Students acquiring higher education can apply for a student loan, state education allowance or various scholarships.

Education allowances are paid from the state budget every month on the basis of the decision of the university to students who have applied through an educational institution. Students who are on academic leave are not eligible to receive an education allowance. Nor are students eligible if they are currently receiving an educational allowance from a foreign government, an international or intergovernmental organization or cooperation programme.

Student study allowances for 2023/2024 academic year

Category of study allowance	Who can apply	Application deadline	Submitting application	Result deadline
Doctoral allowance (660 EUR/month)	All PhD students (matriculated before 2022/2023)			10.10
Needs-based study allowance* (based on the student’s/family’s income, either 150 or 275 or 440 EUR/month)	Students (except PhD students) who study full time and if the student’s family members’ monthly income is not more than 762,5 EUR/month NB! except for students who are here on the basis of TRP as it contradicts to the TRP requirements for sufficient income for the whole period of stay.	In September and February – for five study months, or in October and March – for four, or in November and April – for three, or in December and May – for two, or in January and June – for one study month	Via https://edu.ee/	7 working days after submission
Needs-based special allowance (135 EUR/month)	Students studying full time (except PhD students) whose needs-based study allowance application was dismissed.	In September and February – for five study months, or in October and March – for fou, or in November and April – for three, or in December and May – for two, or in January and June – for one study month	Via oposak@emu.ee or on paper to the Office of Academic Affairs	The 10th of the month following the month of application submission

Needs-based study allowance

It can be applied for by a student:

• who is a citizen of Estonia or resides in Estonia on the basis of a permanent residence permit;
• who studies full-time and completes the curriculum’s requirements up to 75% or studies full-time in the first semester;
• whose family’s monthly income per family member is below 762,5 euros.

There are three different sizes of needs-based study allowance: EUR 150, 275 and 440. Whether the student will receive the allowance and its amount depend on the average income of the student and their family members in the previous calendar year. The family’s average income is calculated on the basis of taxable income in the calendar year preceding the academic year of applying for the allowance.

A student is considered to belong to the same family as their parents until the age of 24, unless the student is married, a parent or a guardian: in that case, the student is considered a separate family.

Needs-based study allowances are granted twice per academic year: for the autumn and spring semesters. To apply for the allowance, you have to submit an application in the state portal (https://edu.ee). You can submit the application during the entire semester. The allowance will be transferred to the student’s bank account indicated in the state portal.

If the state portal lacks the respective details of your family members and their income, you can upload the respective documents. If the state portal contains an error regarding the study load completed by you, contact the university. In other questions relating to the allowance, contact the Ministry of Education and Research.

For more information see: https://www.emu.ee/en/studies/study-information/study-regulations/

Doctoral allowance (matriculated before 2022/2023)

PhD students, whose studies are funded by the Estonian government, i.e. are studying at state-funded study places, are entitled to a PhD student allowance. This does not apply to the students of DoRa programme and to those studying at non-state funded study places.
The doctoral allowance can be sought by doctoral students who are citizens of the Republic of Estonia or who reside in Estonia on the basis of a residence right or a permanent or temporary residence permit and are full time students.

The amount of the doctoral allowance is 660 EUR per month.

There is no separate application for the allowance, it is taken care automatically, and the allowance is granted for whole academic year (from August to September). PhD students who are on academic leave at the time of granting doctoral allowance shall be granted the allowance from the study month following the finishing date of academic leave until the beginning of the next academic year.

Loans

A study loan is a state-guaranteed long-term loan for funding costs of tuition. The right to receive a study loan is held by a full-time student who is an Estonian citizen or resides in Estonia on the basis of a long-term residence permit or permanent residency. The maximum permissible amount of study loan shall be reviewed and determined by 1st of August of each year by the Government of the Republic. A loan may be applied for at any time during the academic year, from mid-September to 1st of June. A study loan may be taken for the duration of the nominal period of study for a given curriculum. Study loans are available from all major banks. For more information on the conditions and the application process, contact the bank. Study loans are granted on the basis of the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act.

For more information see:

• Conditions and Procedure for Applying for, Granting and the Payment of Study Allowances

 

State scholarships for 2023/2024 academic year

Category of scholarships	Who can apply	Application deadline	Submitting application	Result deadline
Scholarship for students with special needs (60-510 EUR/month, depending on the severity of the disability)	All full time / part time students (including PhD students) who have been officially diagnosed with a level of disability.	https://www.harno.ee/erivajadusega-uliopilaste-stipendium	Via electronic application system
Scholarship supporting the obtaining of higher education for students who have been in substitute homes or who have needed family care (160 EUR/month)	All full time students (except PhD students)	Until 25.10 https://harno.ee/asenduskodulaste-korgharidusstipendium	Via electronic application system	20.11.2023
Performance-based scholarship (100 EUR/month)   NB! RPL is not considered as a part of the fulfilled programme	Students (except PhD students) who study full time and haven’t passed their nominal period of study.	In September and in February, for 5 months	Through ÕIS	10.10.2023 10.03.2024

 

Scholarship for students with special needs

Aim of scholarship

• to support students with disabilities while they’re obtaining higher education;
• to support students with disabilities for whom the degree of severity of the disability; has been determined because of loss or deterioration of anatomic, physiologic or mental structure or function,

Right to apply is granted to students of professional higher education, Bachelor’s, Master’s, integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and PhD students if they:

• are Estonian citizens or have been granted a long-term resident’s or a temporary residence permit or permanent or temporary right of residence;
• study full or part time or are on academic leave.

To apply, the student will present the following documents to Education and Yout Board in the online system https://www.harno.ee/erivajadusega-uliopilaste-stipendium:

1. Application
2. Document proving the degree of the disability (e.g. disability card, certificate from a medical specialist).

The sum of the scholarship depends on the type and severity of the disability and amounts to 60-510 EUR/month

Guidelines for applying for the scholarship for students with disabilities are available in Estonian on the Eduation and Youth Board's website: guideline