UT admission period ended: a record number of top graduates prefer the UT
The list of students admitted to the University of Tartu was published on 18 June and across all levels of study, a total of 4207 applicants were admitted. Almost 70% of all students who graduated from secondary school with a medal preferred to continue their studies at the University of Tartu, which is the highest result of the recent years.
2661 applicants were admitted to bachelor’s programmes and 1382 to master’s programmes. 164 people have already confirmed their wish to start their doctoral studies at the University of Tartu. “The quality of student candidates is very important for the University of Tartu and this is why young people who graduate from secondary school with a medal or show top results at subject contests form a significant target group for the university,” commented Martin Hallik, Vice Rector of Academic Affairs at the University of Tartu. Hallik also stated that the list of admitted students includes 58 candidates with excellent results from subject contests and 626 gold and silver medallists, including 484* people who graduated from secondary school with a medal this year. Hallik was pleased that the number of medallists applying to the University of Tartu is increasing year by year: “The proportion of medallist candidates has increased by 10% compared to the previous year.”
“Considering the demographic situation in Estonia, where the number of secondary school graduates is decreasing, the University of Tartu has fulfilled its admission period target from every aspect – the students who continue their studies with us are of diverse background, academically able and motivated and have made a conscious decision to get ahead in their field in the future,” said Hallik. The Vice Rector added that being admitted to the university with the highest entrance threshold in Estonia and studying here is certainly a quality mark, supporting the students’ future choices. A survey on the reputation of the Estonian universities conducted by TNS Emor confirmed that the education of the University of Tartu is appreciated by the society as well as the labour market.
UT Senior Specialist for Student Admissions Kaja Karo commented that the number of admitted students indicates the number of applications submitted to regular studies as well as the open university, but not the actual number of students who will start their studies. “All admitted students must confirm their choice to come to study. Those who do not will lose their study place to the next applicant on the ranking list. The ranking lists will be moving up until all student places are filled with students who have confirmed their choice to study at the UT,” said Karo, pleased with the high number of students who have already accepted their study place and begin their studies at the University of Tartu. Admitted applicants had to decide within three days.
A total of 10 488 applications were submitted to the University of Tartu during the admission period: 7 519 to bachelor’s studies, 2 589 to master’s studies and 380 to doctoral studies. The highest number of applications were submitted to the bachelor’s programmes in medicine (788), law (392) and information technology (390). The fiercest competition was for the programmes of physiotherapy (11 people per study place), dentistry (9.2) and psychology (6).
* According to Foundation Innove, the total number of secondary school students who graduated with a silver or gold medal this year was 696.