Frequently asked questions
Applicants always have important questions about admission to and studies at Narva College and the peculiarities of living in Narva. Below, we have answered some of the most frequent questions.
About the college
Detailed information for international applicants about studying at the University of Tartu Narva College.
Yes, higher education in Estonia is free. The only possible exception may affect only those students who do not manage to study full time. If the student fails to receive the required minimum number of credits by the end of the semester, the student must pay to continue studies, based on credit points short of the required minimum.
Yes, the University of Tartu charges a fee for processing the applications of international applicants. This is a common practice around the world. The application fee is 100 euros. The receipt proving the transfer of the fee must be attached to the application in the DreamApply system.
Some Estonian-taught curricula of the University of Tartu Narva College accept applicants who do not know Estonian yet but are willing to learn it. As most courses in these curricula are taught in Estonian, admitted international students follow an intensive Estonian language programme during the first two semesters. For these students, the study period will be one year longer: one year of the intensive course followed by three or four years of the chosen curriculum.
Yes, the intensive Estonian language programme is also free for admitted international students. It is included in the curriculum and its status does not differ from other courses. Our experience shows that the courses included in this programme are enough to master the Estonian language at the required level, so there should not be a need to spend money on private tutors and additional courses.
International students can receive a stipend on an equal basis with other students of Narva College. For that, the student needs to meet the requirements regarding exam results at the end of each semester. Some curricula offer additional specialisation-specific scholarships. Usually, the stipend is between 100 and 260 euros per month.
There are no restrictions in this regard. The main requirement for admission is having completed upper secondary education. Therefore, theoretically, both a ten-year-old child prodigy who graduated from upper secondary school as an external student and a distinguished professor of advanced years who has more than one higher education behind him can apply.
Narva College has a modern student residence, which it shares with the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. Prices range from 150 to 400 euros. Please note that among the student residences listed on the web page above, only the building on Kerese 14 is located in Narva, while the other buildings are in Tartu and in Viljandi.
For those who prefer a more budget-friendly option, the college has agreed with a vocational school in Sillamäe (20 km from Narva) that students of the college can also live there. The hostel in Sillamäe has been recently renovated and meets international standards. Free buses run between Sillamäe and Narva, and there is also a special student bus. The rent in Sillamäe starts from 75 euros.
All* students of the University of Tartu Narva College have the right to apply for a residence permit in Estonia for the duration of their studies. Since obtaining the residence permit takes time (2–3 months), international students can apply for the D visa after being admitted. The D visa gives them the right to study for 9–12 months. Many apply for a D visa and a residence permit at the same time. As a rule, you can start to apply for the visa immediately after the announcement of the admission results. The college provides all the necessary documents for this process.
*Citizens of the Russian Federation who, under the legislation of the Republic of Estonia, cannot apply for a long-stay visa or residence permit to study or do not have a valid legal basis to stay in the Republic of Estonia until the end of the curriculum’s standard period of study are not eligible to apply to the University of Tartu in the 2023/2024 academic year.
About Narva
We are often asked about life in Narva, so below, we have answered some of the most frequent questions regarding this Estonian city.
The rent for a one-room apartment is probably 50–100 euros per month. However, do not forget about utility bills. In winter, the heating costs may exceed the rent itself. In the summer, utility bills are usually minimal, especially if you are used to limiting your water and energy consumption. All utility costs, except for heating, depend on the actual consumption: you need to pay for gas, water and electricity according to the meter readings.
The city is not that big, so there are two popular means of transportation: a network of city buses and numerous taxis. Taking a taxi to almost any point in Narva will cost 3.5 euros. However, most places you need to go as a student are within walking distance, so you can easily walk instead of spending money on transport. Since 2018, public transport in the Ida-Virumaa region has been operating free of charge, so you can travel to neighbouring cities by bus at no extra cost.
Yes, Estonia has a very good intercity bus service. For example, about 20 buses leave from Narva to Tallinn every day, and the journey will take 3–5 hours, depending on the chosen carrier. A train to Tallinn takes 2.5 hours. You can reach Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia, even faster. Fans of local experiences will also find many interesting routes for themselves – even the smallest Estonian town has interesting sights. You can also go to neighbouring countries, for example, to Latvia, by direct bus. From Tallinn, you can take a ferry to Sweden and Finland.
About the admission process
Once the application documents have been submitted, there are admission interviews and exams. Learn about what you can expect during the application phase and the entrance exams.
Documents in Estonian, Russian or English do not need to be translated. The motivation letter must be written in English.
If your passport is still in the process of being issued, you can attach a scan of your another ID document or an identity card valid in your country to the application.
The fact that you have completed upper secondary or vocational secondary education is important. Thus, to apply, you need an upper secondary school certificate or documents proving access to higher education. The year you received the certificate or passed the exam does not matter.
Not if you can get a copy of the document stamped by the secretary at your school. If this is not possible, you will need to have the copy of the certificate or transcript of records certified by a notary.
In this case, when submitting your application, instead of the state examination certificate, submit your latest transcript (extract) of grades along with the rest of the required documents. It will be enough to send the grades for the last academic year or the last semester (semester). Notify the college about this, and after passing the exam and receiving the certificate, submit copies of the final documents.
After applying through the DreamApply system, you need to send regular copies of documents to the postal address of Narva College. Please do this well in advance so that they reach us by postal or courier service by 13 July.
We prepare international specialists, so future students of pedagogical specialisations and youth workers are interviewed in English. IT students also take the exam partly in English and in Russian.