Fees are not charged to first and second cycle full-time home students enrolled in programmes taught in Estonian language

Higher education institutions have the right to charge study fees to first and second cycle students who do not fulfil the education programme credit requirements or have extended length of studies.

The amount of fee per credit depends on the field of study. For most disciplines, the maximum cost of one ECTS is EUR 50. Higher fees are set in arts, medicine, veterinary, dentistry (EUR 100) and in aircraft piloting (EUR 120). The upper limits of partial reimbursement of study costs  (maximum fee for credit point) depending on the field of study are established by a government regulation. 

Part-time students might be charged with tuition fees which are decided by the higher education institution.

Students enrolled in programmes taught in a foreign language pay fees.

International students are subject to the same policies applied to home students if they are following programmes taught in Estonian language. They do not pay higher fees. International students in English language programmes in general terms are required to pay fees.

Waivers or reductions to tuition fees are available to certain categories of students:

- Students with special needs

- Students who are parent or guardian of a child under 7 years of age or a disabled child

- Part-time students who have enrolled in a programme where HEI is allowed to conduct only part-time studies (such as some teacher training programmes).Students who have enrolled in a programme where HEI is allowed to conduct only part-time studies (such as some teacher training programmes)

Need-based and merit-based grants are available to home and international full-time students.

The reported amounts are relevant to year 2023. The amounts for 2024 have doubled (minimum EUR 1 500 and maximum EUR 4 400)

Grants are paid in monthly instalments for 10 months period.

Part-time students are not entitled to grants, except for the programmes where HEIs are allowed to conduct only part-time studies (such as some teacher training programmes). Data on amounts is not available.

There is no age limit for award of grants.

Loans are available to home and international full and part-time students.

Home students and persons staying in Estonia on the basis of a long-term residence permit or permanent right of residence, the duration of whose studies according to the curriculum is six calendar months or more have right to get a study loan. Persons the duration of whose studies according to the curriculum is less than nine calendar months are granted study loan in the extent of one-half of the maximum rate.

Students who are on academic leave do not have the right to obtain a study loan.

There is no age limit for students to apply for a publicly subsidised loan.

The study loan has an effect to the maximum amount of the need-based grant. As the study allowance (needs-based grant) depends on the average income of the student and his/her family members in the calendar year prior to the academic year of submitting an application for the study allowance, the study loan has an effect to the maximum amount of the needs-based grant.