Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases, education is free. You don’t have to pay anything for your studies if:

• You are enrolling in a nationally prioritized field of study, which is free for everyone by law (regardless of your prior education).
• You must be 26 years of age or younger (with certain exceptions for repeat courses).
• You are enrolled in the program through a referral from the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, and you have a corresponding agreement with them.
• You are fulfilling your compulsory education requirements or beginning your studies in a preparatory program.

Tuition must be paid for the entire program if you do not qualify for any exemptions from tuition and:

• At the time of enrollment, you are already enrolled in another free program at a vocational school or college.
• Have you, over the past 5 years completed a free vocational training program at the same or a higher level.
• Have you, over the past 10 years completed a free higher education program.
• Have you previously dropped out of dropped out of free vocational training (and less than 5 years have passed since your last withdrawal).
• Select a curriculum in which the official language of instruction is not Estonian.
• Enroll in a program for which the school board has established separate fee-paying spots.

No. The budget of a student who has already begun their studies is protected—the school may raise tuition fees compared to the previous academic year by a maximum of 10%.

Yes. It is possible to enroll in lower-level vocational training (Level 3) even without a basic education in order to learn a specific practical trade.

• Vocational Secondary Education (Level 4): Begins after completing basic school. You study both a trade and high school subjects at the same time, which means that upon graduation, you will have completed secondary education and be eligible to attend college.
• Vocational Education Based on Secondary Education (Level 5): This program requires that you already have a high school diploma. It will train you to become a top specialist or a mid-level manager in your field.

• EKAP is a credit unit that indicates the scope of study (1 EKAP = 26 hours of study).
• In school-based learning, basic instruction takes place in the school’s workshops.
• In workplace-based learning (apprenticeship) you’ll spend at least two-thirds of your time doing real work at an actual company.

Stop by offices P306 or P307, or write to the support team. Don’t keep your worries to yourself—the specialists there will listen to you and refer you directly to the person who can best support you.

• Social Educator (Room P306): Your support when worries interfere with your school attendance, or if you’ve fallen behind, have academic debt, or are experiencing conflicts with classmates or teachers.
• Special Education Teacher (Room P307): Can help you if you have trouble concentrating in class, need assistance understanding academic texts, or want to find learning methods that work better for you.
• Psychologist (Room P306): Offers confidential assistance with personal issues, mental health concerns (e.g., stress, anxiety), communication difficulties, or career choices.
• Support Services Coordinator (Room P307): Provides official support for academic studies, helps coordinate collaboration with outside specialists, and advises your parents when necessary.