International study atmosphere in Estonia and Tallinn
Heiki Beres
Career and Counseling Office
Tallinn University of Technology
Heiki.beres@ttu.ee
T.E.I. Piraeus, 28.05.2013

Population: 1,34 million people
National language: Estonian

Quick facts
• Member of the European Union and NATO
• Location – Northeastern Europe
• Size: 45,227 km 2

More than 50 % of the land
covered with forest

Tallinn Old Town is amongst
UNESCO World Heritage list

We have wild nature
& mystical landscape

We have modern
architecture in old cities…

What are we proud of?
• Skype was developed in Estonia
• In Estonia, all e-services can be accessed with the national IDcard
• In Estonia, a digital signature is legally equal to a normal signature

Why is it so easy to do business in Estonia?
• 98 % of banking transactions in Estonia are effected electronically
• Estonian banking sector is very IT-related, quick and flexible
• It takes only 15 minutes to establish a company in the Internet in
Estonia

And we love our culture…

Higher education since 1632

Estonia has…
• Internationally accredited diplomas
• European Union diploma
• 3+2 system (Bachelor’s and Master’s)

Our advantages
• Low tuition fees (from 2000 to 4000 euros per year)
• low living costs for a student – around 400-600 euros per month
• An Average investment per year is 7000-9000 eur

Statistics
• In 2011/2012
• Around 1600 degree students from ca 70 countries
• Ca 1000 incoming Erasmus exchange students
• Free-movers, visiting PhD and post-doc, others
• Summer school students, ca 500 every year

More than 100 degree
programmes in English

Personal approach –
professors right beside you

90% of the international students satisfied in
Estonia (International Student Barometer 2009)

93% of international students say it is safe to live in Estonia
(International Student Barometer 2009)

Degrees in English
Public
• Estonian Academy of Arts
• Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
• Estonian University of Life Sciences
• Tallinn University
• Tallinn University of Technology
• University of Tartu
Private
• Estonian Business School

Tallinn University of Technology
MBA
Law
International Relations and European Studies
Technology Governance
Cyber Security
Industrial Engineering and Management
Environmental Management and Cleaner Production
Materials and Processes of Sustainable Energetics
Health Care Technology
Design and Engineering

Tallinn University of Technology
Masters programmes:
• MBA
• Law
• International Relations and European Studies
• Technology Governance
• Cyber Security
• Industrial Engineering and Management
• Environmental Management and Cleaner Production
• Materials and Processes of Sustainable Energetics
• Health Care Technology
• Design and Engineering

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD programmes
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Power Engineering and Geotechnology
• Chemical and Materials Technology
• Mechanical Engineering
• Information and Communication Technology
• Chemistry and Gene Technolgy
• Earth Sciences
• Engineering Physics
• Economics
• Public Administration

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD
• A nominal lenght of studies is 4 years and requiers in total 240
ECTS credits
• PhD programme consists of a study courses equivalent to 55-60
ECTS and an independent scientific project (180 ECTS), which ends with a public defense of PhD thesis

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, Admission
• The access requirement for doctoral studies is Master`s degree or a corresponding qualification
• A student may carry a full-time or partial load. Upon enrollment to TUT, a student shall specify the study load in the first academic year. After each study year it will be determined on the bases of PhD student`s individual attestation review.
• Each PhD candidate is individually advised by an appropriate faculty member who has a doctoral degree or an equivalent qualification

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, Financing
• Tuition fee is waived for all PhD students, including international PhD students
• Every PhD programme has a fixed number of study places financed through state budget (the monthly scholarship is 384 € to be paid throughout the calendar year)
• There are also scholarship schemes available for PhD students to attend international conferences and short-term and long-term courses in foreign universities

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, number of students (2012)
• Total number of PhD students was 773
• State-commissioned student places 302
• Non-state commissioned student places 477

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, Doctoral Schools
• A Doctoral School is a cooperation project between universities, R&D institutions and companies for the more efficient and high-quality organisation of doctoral study
• Doctoral Schools programme was established in 2005, the second phase began in 2009 with support from the European Structural Fund
• Doctoral School needs to involve at least one university and one partner: either another university, R&D institution, public sector organization or a company
• International and national cooperation is required

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, Doctoral Schools (2)
• Right now 8 Doctoral Schools continues their work
• Three of them are coordinated by TUT:
• Doctoral School in Information and Communication Technologies
• Doctoral School of Energy and Geotechnology II
• Doctoral School in Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Appr. 82% of doctoral students studying in respective PhD programme are involved in these Doctoral Schools

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD, Doctoral Schools (3)
• TUT is partner to 5 Doctoral Schools:
• Doctoral School in Economics and Innovation
• Graduate School in Biomedicine and Biotechnology
• Graduate School on Functional Materials and Technologies
• Doctoral School of Earth Sciences and Ecology
• Estonian Doctoral School in Mathematics and Statistics

Tallinn University of Technology
PhD
• Information about PhD programs and admission: docstudy@ttu.ee

Quality standards
• International students say Estonia is the top place to stay (2nd Portugal, 3rd Austria)
ESN Survey 2010
• 90% of interational students are satisfied with their studies in Estonia (global average – 88%)
International Student Barometer 2011

Why international students like Estonia?
• Not only to study, but also to live
• Access to labs, classes, professors
• Various student events
• Quality student organizations
• Low living and accommodation costs
• Safe student environment

www.esn.ee/tallinn
Orientation week for international students in winter

www.esn.ee/tallinn
Trips to Lapland and Russia

Estonian film nights for international students with an Estonian guest www.esn.ee/tallinn

www.esn.ee/tallinn
International quiz nights

Official city tours for international students www.esn.ee/tallinn

City game for international students in Tallinn

Suur aitäh!
Thank you! www.ttu.ee
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