Higher Education Systems - Estonia
Degree programs in Estonia are offered by traditional (research) Universities (Ülikoolid) and UAS (Rakenduskõrgkoolid). Universities can be public or private, in either case they have to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education and Research.
The higher education system is organised according to the Bologna agreement on three levels:
- Bachelor’s programs (three years)
- Master’s programs (two years)
- PhD programs (three to four years).
Any student with a secondary-level education certification can apply to a university. Universities may require entrance exams, tests, and interviews. Most of the Bachelor-level ICT programs are provided in Estonian. Estonia provides Master’s and PhD students a rather broad range of internationally recognised English-based degree programs. Since the 2012/2013 academic year, higher education is free of charge in Estonia for those studying full time and in Estonian. However, there is a wide range of opportunities to study free of charge also in English, especially in ICT faculties.
Bachelor’s studies are the first level of higher education. The nominal length of studies is generally three years with 180 ECTS credits, and in a few disciplines, is up to four years with 240 ECTS credits. Graduates who have completed their studies are awarded a Bachelor’s degree. The ICT Bachelor’s programs include a final thesis, which is usually 8–10 ECTS.
The admission requirements to Master’s programs include the Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent level of qualification. The nominal length of studies is one to two years with 60 to 120 ECTS credits, but combined with the first cycle at least five years and 300 ECTS credits. The ICT Master’s programs include a thesis that must be prepared during the studies, usually during the second year and in parallel with courses.
Only research universities are authorised to award doctoral degrees. Although the universities of applied science are allowed to award Master’s degrees, currently all of the ICT Master’s programs are offered by traditional (research) universities.
Public and private higher education institutions are regulated by national legislation concerning degree structures and teacher qualifications. All programs have to be accredited by a national, independent accreditation agency: Eesti Kõrghariduse Kvaliteediagentuur (Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency). This agency is responsible for conducting institutional accreditation of higher education institutions and quality assessment of study program groups. Within the assessment process for study program groups, it is assessed whether the programs correspond with the current legislation and the national and international standards, including the quality of theoretical and practical training, the qualifications of the teaching and research staff, as well as the availability of the necessary resources.
Professional programs include a mandatory practical internship corresponding to 15% of the total ECTS of a particular program. A practical internship is also required in Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, but the amount of time is defined by the specific program. The typical duration of the internship is 1–2 months, and the typical number of credits varies from 3–12 ECTS.
Admission requirements to PhD programs include the Master’s degree or an equivalent level of qualification. It is not possible to apply to PhD studies having only a Bachelor’s degree. In the 2016/2017 academic year, the principles for admission to PhD studies in the ICT faculties will change. Admission to PhD studies will take place by means of a competition, which is based on PhD thesis topics approved by the university.
A doctoral degree is granted after completion of the respective doctoral curriculum and doctoral thesis defence. Additionally, it is necessary to publish in leading international peer-reviewed scientific journals. The dissertation defence is usually public. The expected size of the defence committee is at least 5–6 members. The requirements for the defence committee differ by university. The main rules specify that at least one members of the committee should come from outside Estonia, the defence committee shall include members with a doctoral degree or an equivalent qualification.