction in English. There are also semester and summer academic programmes for short-term non-degree studies.
Can an international student take courses from different faculties?
Exchange students are free to select courses from different subject areas to compile a study plan that best suits their needs. Exchange students can take courses from all the faculties, both courses in Estonian and in English. Students should be aware that sometimes the number of students is limited or the courses will start only if the certain number of students is registered to the course.
Visiting students (students paying for a full semester program) can also select courses from different faculties, but they should pay extra for additional courses.
I want to learn Estonian. Is it possible during my main studies at the University of Tartu?
The University of Tartu offers international students courses of Estonian as foreign language in autumn, spring and/or summer semester. Russian language courses is also available.
Do you offer any grants or scholarships for international students?
A limited number of scholarships (usually providing an exemption from tuition fee) is available for students studying at the University of Tartu for a degree or a semester/year program. In addition to that we have also compiled information on some other scholarship resources and organizations that you approach personally. Please look carefully through the list and see if any of these apply to you. You can find information about available scholarships here.
What is the duration of a semester at Tartu University?
The academic year begins at the beginning of September and the autumn semester lasts until the beginning of February. The spring semester starts in the middle of February and lasts until the end of June. The academic calendar for 2013/2014 can be found in the Study Information System. However, the exams start already in December/May.
How much does it cost to study at the University of Tartu?
Tuition fees at the University of Tartu are in the range of 3,000-11,000 per academic year.
When do I need to pay my tuition fee?
Students who need to pay for their studies receive an invoice. Full-time students who start their studies in the faculty get invoices from the Dean`s office and also sign their tuition fee contracts there. See also: http://www.ut.ee/en/admissions/when-will-i-have-pay-tuition-fee
Visiting students must also sign the tuition fee contract, but they will get their invoice from the International Student Service.
Tuition fee wire transfer:
Tartu University bank account 10102000234007, code 401
SWIFT: EUH EE 2X
IBAN:E2810.
SEB Bank, Ülikooli 2, Tartu 50099.
How is the credit system arranged at the University?
Assessment of academic results of students in subjects or parts of subjects is conducted using the following six-point scale of letters (with accompanying verbal counterparts and short definitions): grade A or 'Excellent' ; grade B or 'Very good' ; grade C or 'Good' ; grade D or 'Sufficient' ; grade E or 'Poor' ; grade F or 'Fail'. The system of credits in use (ECTS) is a cumulative calculation of credit points based onthe workload of a student. It is a student-centred credit system to measure the workload required to achieve the objectives and learning outcomesof a curriculum. One credit point corresponds to 26 hours of studies (lectures, seminars, practice, homework or independent work, assessment of learning outcomes) performed by a student. ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System) are allocated to course units and are awarded to students who successfully complete the course by satisfying the assessment requirements.
How many ECTS do I have to get?
Exchange and visiting students: there are no limits for the credits unless specified by your home university.
Degree students: the volume of a curriculum per one official standard academic year is 60 credits in the European credit transfer system. Degree students have to gather at least 75 per cent of the credits of their curriculum (45 ECTS) in order to get transferred to the next academic year of the respective full-time or stationary programme.
PRACTICAL ASPECTS
Do I need a visa to come to study in Estonia and how do I get it?
See http://www.ut.ee/en/prospective-students/residence-permits
How can I rent a room in the dormitory?
See http://www.ut.ee/en/admissions/student-housing
How to find an apartment?
See http://www.ut.ee/en/admissions/student-housing
Do I have to share my dormitory room?
The dormitory for international students (Raatuse st. 22) consists of the units comprising 3 study bedrooms (double rooms) with shared bathroom and kitchen. Single rooms are usually not available at the beginning of the semester.
What is already there in dorms (such as kitchen utilities) and what should be brought along?
The rooms include essential furniture and blankets. Pillow, linen and cookware are not provided - students should have their own. Before buying new cookware, find out if previous tenants have left behind some that you could perhaps use. The linen by the Student Village are provided for 1.92 EUR per day. See also http://campus.ee/en/raatuse-22.html
How much does it cost to live in Tartu?
