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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice

Estonia

The organisation of the academic year 2025 /2026 in Estonia is organised as follows:*

Beginning of the academic yearBetween the last week of August and the first week of September
Periods when there are teaching activities

September – December (Autumn semester)

February – June (Spring semester)

Periods of examination

January/February (Winter examination period)

May/June (Summer examination period)

National information

Estonia - School heads' salaries and allowances

School heads' salaries and allowances

  • Salaries of school heads are not statutorily defined. Employment contracts with the heads of municipal schools are concluded by the rural municipality or city mayor. Contracts with the heads of state schools are concluded by the minister of education.
  • The minimum qualification for school heads at pre-primary level is ISCED 6 and in addition, pedagogical and leadership competences are required. At all other education levels, the requirement is ISCED 7 and managerial/leadership competences.
  • The salary progression of school head is at the discretion of the contracting authority.
  • School heads are school employees.

Teachers' salaries

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    National information

    Estonia - Teachers' salaries and allowances

    Teachers' salaries and allowances

    • Teachers’ remuneration is regulated by local authorities for pre-primary education level. For all other levels top-level authorities establish the minimum salary of teachers.
    • The minimum qualification level for teachers at pre-primary level is ISCED 6 and pedagogical competences are required. At all other education levels, the requirement is ISCED 7. To work with pupils with SEN, teacher training and special education competences are required.
    • Salary progression and actual salaries are decided by the school head.
    • Teachers have an employee status.

    School heads' salaries

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      National Information

      The national curriculum for preschool child care institutions allows ECEC institutions to apply alternative pedagogy. Some of the privately owned ECEC institutions use alternative pedagogical methods that correspond to the institution's general approach (Waldorf-preschools, Christian ECEC institutions, etc.).

      Steering Documents 

      Pursuant to the Education Act, preschool education is a system of knowledge, skills, experience and behavioural norms which create the prerequisites for succeeding in everyday life and at school. ECEC institutions (in the act, preschools) are educational institutions.

      Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

      All children aged 1.5 to 7 years have the right to attend ECEC. Crèche (ISCED 010, 1.5‒3 years) and preschool groups (ISCED 020, 3‒6 years) are in the same ECEC institutions.

      Place guarantee to ECEC

      Local governments are obliged to provide all children aged from 1.5 to 3 years permanently residing in their catchment area with the opportunity to attend childcare and children aged 3 to 7 years the opportunity to attend preschool if the parents so wish.