All persons with secondary education acquired in Estonia or foreign
qualifications equal thereto have an equal right to compete to be
admitted to a university, an institution of professional higher
education or vocational school kutseõppeasutus The
conditions and procedure for admission to a university shall be
established by the council of the university; in case of institutions
of professional higher education, by the regulation of the minister who
directs the ministry under whose area of government the institution
belongs. The pre-condition for the commencement of Master’s study is a
Bachelor’s level degree, higher education acquired by completing a
professional higher education curriculum or a qualification equal
thereto. In an institution of professional higher education, work
experience of at least one year in a field of study corresponding to
the Master’s study curriculum is also required. The board of an
institution of professional higher education has the right to establish
a requirement for work experience of a longer duration as a
pre-condition for the commencement of Master’s study. To start Doctoral
study, a Master’s level degree or equal qualification is required.
At a university, the council of the university
establishes the conditions and procedures for admittance of students.
In addition to an upper secondary education certificate also the
National Examination Certificate may be required and results of
entrance exams and/or professional aptitude tests are considered. In
one case, a university has used an academic aptitude test for admission
and allowed those who had achieved top results to freely choose
according to which curriculum they will commence their studies.
Universities have created specific possibilities for competing for
study places also for students with special needs. An open university
may exist at the university where students are usually admitted without
entrance examinations. In an open university, studies are organised at
a manner as flexible as possible, taking into account the needs of
adult students.
The conditions and procedures for admission to
and dismissal from an institution of professional higher education are
established by a regulation of the minister who directs the ministry
under whose area of government the institution of professional higher
education belongs. The results of national examinations are considered
but the board of the institution has the right to establish entrance
exams or tests as an additional condition for admittance to the
institution of professional higher education.
The conditions and
procedures for admission to and dismissal from an institution of
professional higher education are applied also to students who are
admitted to a vocational school kutseõppeasutus according to professional higher education curricula.
Students are admitted to student places created on the basis of state-commissioned education (see also
8.2.4.)
and student places beyond state-commissioned education. The Minister of
Education and Research establishes the number of student places formed
on the basis of state-commissioned education. In case of public
universities or private educational institutions, the provision of
state-commissioned education is formalised as a contract under public
law between the Ministry of Education and Research and the educational
institution. In case of state-owned institution of professional higher
education or vocational schools kutseõppeasutus the provision of state-commissioned education is approved by the decree of the Minister of Education and Research.
Student
places formed on the basis of state-commissioned education shall
initially be filled following the procedures established by the council
of the higher education institution and according to the results of the
entrance examinations taken by the persons who wish to study according
to the given curriculum. The quota of student places beyond
state-commissioned education is set by the council of the higher
education institution. A student who did not pass the competition to
student places formed on the basis of state-commissioned education has
the right to compete for admittance to student places beyond
state-commissioned education within the quota. Higher education
institutions sign contracts on reimbursement of study costs with
persons who are admitted to student places beyond state-commissioned
education. The procedures for admission and covering of study costs of
persons who study on the basis of international agreements and who are
not residents of Estonia are set out in accordance with these
agreements.
The conditions for admission to private institutions
of higher education are set by the institution. For admission to a
private vocational school kutseõppeasutus or
a private university the same conditions and procedures for admission
are applied that are established by the law for admission to a state or
municipal educational institution or a public university. The board of
a private educational institution has the right to set additional
conditions.
In terms of completing a curriculum, an educational
institution may, since 1 September 2007, take account of the previous
study results and professional experience of the given person on all
steps of higher education levels, following the principles stated by
the Higher Education Standard and within the limits and pursuant to the
procedures established by the board of the university or institution of
the professional higher education.
Institutions:
Ministry of Education and Research Munga 18 , 50088 Tartu Tel.:372 7350 222 Fax:372 7350 250 E-mail: hm@hm.ee
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