Tartu University, Estonia 2025: "It was a great semester abroad"
Experience report European Studies (MA)
Preparation
Applying to the University of Tartu was quite easy, as Estonia is an EU country and a pioneer in terms of digitalisation. This means that you don't have to worry about a visa if you come from a European country and that communication with the university is almost exclusively via email and online - even on site. The only time you had contact with people for university documents was when you applied for your residence permit and, of course, during your courses.

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The journey to Tartu is usually via Tallinn or Riga airport if you are not travelling by train (although you should allow some time for this, as the connections from Germany are long and involve many changes). A little tip: In retrospect, it turned out that travelling via Riga is sometimes cheaper, but it depends on the airline and the offer. From Riga you then take a 4:55 hour bus for around 22€ and from Tallinn you take a 2:30 hour bus for 15€ to Tartu. The bus line is called Lux-Bus and is really great. You can easily buy tickets via the app and there is the option to buy a comfort seat at the back of the bus for just a little more money. This gives you more legroom and a slightly more comfortable seat. But it's not absolutely necessary, because the normal seats are already perfectly adequate, there are screens with entertainment programmes in every category and you always have WiFi on the bus. It is advisable to take headphones with a cable for the screens, but you can also buy them from the bus driver for little money. Travelling by bus in Estonia is a common way of getting around and the buses and equipment make travelling really comfortable. If you are in the Erasmus WhatsApp groups or follow the Lux-Express website, you will occasionally receive promotional codes that make bus journeys even cheaper.
Shortly before the start of the semester, you will receive an email from the study coordinator with further contact details and information on how to register. Communication is very straightforward. On site, you have to go to a police station or the "Welcome Centre" in front of the main university building and register so that you can get an ID, which every person living in Estonia needs. You have time to do this, but it is still advisable to do it right at the beginning so that you don't forget. However, you will receive good advice on all matters if you enquire by email. There are a few introductory days at the university right before the start of the lecture period, which you should ideally go to, because first of all you get to know the first people there and then there is a really wide range of information on offer at the event. There is not only information about the university but also about life in Estonia in general. There is also a tutor/buddy programme that you can apply for by email before you start university. You will then be put in touch with a student in Tartu, who is usually willing to help and can provide helpful tips.
Accommodation
There are various student residences, the Erasmus students are all in Raatuse 22. The flats there are all the same layout, there are 3 rooms per flat, each with 2 beds, shared kitchen, toilet and bathroom with shower. For the normal rent, which is between €200 and €300, you share a room. If you apply directly for a single room in good time, you can move into it alone, but then pay double the rent. Experience has shown that both options have advantages and disadvantages. If you value privacy and have the money, I recommend applying for a single room. However, it can also be a great time with a roommate and you might make even deeper friendships. The overall condition of the flats is perfectly adequate. If you're lucky, you'll end up in one of the few renovated flats and have a larger, nicer kitchen. However, there is no oven in any of the flats and each kitchen only has a microwave and, depending on what the previous residents have bought, a kettle. Otherwise, the service at Raatuse is very good, if there is any problem you can always go to the 24/7 reception downstairs and get help very quickly. You also get your key there at the beginning. Life in Raatuse was really nice, because you always had your friends just down the corridor. There are also opportunities to live in your own flat in Tartu, for example there are Rare Apartments relatively close to the hall of residence. But I recommend going to Raatuse 22, I had a great time there.
Studying at the host university
I was at the Johan Skytte Institute, the Faculty of Politics. The courses here are all on a hill, which was sometimes hard to climb in the morning. But the distances are all very short in Tartu. Only a few study courses have teaching buildings to which you would have to travel further by bus. Most courses are within walking distance of the centre. Most courses, especially for business students, are held in the Delta building, which is really new and beautiful and closest to the hall of residence. But the Skytte building also has its charm and is closer to the library. There are several guided tours of the library and the city at the beginning, organised by the university and ESN Tartu. So you'll be well informed there too.
