Education

Yes, a child can go to school in Estonia even if she does not yet have a personal identification code or temporary protection.

It is possible to apply for a place in school or kindergarten from the local municipality. In cooperation with the local governments we are trying to ensure that all children of compulsory school age coming from Ukraine get a place in school at first opportunity.

In order to register a child, the school needs to turn to the Estonian Education Information System (EHIS) (in Estonian) where it is also possible to enter the data based only on the child's date of birth. The school cannot enter the data on its own. The contact information of the user support of EHIS: ehis.tugi@hm.ee, phone: +372 765 5050 (Mon-Fri 900 - 1600).

Once the child gets a personal identification code and temporary protection, it is the responsibility of the school to update the student's information in EHIS on their own.

The studying opportunities for Ukrainian children and youths are created by the local government, taking the family's wishes into account if possible. The default presumption is that the child will join a school where the language of instruction is Estonian. At the same time, it is difficult to predict how many children and youths will be coming to our educational institutions. If there are large numbers of additional students, it might be difficult to ensure that the schooling will take place in the exact format the family desires.

The students that have arrived from Ukraine will be offered the possibility to continue their education both in basic and general education, as well as vocational and higher education.

• Primary education, kindergartens and child care facilities for pre-school aged children (1.5-7 year olds).
• Basic education in general education schools for children and youths (7-17 year olds) for whom attending school is compulsory.
• Secondary, vocational and higher education through upper secondary schools, vocational schools, institutions for professional higher education and universities.
• Hobby education and hobby activities in hobby schools, general education schools and open youth centres, generally starting from the age of 7.
• Youth work in open youth centres and youth organisations for 7-26 year olds.

The continuation of the education of the children and youths arriving from Ukraine depends on who long the families of war refugees will stay in Estonia. Some of the families have only come for the period of military activities and are planning to return home at first opportunity. There are probably also families that are planning to stay in Estonia longer.

More about the educational opportunities can be read from the web page of the Ministry of Education and Research.

A place in a kindergarten can be applied for directly at the local municipality even before you have a personal identification, temporary protection, or a permanent place of residence.

Applying for a kindergarten spots starts with a written application submitted to the kindergarten chosen by the parent or to the local municipality. If there are free spots at the desired kindergarten, the child will be accepted.

Good to know:

• It is not compulsory to attend kindergarten in Estonia.
• The responsibility for the availability of pre-school education falls on the local government, who has the obligation to ensure all 1.5-7 year old children in their service area a possibility to attend kindergarten if their parents so wish.
• At the consent of the parent, the kindergarten spot of a 1.5 to 3 year old child can be replaced with a child care service.

A place in a school or a kindergarten can be applied for at the local municipality even before you have a personal identification, temporary protection, or a permanent place of residence. In cooperation with local municipalities, we are trying to ensure a place in school at first opportunity to all children coming from Ukraine for whom school attendance is compulsory.

Good to know:

• According to the Estonian constitution, everyone has the right to an education. Basic education (grades 1-9) is compulsory. Children who have turned seven before October 1 in the current year are expected at first grade. It is compulsory to attend school until getting a basic education or until turning 17 -- the same applies to children with foreign citizenships in Estonia.
• There is no tuition fee in the general education schools of the state and local municipalities.
• The parent has the right to decide upon the issues related to the educational path of her child for whom school attendance is compulsory, like the period of staying in Estonia, instruction language, and which linguistic or cultural space they are affiliated with. Educational institutions and school holders can give recommendations to the parents and introduce their options to them.