Estonia - Study - Student Visa

A residence permit for study may be issued to an alien:
• for study in a primary school, basic school, gymnasium, vocational educational institution, institution of applied higher education or university;
• for participation in pre-degree foundation courses offered by such institutions;
• for participation in field training intermediated by an international students' organization.

Aliens who are issued residence permits for study are exempt from the immigration quota.
An alien may be issued a residence permit for study if the alien has a permanent legal income for subsistence in Estonia. Lawfully earned remuneration for work, income received from lawful business activities or property, pensions, scholarships, support, benefits paid by a foreign state and the maintenance ensured by family members earning legal income are deemed to be legal income.

An alien must have a dwelling in Estonia.

An alien has to have an insurance contract guaranteeing that any costs related to his or her medical treatment as a result of illness or injury during the period of validity of the residence permit applied for will be met. An alien who has been granted a residence permit for study is not covered by Estonian health insurance.

If an alien has no opportunity to conclude a conforming insurance contract before the residence permit is granted to him/her, then he/she must submit:
• an assurance that he/she will conclude the required insurance contract no later than within two months after the settlement in the state on the basis of a residence permit, or
• an insurance contract which shall cover the medical treatment expenses until the conclusion of a conforming insurance contract (e.g. travel insurance contract).

In case of entrance into a university or institution of professional higher education an alien must speak and understand the language of instruction at the required level. An alien's language skills in concern to the language of instruction are considered to be at the required level if language skills respond to the minimum requirements set by the educational institution for language skills, or if an alien comes to specialize in the national language.

A residence permit for study may be issued for a period of up to 1 year but no longer than the estimated duration of the studies. If an alien continues his/her studies in the same educational institution, his/her residence permit may be extended by one year at a time but not for longer than one year all together.

An alien who has been issued a residence permit for study may take employment in Estonia without a work permit in order to participate in practical training pursuant to the curriculum. Otherwise he/she may take employment in Estonia only on the basis of a work permit but only outside of school hours on condition that such employment does not interfere with the alien's studies.

The educational institution where the alien who was granted a residence permit is studying has the representation right of an alien under 15 years of age during his/her stay in Estonia.
Documents added to an application which are issued abroad must be translated either into Estonian, Russian or English and the authenticity of the translation must be certified by a notary.

Documents issued abroad must be legalized or confirmed by a certificate (apostille), unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement.