Estonia

Country in Europe

Capital: Tallinn
Dialing code: +372
Currency: Euro
President: Kersti Kaljulaid
Population: 1.325 million (2013) World Bank

Estonia,a country in Northern Europe, borders the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. Including more than 1,500 islands, its diverse terrain spans rocky beaches, old-growth forest and many lakes. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, it's dotted with castles, churches and hilltop fortresses. The capital, Tallinn, is known for its preserved Old Town, museums and the 314m-high Tallinn TV Tower, which has an observation deck.

Estonia is the smallest of the three Baltic Countries. Situated on the north eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, Estonia borders with Latvia in the south and with the Russian Federation in the east and has strong cultural and linguistic ties with Finland. The capital of the country is Tallinn and is only about 85 km south of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Sweden is Estonia's nearest western neighbour across the Baltic Sea. The country has a population of about 1.4 million people.

Higher Education System

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In Estonia, the higher education system consists of two branches - an academic branch and a professional higher education. Thus, one can choose between the two types of institutions - universities and professional higher education institutions.

The academic branch of Estonian higher education follows the Bachelors-Masters - Doctoral model. For Bachelor's degree, the length of study is usually three - four years (180 ECTS). The Master's level qualification lasts normally 2 years (120 ECTS) and is a prerequisite for the commencement of doctoral studies. The length of doctoral studies is 3-4 years.

Professional higher education institutions offer non-academic first cycle higher education aimed at providing skills and knowledge required to work in a certain profession or continue studies at a master's level. The length is 3-4 years (180-240 ECTS).

University of Tartu

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The University of Tartu is ranked at an impressive fifth place in the latest QS University Rankings: EECA. Established in 1632, it is Estonia’s oldest higher education institution, and one of the oldest in northern Europe. The University of Tartu teaches about 13,400 students, including over 800 internationals. It is a member of the Coimbra Group and the Utrecht Network, both of which promote international collaboration in higher education.

The university is also a participant in the Erasmus Mundus program, which brings it into cooperation with more than 200 universities worldwide. The University of Tartu prides itself on having many notable alumni, including two Nobel laureates, in medicine and chemistry. Tartu itself is Estonia’s second largest city; well-known as an intellectual hub, it’s home to the Ministry of Education and Research.

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)

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The Tallinn University of Technology also features in the EECA rankings, placed at 30th. Established in 1918, it is the only dedicated technology specialist among Estonian universities. The Tallinn University of Technology has eight faculties and around 12,000 students enrolled, including 1400 international students. It offers degrees in engineering, economics, business administration, social sciences and information technology. Partly due to its strong innovation focus, the university is one of the most popular choices for international students coming to study in Estonia, currently hosting overseas students from more than 60 countries. Located in the beautiful capital city Tallinn, the university has well-established connections within industry and offers a good selection of work opportunities and placements to its students.