University of Tartu Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

Counted among the top 1.2% of universities globally, the University of Tartu is a research-based educational institution offering higher education courses to students globally. It has 13,000+ students across programmes, a 7,500-strong alumni network, and 3,602 employees, with 51% of them holding academic positions. It supports and develops the professional competence of its students and academic staff. As a result, the university has entered into bilateral cooperation agreements with 72 partner institutions in 26 different countries.

Since its inception, the university was modelled after the University of Uppsala in Sweden with the intent to pursue research and advance learning in a wide variety of disciplines. To date, Tartu has continued to adhere to this aim and remains the only classical university in Estonia. Research work in UT focuses on subjects ranging from Medicine and Philosophy to Genetics and Computer Science.

Courses Offered

What all courses are available to international students?

As of 2020-21, the University of Tartu offers over 150 options across the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study levels. Along with 55 bachelor’s courses, students can also apply to 71 master’s and 33 PhD programmes. Out of these, only 27 programmes are taught in English. Most of the bachelor programmes are taught in Estonian, however, there are three first-level programs available fully in English, which includes Business Administration, Science and Technology, and Medicine. Master’s programmes taught in English are as follows except for Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language (taught mostly in the Russian language):

Field of Study	Courses
Social Sciences	Contemporary Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Educational Technology Politics and Governance in the Digital Age Information Technology Law Innovation and Technology Management International Law and Human Rights International Relations and Regional Studies Quantitative Economics Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language (main study language: Russian, secondary: English) Wellness and Spa Service Design and Management
Humanities	Estonian and Finno-Ugric Languages (2022) European Languages and Cultures Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies Philosophy Semiotics Sound and Visual Technology
Science & Technology	Actuarial and Financial Engineering Applied Measurement Science Bioengineering Computer Science Geoinformatics for Urbanised Society Materials Science and Technology Robotics and Computer Engineering Software Engineering

Eligibility & Documents Required

What are the eligibility requirements?

The eligibility requirements for Indian students applying to UG and PG courses at the university are:

For UG students: Admission to UG programmes at the University of Tartu is based on a candidate’s 10+2 grades and TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. The student must also have scored more than 50% marks in the corresponding high school or senior secondary exams.

For PG students: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent provision certificate from an accredited/recognised institution to apply to PG courses at the University of Tartu.

 

Minimum English Proficiency

Given below are the English proficiency requirements for UG and PG courses at UT. Students must note these are the only language proficiency tests and examinations accepted by the university.

Type of Examination	Minimum Score Requirement
TOEFL (iBT)	75 or higher
IELTS Academic	6.0 or higher (with each section no less than 5.5)
Cambridge English: CAE/CPE	169 or higher
Pearson Test of English (PTE)	59 or higher

What all documents are needed for application?

Candidates must upload copies of all the required documents in their online applications. It must be noted that the university’s Admissions Committee only accepts applications that are filled completely with the required data. The copies of all educational documents, such as the secondary school certificate and grade list or transcripts, must be officially certified. The certified copies are documents that bear an original signature and seal of authority, certifying they are true copies of the original documents. Documents can be certified by an authorised official, a notary, or an apostille attached, as the university does not accept simple copies based on already-certified copies. Other documents required for application are:

• Proof of English proficiency
• Motivation Letter
• Letters of Recommendation (LORs)
• Resume
• Financial documents
• Copy of passport and photographs

Application & Tuition Fees

Is there any application fees?

International students need to pay an application fee of EUR 50. The application fee is non-refundable.

What is the fee structure of courses offered by the university?

International students either pay tuition or receive a tuition waiver. They need to check whether a particular programme has tuition waivers or is fee-based. Here is an estimated tuition fee for international applicants:

Field of Study	Annual Tuition Fee Range (in USD)
Humanities	4,000
Social Sciences	3,800
Medicine	12,000
Science and Technology	4,500-9,000

The fee range given above is for programmes taught in English. International students looking to enrol in Estonian language courses are advised to check the website for the rates.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?

