Allowances and Study Loans
The payment of allowances to students is regulated with the Study Allowances and Study Loans
Act.
A study allowance consists of a basic allowance and a supplementary allowance. People studying according to full-time curricula for which the state has commissioned student places can apply for the basic allowance. The student may not have exceeded the standard period of study under the curriculum. Students on academic leave are not eligible for study allowances. The supplementary allowance is meant for students whose place of residence is not in the same local government area as the school or in a neighbouring local government area.
A doctoral allowance is paid in order to promote doctoral studies and a commitment to research. Doctoral students who study in state-commissioned student places and who have not exceeded the standard period of study of the curriculum are eligible to apply for the allowance.
In the 2009/2010 academic year, the sizes of the monthly basic allowances were as follows:
- 1,000 EEK for students acquiring higher education with 500 EEK as a supplementary allowance,
- 6,000 EEK for doctoral students.
In a similar manner to cutting back on the base cost related to state-commissioned education, the student allowances will also be reduced to the following levels: the basic allowance will be 920 EEK, the supplementary allowance will be 460 EEK.
An Estonian citizen or a person staying in the Republic of Estonia on the basis of a long-term residence permit or right of residence permit for specified term, the duration of whose studies according to the study programme is nine calendar months or more, has the right to obtain a study loan if he or she:
- studying full time in an Estonian public university, private university, public institution of professional higher education or private institution of professional higher education;
- studying abroad in a school and according to a form of study similar to those described above;
- be acquiring higher education in a part-time study according to a teacher training curriculum and work in the field of schooling and education at least 18 hours per week .
The maximum study loan in the 2008/2009 academic year was 30,000 EEK. Students can apply for study loans at all educational levels within the extent of one standard period of study.