Study in Estonia (in English) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Estonia has over 2000 islands and is comprised of almost 50% forested land (and almost a quarter is protected nature areas). Outdoor enthusiasts will love hunting for mushrooms in the pine-filled forests or swimming in a bog lake in the Estonia wilderness.
• Founded in the 1600s, the University of Tartu is the national university of Estonia and ranked in the top 1.2% globally! Tartu offers an extensive catalog of classes in English in many of the highest-demand subject areas.
• Connect with your peers upon arrival by joining the University of Tartu buddy program. This program pairs you with an international degree-seeking student who might become your new best friend and can help you navigate through life abroad.
• Take part in the social program on campus, which will allow you to participate in a range of fun and engaging cultural activities with other local and international students. Day trips and events include movie nights, a Tartu city tour, a street art scavenger hunt, museum visits, and a lot more!
LIFE ABROAD
Ideal for music and art lovers, explore the various venues throughout the city to listen to DJs, rock bands, and house music or the artistic vibes of the city’s murals and street art. There are also many art and music festivals to enjoy throughout the year, including the popular Song and Dance Celebration, which is the reason Estonia is often referred to as the singing nation.
LIVE
Live in the local student dormitory in a double room with shared kitchen facilities. Hang out in the dorm lobby, which has a spacious seating area, table tennis, and a printing facilities.
DINE
Dig into a traditional Estonian meal that often consists of meat, potatoes, or fish from along the coastal and lakeside areas of Estonia. Prefer to make your own food? The kitchen facilities are fully equipped, and the grocery store is just a 2-minute walk from the residence. We recommend that ISEP Direct students budget approximately $300 per month for food.
EXPERIENCE
Take a trip down the tranquil Emajõgi River river in a canoe or on a medieval boat tour. Take in the smell of damp wood and get to know your friendly boat captain who will guide you down the river - this experience is something you will not come across anywhere else in the world!
EXPLORE
Explore Tartu using the popular bike share program (many of the bikes you can rent are electric to satisfy those with a need for speed!). Peddle to Toome Hill, a public park known as the heart of medieval Tartu. Or ride to the Estonian National Museum to learn about the local history all the way back to the indigenous peoples of the region. Experience the indigenous culture firsthand by visiting Setomaa, an area that borders Russia and is known for its Seto inhabitants, a special tribe that still lives according to old traditions and customs.
THRIVE
Facilities for you to utilize at University of Tartu include a scientific library, a botanical garden, a computing center, five museums, and a modern sports center. There is also a tutoring program available that matches you with a trained student volunteer who can help you overcome academic challenges.
What We Love About Tartu
A university town and a hub of creative and intellectual culture, Tartu is an ideal place to discover theatre performances, concerts, and festivals at an affordable price. The town also offers many events that are popular with students including an international food festival, film nights, opportunities for sledding and skiing, sauna days, and bog walking weekends. We also love the access to a less-traveled parts of Europe such as the Estonian countryside, Latvia, and Lithuania.
See the ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses.
Course Description
The University of Tartu offers an extensive catalog of classes in English in many of the highest demand subject areas such as the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science and Technology. The faculty and professors are leaders in their fields—past ISEP students have even taken classes taught by a former prime minister!
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 30 ECTS which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 15 U.S. Credit Hours. Each course is usually worth 3 or 6 ECTS. Students should plan to commit at least 10 hours per week to lectures, discussions and readings for each class.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Sample Classes Available:
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Biology |
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Health Sciences
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Comparative Ethnopolitics |
Bio-enterprise |
Russian for Beginners I & II |
Health Promotion |
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Extreme Right-Wing Movements and Populism |
Evolution and the Natural World |
Russian for Pre-Intermediate Learners |
Human Physiology |
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Social Policy Analysis |
Genetics |
Russian Grammar (multiple levels) |
Epidemiology & Biostatistics |
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Frontiers of Europe: Belarus |
Microbiology & Virology |
Estonian (multiple levels, intensive option available) |
Anatomy |
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Introduction to the European Union |
Cell Biology |
Estonia & Estonians |
Histology |
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Frontiers of Europe: Belarus |
Biochemistry |
Russian Folklore and Post-folklore (taught in Russian) |
Immunology |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
The University of Tartu offers many English-taught courses in different disciplines for international students. You can explore courses taught in English here: https://ut.ee/en/courses-taught-english-and-grading. Please note, The UT encourages students to take at least 50% of their classes in the same subject area they study at home. To find syllabi, please go to Tartu's course database, search for the "Course Code," and click on the name of the course. A syllabus with detailed information will be available to view or download.
International students must register for courses through the Study Information System (SIS) within the first two weeks of a semester. For registration to courses in the Studies Information System, one must have a username and password which would be sent to all new international exchange/visiting students by the beginning of a semester. If you have not received your username, please contact your coordinator at UT.
Semester One (Fall Semester) Students: Students coming from North America should make a note of the term dates and consider that the examination period for Semester One extends into the start of January, overlapping with the start of most U.S. spring semesters. Class instruction ends in mid-December and students may return home at this time. However, students are required to complete their exams during the established exam period in January. Students may make arrangements to take their exams from home, but are responsible for making all arrangements in advance and gathering materials required to take the exams during the established exam period.
ADDITIONAL FEES FOR FACULTY OF MEDICINE
The ISEP Tuition fee incorporates all faculties except Medicine.
Additional tuition fee Spring 2025: 4000 Euros/ $4540 USD PER SEMESTER for Faculty of Medicine.
Additional tuition fee Fall 2025/Spring 2026: 6000 Euros/ $6720 USD PER SEMESTER for Faculty of Medicine.
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
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