Requirements and Procedure for the Admission to Degree Studies

• An international student candidate is a student candidate who does not have Estonian citizenship, long-term residence permit or the right of permanent residence.
• International student candidates applying for study programmes taught in a foreign language submit their application through the online application system DreamApply. Applicants with Estonian citizenship, a long-term residence permit or right of permanent residence in Estonia apply via the online application system SAIS. All feedback and study offers are provided through the respective online system.
• International admission to Bachelor’s and Master’s level (except for the Interaction Design programme) programmes is generally organised once a year through a public competition . Admission to Doctoral studies can be organised more than once a year.
• The University has the right to terminate the admission procedure of a student candidate or cancel the decision as regards admission to the University. The University is not responsible for any possible material and non-material damage arising from the cancellation of the acceptance decision.
• The decision to terminate processing a candidate's application is made by the member of the Rectorate designated by the Rector as responsible for the relevant field of study, upon the proposal of the academic unit or the University's admissions specialist, if:

1. the student candidate is found to have committed an essentially indecent act during the admissions procedure (including the admission examination). The concept of an essentially indecent act is based on Subsections 8 and 9 of Section 30 of the TLU Study Regulations;
2. there is basis to believe that the candidate's purpose for moving to Estonia is not related to studies at the University and/or they lack the necessary means of subsistence and/or they may pose a risk to public order, state security, international relations or public health;

• The decision to terminate processing a candidate's application is made by the Admission Committee if the study programme is not opened for admission. 
• The decision  to terminate processing a candidate's application is made by the admission specialist, if:

1.  the candidate has not submitted the necessary documents by the deadline; 
2. the candidate has not paid the fee for processing the admission documents; 
3. the candidate's level of education or qualification does not enable access to the desired level of higher education; 
4. the candidate is not eligible to apply for a long-stay visa or long-term resident's residence permit under the legislation in force in Estonia or does not have valid legal basis to stay in the country for the duration of the nominal period of study; 
5. the candidate is not issued a long-stay visa or residence permit for studies; 
6. the citizen of a country which is not a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area has not paid the tuition fee for the first semester by the deadline; 
7. the candidate has not arrived in Estonia by the deadline established by the University and registered their arrival at the Academic Affairs Office; 

• Bachelor’s studies (first level of higher education): student candidates who have obtained a certificate of upper secondary education or a corresponding qualification and who meet the programme-specific requirements may apply. Graduates of International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) schools may apply if they have received an IB diploma, which includes a note “Diploma Awarded”.
• Master’s studies (second level of higher education): student candidates who have been awarded a Bachelor’s degree or a corresponding qualification and who meet pogramme-specific requirements may apply.
• Doctoral studies (third level of higher education): student candidates who have been awarded a Master’s degree or a corresponding qualification and who meet programme-specific requirements may apply.

• At least 60% of maximum possible results is expected in order to qualify for studies at Tallinn University. At least 60% of maximum possible results is expected in both Bachelor's and Master's in order to qualify for PhD studies at Tallinn University.
• For study programmes taught in English, applicants must demonstrate language proficiency at least at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by the start of their studies. A list of accepted International English language tests and required scores can be found here.
• The University reserves the right not to admit international student candidates who are minors at the time of matriculation.

• Applications and documents are accepted during the time period announced in Tallinn University’s academic calendar.
• Student candidates may submit applications to no more than two competitions within one admission period.
• International student candidates applying for study programmes taught in English submit their application through the online application system DreamApply by the application deadline.
• Student candidates must follow country-specific requirements published on Tallinn University’s website, if applicable to the country where their prior education was completed.

• Student candidates who are still studying by the application deadline, are granted an extension until 1 July to submit their final educational documents.

• All documents must be in Estonian or English. Documents in other languages must include a certified Estonian or English translation, issued by the issuer, a sworn translator, or a notary.
• International student candidates whose previous level or stage of education required for applying was acquired in a foreign country must pay an application processing fee of €100* (including VAT) per person. Paying the application processing fee is a prerequisite for processing the documents and it must be paid by the application deadline. The application fee is non-refundable.

* Information about exemptions from the application fee is available on our website. The list is exhaustive. 

• Candidates who submit their application, all required documents, and the processing fee by the deadline, and whose documents meet the University’s admission requirements, are eligible to take the specialty-specific admission exam.
• International student candidates who have passed the specialty-specific admission exam must submit within two weeks after publication of admission exam results or no later than by deadline established in the Academic Calendar of Tallinn University for sending the documents to Narva mnt 25, Tallinn 10120 the required documents in paper format.
• When sending documents, candidates must follow any country-specific requirements applicable to their previous education.
• For the purpose of checking the application and the documents, the university has the right to use the different information databases, make queries to educational and other institutions and send documents proving education for assessment of qualification to Estonian ENIC/NARIC Centre.
• Copies, notarised/certified copies, or certified translations of submitted documents will not be returned to the candidate.

• In order to sit for an admission exam, the student candidates must present a personal identification document. In case of exams conducted via video bridge, the university has the right to require the candidate to show the personal identification document and make a screenshot of the candidate together with the identification document for the purpose of identifying the student.
• Speciality-specific admission exam may consist of several parts, the descriptions and the proportions of the total result of speciality-specific admission exam will be published on the website of Tallinn University. The academic unit has the right not to allow the student candidate to take the next part of the exam in case the student candidate has failed to take the previous part of the exam or has received a negative result for it.
• On justified occasions, candidates with physical or psycho-social special needs will be entitled to adjustments to be able to pass speciality-specific admission exams where the absence of adjustments would, due to their special need, put the candidates at a disadvantage during the exam as compared to other candidates. In order to make the adjustments due to the candidates‘ special need, the candidates have to submit a written application in the application system and a document proving the special need to the counsellor for students with special needs no later than by deadline established in the Academic Calendar of Tallinn University for submitting applications.

• The university has the right not to open studies on study programmes for which less student candidates have confirmed their intention to enrol than the minimum number of students to be admitted as established by the Senate. The University will inform the student candidates who have been admitted of the decision in SAIS and in DreamApply.
• International student candidates will be informed of their (conditional) acceptance in DreamApply once they have met the admission requirements. Non-EU/EEA citizens will be informed after payment of the first semester fee.
• The first semester fee will be considered an advance payment and it is not refunded to persons who have not commenced studies but have acquired the right to enter the Republic of Estonia for the purpose of studies.
• International student candidates who have fulfilled the admission requirements and have arrived in Estonia by the deadline determined by the university, registered their arrival at the Academic Affairs Office and have signed the study agreement (except applicants to the third level of higher education) will be matriculated to the University.

Contesting admission related decision

• Student candidates may contest the result of a speciality-specific admission exam or part of it by submitting a written appeal within three working days after the publication of the exam results.
• Other admission-related decisions or procedures may also be appealed within three working days from the publication date of the decision or the date the procedure took place.

• The appeal must include:

  • a description of the decision or procedure you wish to contest;

  • an explanation of how it violates your rights;

  • a clearly defined request (for example, what outcome you are seeking);

  • any relevant supporting documents.

       Please send your written appeal to ope@tlu.ee

• The student candidate is informed of the decision of the Academic Affairs Manager within four working days as of the submission of the appeal contesting the specialty-specific admission exam result. The student candidate is informed about the decision regarding other admission-related contestations within three working days.