Estonia 2013/14 - student fees and grants

National student fee

From 2013/14 enrolment higher education institutions (HEIs) in both cycles have the right to charge study fees under certain conditions. All students who manage to achieve 30 ECTS per semester and 60 ECTS per year in Estonian language curriculum can study without any fees. If student receives 29 ECTS per semester, HEIs have the right (not obligation) to charge him/her for each ECTS. In other words, any ECTS missing from 100 % study load can be charged.

Study fees are regulated by the Government.

Maximum cost of one ECTS is EUR 50. Exceptions are made in arts, medicine, veterinary, dentistry (EUR 100) and aircraft piloting (EUR 120).

Fees are not regulated for students studying in other language, for part-time students and for HEIs that do not receive state funding (private institutions).

Student grants

From 2013/14, a new study grant system is implemented. The new system is need-based. Grants vary from EUR 75 to 220 per month and depend mostly on students and/or his/her family income.

Grants are available to approximately 17 % of all students in the 1st and 2nd cycle together. The basic grant is EUR 55.93/month and the additional grant EUR 28.13/month. These grants are currently primarily based on merit.

Students can receive grants for 10 months per academic year.

Loans

Full-time students can apply for state guaranteed loans. Estonian citizens or persons with a permanent residence permit, with full-time studies, according to curricula, of nine months or more has the right to obtain a study loan. Some exemptions are envisaged by the law. The maximum amount is EUR 1 920/academic year.

Tax benefit for student's parents

Tax benefits for parents depend both on students' status and on the civil status of students (age, marital status, etc.).

Family allowances

No family allowances.