International applicants may be eligible for tuition fee waivers if their chosen degree programme offers fee waivers. The best applicants to these programmes are offered tuition waivers which cover the tuition fee if the student meets the nominal study load requirement. The nominal study load is completed if no more than 6 credits are missing from the 30 ECTS workload per semester. If a student with a tuition waiver fails to complete a sufficient amount of credits per semester, they have to pay for the credits not earned.

Apart from this, the following scholarships are available for international students:

Raefond Scholarship for International Students: Offered to foreign and domestic students pursuing UG or PG courses for 700 EUR per month, it considers nine domestic and at least one international student for this award. Candidates should additionally have grades of 4.0 or higher in their respective levels to apply for this scholarship.

Estonian National Scholarship Programme for International Students: Applicable to all aforementioned levels of study, this scholarship can be applied for by students willing to study in Estonia for the 2021/22 academic year. Valid for a year, the scholarship offers 350 EUR per month. For bachelor’s studies, this scholarship can only be applied for courses in fields related to Estonian language and culture. For the master’s and PhD programmes, these scholarships are available to students from countries listed in the scholarship guide in Annexure 1 present on the university website.

Admission Process

When do the admissions start?

Candidates from non-EU/EEA countries applying to the bachelor’s programme at the university can submit their application between January and mid-April. On the other hand, the applications for master’s programmes can be submitted between January and mid-March. Admission to PhD courses is conducted through four application sessions (February, May, September, and November).

What is the application process?

International applicants can apply to the university direct via its online application system – Dream Apply Estonia. After signing up in the online application system, the candidate will receive an applicant code that will enable them to track the application's status. It is also through the online system that the candidate receives feedback for their application(s) and the final admission results (including admission offers). Online application forms for bachelor and master’s programmes can be found on the respective course pages. Students are allowed to apply for up to two programmes at one time.

To apply to PhD courses online, candidates need to fill online applications and submit either their doctoral theses or motivation letters. They must mandatorily upload all necessary academic documents and mark sheets in their original language and an English-translated version. The university can revoke or confirm an individual’s application at their discretion if an applicant shares wrong or fraudulent information.

When will I hear from the university after I submit my application?

The bachelor programmes’ results are released from mid-June onwards and for master’s programmes, the decisions are released by May. Results for the Estonian language programmes are declared in mid-July.

Student Diversity & Preferred Profile

What are the chances to get into this university?

Students are admitted to the university according to ranking lists formed based on entrance criteria for each programme. The admissions are regulated by the Admission Rules for Level I and II Programmes. UT has set up multiple academic indicators for each programme, assessed by the Admissions Committee and used to decide a candidate’s eligibility. The indicators used are the motivation letter, the entrance interview, and the essay or portfolio submitted. Each of these indicators is assigned points and students must score at least 51 out of 100 to be considered for admission. In the case of multiple indicators, the share in the final score must be represented as a percentage. The minimum positive score for ranking is 66 points, and candidates with points lower than 66 will not be considered.

How many Indian/international students are studying at the university?

As of 2020, the total student body of UT consisted of 13,641 students, including 61% undergraduate, 31% masters, and 8% doctoral students. Out of the total student population, 1,678 were international students from 99 countries. UT offered admissions to a total of 4,154 new students in 2020, including 2,399 undergraduate, 1,574 masters, and 181 doctoral students. UT saw a 1.3 times increase in the number of international students as compared to 2016 with 564 international students.

Part Time Work While Studying

Can I work while studying here?

International students in Estonia do not need an additional work permit to work while studying. However, it is possible only on the condition that work does not interfere with their studies. Students must score the required passing marks for courses they have enrolled in within the nominal time. They can undertake part-time and full-time jobs alongside their academics, which will help them gain the necessary industry experience and understand its dynamics.