See http://www.ut.ee/en/studies/practical/before/cost
How far is the dorm from the bus-station?
Tartu bus terminal is situated near the centre of town and is close to the student dormitories. When first time in Tartu, we still suggest the best way to get to the dormitory is to take a taxi.
How can I travel from Tallinn to Tartu?
See http://www.ut.ee/en/studies/practical/156155
How can I contact other international students before arrival to Tartu?
If you have a question that you would like to ask from an international student who is currently studying in the University of Tartu, you can send it to studyinfo [ät] ut [dot] ee and we will find an international student who can answer your question (see also http://www.ut.ee/en/why-choose-university-tartu-studies-and-research/stu...). There is also a possibility to ask information from Estonian students: all international students will be assigned a tutor and it is possible to get in contact with your tutor already before arrival.
Is it legal for a foreign student to work part-time during his/her studies in Estonia?
EU citizens may work in Estonia without work permit, but it is the responsibility of the student to make sure that work does not interfere with studies.
Non-EU students who have been issued a residence permit for study may take employment without a work permit in order to participate in practical training pursuant to the curriculum. Otherwise they may take employment in Estonia only on the basis of a work permit but only outside of school hours on condition that such employment does not interfere with studies (confirmation from the faculty is required). Application for work permit must be submitted either to the local regional department of the Citizenship and Migration Board or to a representative of the Republic of Estonia.
The period of validity of the work permit cannot exceed the period of validity of the residence permit. Processing of the application takes about one month. Additional information concerning work permits can be obtained from the Citizenship and Migration Board.
Is it possible for student to find a job in Tartu?
It is possible but most of places require that you speak Estonian.
Can I stay in Estonia after my studies?
International students can stay in Estonia for the time specified on their Residence Permit to Study. It is against the law for one to stay in the country over the permitted time period. Applications for extensions can be submitted at the local Immigration Office.
If after completing your studies at the University of Tartu you are looking to work/live in Estonia long-term you need to consult with the local Immigration Office on the process of getting a residence permit and work permit. Your future employer should facilitate you in this. University only provides assistance with getting residence permit to study for admitted students.
What is the weather like in Estonia?
Estonia has a temperate climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Temperatures range from a summer average of 21°C (70°F) to a winter average of-8°C (18°F). Being on the Baltic Sea, the country is subjected to sea breezes and humidity, and its northern latitude means long summer daylight hours (the longest summer day stretches to 19 hours), and dark winters when daylight sometimes lasts only six hours.
The cold winter does not necessarily mean constant snow; in fact snowfalls are few and far between. When it falls it stays though, and there tends to be a layer of snow constantly on the ground between December and March. Summertime brings unexpected rain showers, so an umbrella and light raincoat are recommended.
What are Estonians like?
The character of Estonians has inevitably been shaped by their country's history and its natural environment. It's the long, dark winters that have most likely fostered their self-absorbed and silent manner. At the same time, this dreary season has inspired an abundance of folktale and song that may well provide insights into the nature of the contemporary urbanized Estonian. Ernest Hemingway has written that in every port in the world, at least one Estonian can be found; this speaks volumes about the nation's enterprising spirit.
Estonians are third-generation city people at most, so almost all families have relatives living in the country. Childhood memories will undoubtedly include summers spent in the country. The somewhat grim and reserved Estonian of the winter months undergoes a significant change in summer: he will ask friends out for a picnic, meet new people, and rather than glaring at anyone causing a disturbance in the street, he will burst into merry laughter.
A foreigner is well advised to bear in mind that in human relations, Estonians try to avoid sentimentality. Much of what other nationalities voice without hesitation, Estonians may reveal only once they know a person quite well.
Do I need to speak Estonian to live in Tartu/Estonia?
English and Russian are widely spoken in Estonia. You do not need to speak Estonian in order to live and study here. However we encourage international students to take Estonian as an elective during their studies to feel more comfortable in the country and understand better Estonia and Estonians.
If you did not get an answer to your questions you can send us your information request