Attendance was compulsory in many courses at the Faculty of Politics, you were allowed to be absent 3 times. There was a wide range of course options. You register for the courses and receive information about the study level and requirements and, at the end, the grades via the Student Information System (SIS). How it works and the link and access data are sent to you at the beginning. The selection was quite broad, and the courses in 2024/25 naturally focussed heavily on relations between Russia and the EU. Due to Estonia's past as a former oppressed Soviet state and its geographical proximity, these topics are very relevant. But there were also all kinds of other thematic programmes. The teaching in Tartu is very high quality and good, but you have to do a lot for some courses. It's best to decide in the first few weeks after you've listened to the requirements, because you have one or two weeks at the beginning to change your course registrations, but not after that! I took the following courses: Regional Conflicts in Eurasia, E-Governance, Illiberal Turn in Europe and Russia, a course on Estonian culture (Estonia and Estonians (on the Basis of English)) and an Estonian language course (Estonian for Beginners I, on the Basis of English, Level 0 > A1.1). The language course cannot be recognised, but it can be entered in the Learning Agreement without being assigned to a module. I still strongly recommend doing it, even if you don't think it's worth putting the energy into it, because in my opinion you get to know the Estonians much better and can also cope better in everyday life. In addition, the language course, together with the culture course, is the only course where you meet other students outside your own Faculty and can get to know other international students. The range of courses was generally broad and the quality of teaching was high, all professors were helpful, open to questions and always available by email.Everyday life and leisure time
The cost of living is at the same level as in Germany, sometimes slightly higher. Food prices are quite high, but comparable to us. If you go to the market at the bus station or the market hall, it is lower. However, drugstore products of all kinds are very expensive, so be sure to take them with you or have them sent! Shampoo/shower gel/deodorant and co can only be found in supermarkets, there are no drugstores, and they are super expensive! I recommend shopping at Coop (make sure you get a free Coop card there for a discount), Maxima or Lidl (a little way outside, but you can walk from the hall of residence and pass a beach with volleyball courts on the Anne Canal - very nice). It's a bit cheaper there than at Selver, which is right next to the Raatuse 22 hall of residence. You have to budget €5-10 for lunch in the library or restaurants. However, there is a daily changing cheaper lunch dish "Paevapraad" in almost all cafés and restaurants - you can follow the offer on this page: https://päevapakkumised.ee/tartu. Most of the money is probably spent on leisure activities. There are very nice cafés in the centre where you can also sit down to study, such as Werners or Cruffin. Take a look at the neighbourhood near Aparaaditehas, which is a little further away and has a great restaurant called Kolm Tilli and an industrial Berlin vibe. Drinks in bars/clubs are quite expensive, I recommend the SuperAlko in the bar street (turn right from the main square Raekoja Plats), where alcohol is cheaper. You are not allowed to drink on the open street, except in Pirogovi Park behind the town hall. That's why it's a popular place to meet up and pre-drink. Otherwise there are quite a few bars, I recommend Möku (the student bar par excellence, you meet everyone there and the vibe is great, on Wednesdays there is bingo and there are often events in the club up the stairs), Kivi (they have a small courtyard with a table tennis table), Pühaste (if you want to sit quietly, large selection of beers), TreppBar (for shots, e.g. the legendary Spartashot that every student in Tartu must have drunk - but at your own risk) and Barlova in Karlova (very cosy). You shouldn't expect too much nightlife in Tartu, but if you're prepared, you can still have a lot of fun. You can dance at Seik, SpaceBar or Shooters club (but it's not good). Seik on Saturdays has better music. There is also karaoke every Thursday. There are regular events organised by ESN and Pyramid Estonia in the Genialistide Clubi above Möku. There are some good techno events there. Lucky Loore is a great place to play darts and billiards. But one of my absolute heartfelt recommendations for anyone who wants to socialise with Estonians is the weekly beer pong tournament every Wednesday at 7 pm in the Gunpowder Cellar. Not only can you improve your beer pong skills there, but you can also make real friends. There are also many sports programmes in Tartu, there is a fair offer for the university gym and many other gyms. At regular intervals, the university gym (for which you can also book a guided tour at the beginning before you enrol) also organises basketball matches for the university team, which are great fun to watch. There is also football in Tartu, but the sport is not as popular as here, which is why there are not many spectators at the games. You don't need public transport if you mainly move around the city centre. You can take the bus with your debit card or with a bus pass bought at the tourist office (where you get a student discount) if you want to go to the Lõunakeskus shopping centre, for example, where there is an ice rink in the mall, lots of shops and a cinema. There is also a cinema at the 2 large shopping centres Kaubamaja and Kvartal, which are located in the centre of Tartu. There are electric bikes and scooters for hire everywhere else in the city centre.
Conclusion
I had a great semester abroad and I recommend going to Tartu. In contrast to Tallinn, everything is very small and it quickly feels familiar because you get to know lots of students. There are great offers for ESN Tartu students and the teaching and library are very good. My biggest recommendation is to book and take part in the ESN trips - especially the Lapland trip. It seems expensive at first, but it is comparatively really cheap to have such experiences at the North Pole - truly a unique experience that you will always remember. Apply in good time! The only downside was that there is very little sunshine in Estonia in winter and it is always very dark. That's why everyone there recommends taking vitamin D. And get a thick winter jacket if you go in winter. Otherwise, this darkness can also lead to cosy evenings in the dormitory with new friends.
Outgoing students
- Logenstraße 4 | 15230 Frankfurt (Oder)
- outgoing-wiwi@europa-uni.de
- outgoing@europa-uni.de
EU programmes
Economics
Aleksandra Klecha & Torsten Glase
Raum AM 214
outgoing-wiwi@europa-uni.de
Cultural Studies and Law
Nicole Klück & Christin Reise
Room AM 209
outgoing@europa-uni.de
Non-EU programmes
Africa, Asia, Australia
(all Faculties)
Nicole Klück
Room AM 209
outgoing@europa-uni.de
Georgia, Kosovo, Ukraine
(all faculties)
Ana Retsch
Room AM 246
erasmus-world@europa-uni.de
North and Latin America
(all faculties)
Claudia Casiano
Room AM 206
outgoing@europa-uni.de
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