The Counselling Centre at the university offers career-related services and counselling to students, helping them get desired internships and part-time work opportunities.  Candidates are allowed to work 40 hours a week and must sign legal working contracts to avoid future disputes (if any).

Visa Rules: Non-EU students coming to study in Estonia need a D-type visa, along with a Temporary Residence Permit to extend the duration of their stay.  While applying for a visa, they must keep the following in mind:

• Apply for the D-visa 6 months before you arrive in Estonia.
• You must be present in person at the Estonian embassy in your country of residence or the Police and Border Guard Board in Estonia while applying for the visa.
• Students should reserve an appointment beforehand at the Police and Border Guard Board office.

After getting the visa approved, students can apply for a residency permit. They will receive confirmation about the status of their applications in 2 months. If the application is accepted, the permit will be issued within 15 days.

Campuses & Accommodation

How many colleges and campuses does the university have?

Located in the second largest city of Estonia (Tartu), the university has a sprawling campus built in the year 1632 by Gustavus Adolphus, the Swedish king. The organizational structure of the university consists of four major faculties with different colleges operating under them.

Faculty of Science and Technology	Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Medicine	Faculty of Social Sciences

Is on-campus housing available?

The university offers students accommodation at the Student Village, a non-profit organisation on-campus. Degree-seeking international students can find accommodation in the following dormitories:

• Raatuse 22
• Narva mnt 25
• Narva mnt 27
• Pepleri 14

Candidates will have to fill out an application form, after which they will receive an email confirming the success of their applications. Post-confirmation, they are required to pay a deposit and sign a contract within 3 days of arrival to get their desired accommodation. The rates of accommodation and the living expenses are given below:

Narva mnt 27 Residence Hall Rooms	Rent (in EUR)	Deposit (in EUR)
One place in a single room	117.50	150
Two places in a single room	235	300
Single room*	169	150
Twin studio apartment*	246	300
2-room apartment*	257	300

 

Narva mnt 25 Residence Hall Rooms	Rent (in EUR)	Deposit (in EUR)
One place in a twin room	117.50	150
Two places in a twin room	235	300
Single room*	169	150
Twin studio apartment*	246	300

 

Pepleri 14 Residence Hall Rooms	Rent (in EUR)	Deposit (in EUR)
One place in a twin room in a shared apartment	117	150
Two places in a twin room in a shared apartment	234	300
Single room without kitchen*	135	150
Single room in a shared apartment*	146	150
Single apartment type room	146	150
Twin studio apartment*	245	300
Big twin studio apartment*	256	300
Single studio apartment*	330	300

* Indicates an approximate waiting period of 8 months to 1.5 years.

The rent for these residence halls is inclusive of all utilities such as electricity, laundromat, water & sewage, heating, etc.

 

Off-campus accommodation: Students who wish to live off-campus can look for suitable accommodation via newspapers, online portals, and real estate agencies. The university’s International Relations Office/Admission Office can further assist you in finding accommodation options within your budget by recommending a university official or student who can help you.

 

Living Expenses

Here are some basic costs of which international students might incur as a part of their living expenses:

Living Expenses	Cost (in EUR)
Food & other basic costs	300-400
Local public transport (with monthly ticket)	7.67
Taxi fee	1.9
Health Insurance	300 minimum
Residence Permit	64
Nightclub ticket	8+
Theatre ticket	19-27
Movie ticket	Weekdays: 5.50 Weekends: 6.70-7.90
Beer/cider in a pub	3
Daily Specials in Clubs	3 to 5
University Sports Club (Group training & fitness club)	75-125/semester for group training Fitness Club: 35/month
Lemon Gym	29/month
Aura Centre	3.5-9 or 7-15

University Contact Information

Whom should I contact in case of any doubts?

In case of doubts or queries, you can contact the university authorities here:

Address: Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu, Estonia

E-mail: info@ut.ee

Telephone: +372-737-5100

Website: www.ut.ee/en