Welcome to Estonia!
Estonia is a young country: it emerged in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR. It later joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2011. It is now considered as one of the most liberal countries in the Eurozone. The official language in Estonia is Estonian, a Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family. But don’t worry, English is widely spoken in the country. The vast majority of its population considers itself as atheist.
The two major cities are Tallinn and Tartu, which are covered by the selection on wearefreemovers. Known for its historic architecture, the old city center of Tallinn was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, while Tartu holds the most prestigious university in the country (you’ll see later). Thanks to its interconnections and hassle-free movements with the EU, Estonia is now a popular tourist destination for European people.
Estonian climate is not that bad as you might guess from its latitude. It actually benefits from Atlantic currents that gift quite warm winters compared to its neighbor countries. Estonia is furthermore a really safe and lovely country to stay in.
What are the best universities in Estonia for semester students?
Are you still undecided whether or not Estonia might be an appealing destination for you? On wearefreemovers you can find a selection of 4 academic institutions offering you the possibility of spending a semester or a full academic year in Estonia. Let’s check some statistics about them.
Here you can see the positions of the Estonian institutions among the world’s best universities rankings.
| NAME | QS | THE | ARWU | CWUR | CWTS | Eduniversal palmes | U.S. News & World Report's Best Global Universities Rankings | Webometrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tartu | 285 | 251–300 | 401-500 | 516 | 641 | - | 289 | 384 |
| Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Estonian Business School (Undergraduate level) | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - |
| Tallinn University of Technology (Estonian students only) | 651-700 | 801–1000 | - | 1439 | - | - | 1142 | - |
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is too small to be included in world universities rankings, but its history and strong specialization makes it an awesome destination for performing arts students. Estonian Business School is a prestigious business school, as its 4 Eduniversal palmes of excellence can attest. The other two universities are great too, with University of Tartu being the oldest and the most established one, and Tallinn University of Technology growing with a strong specialization on technology and innovation.
Costs and fees
Estonia is a mid-expensive country. Monthly costs of living for a single person are above 700€. Keep in mind that, as a student, you could have access to various discounts which can include food, travel, and accommodation expenses.
When it comes to university’s fees, Estonia is not that expensive, with a median 2050€/semester for free mover students.
Which Estonian cities are available to free movers?
Currently there are 2 cities that accept free movers in Estonia. Here you can find Estonian institutions divided by city:
