Moving to Estonia

Transport

Planes arrive in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The distance between Tallinn and Tartu is 200 km. The easiest way to arrive in Tartu is by taking a bus that drives between Tallinn and Tartu almost every half an hour during the day. The bus ticket costs approx 12 euros.

• See the bus schedule

Accommodation

Banking

There are several banks between which you can choose to open your bank account or use any other bank-related services. Current account can be opened in Euros or foreign currency.

Opening a personal current account is for FREE. Most times you can open an account without any initial deposit. To open a bank account, go to any branch of a bank. Mostly it is required to submit:

• A valid ID with a photo (for example a passport);
• A document that proves your student status at EAVA (confirmation of studies) will be issued by your Erasmus+ Coordinator.

SEB Bank

Swedbank

LHV

All students entering Estonia are strongly recommended to arrange their own health insurance for the period of their study abroad before leaving their home country. Health insurance should cover health, accidents and hospital care.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is necessary if the non-EU/EEA citizen is applying for the D (long-term) Visa.

Health Care

• Primary health care is a set of ambulatory services for the most common health problems. Primary health care and ambulance services are free of charge for Estonian residents!
• Specialised medical care: ambulatory and hospital.
• Ambulance care is a health care service intended for the primary diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening illnesses, injuries or poisonings. One can reach an ambulance on 112 from all over Estonia.

Primary health care

All insured residents have the right to choose their family practitioner, who is the first contact point in case of any
illness. The family practitioner treats minor illnesses, can make home visits and gives referrals to visit a medical specialist.

English-speaking family practitioners in Tartu:

Family Physicians of the City Centre of Tartu
Address: Gildi 8
Phone: +372 744 1288  

Address: Puusepa 1a (rooms 3008, 3009, 3010 and 3011)
Phone: +372 731 9262 or +372 58 865 560)
E-mail: perearst.runkorg@gmail.com 

Address: Puusepa 1a, 3rd floor, room 3046 (nurse 3044)
Phone: +372 745 5187
E-mail: info@perearsttiiutootsi.ee

For planning a visit:

1. Call beforehand. In case of acute health problems: usually, an appointment is within 1 day. In case of chronic health problems: usually an appointment is within 5 business days. In the case of certificates: usually within 15 business days.
2. Do not forget to take your ID card or passport, EHIC or private health insurance documents with you.
3. Do not forget to take with you important medical papers.
4. Visit costs approx. 20 EUR, plus fees for other procedures done by the practitioner. Depending on the problem (acute vs chronic) and insurance type (EU or not) the cost may be different. Ask in advance.

Specialised medical care

1. Gynaecologist
2. Psychiatrist
3. Ophthalmologist
4. Dermatovenerologist
5. Dentist
6. Pulmonologist (in case of tuberculosis)
7. Infectious Diseases Doctor (in case of HIV/AIDS treatment and for vaccinations)

Tartu University Hospital
Address: Puusepa 8, tel. 7319 100 or by e-mail: kliinikum@kliinikum.ee
If you have EU insurance, you get sick in Estonia and you have a referral letter you have to pay only a visit fee (5 EUR)

• Private clinics (ask family practitioner's advice). Visit fee 20-80 EUR + fee for investigations (ask in advance)

Ambulance care

• Ambulance service is free of charge in case of emergency or unavoidable medical aid. You can reach an ambulance on 112 (toll-free line) from all over Estonia.
• The emergency care and the emergency medical service unit have opening hours round the clock and one may seek help from them especially at weekends and at night time when family practitioners are off duty (you do not need to make an appointment for that).
  
• Go directly to the Emergency department:
  Address: Puusepa 8, Tartu
  Open 24/7
  The visit fee is 5 EUR (with European Health Insurance Card)

Pharmacies (apteek) - Pharmacists can assist with simple medical problems. Even though most of the drugs are issued upon a medical prescription written by a doctor, some of the painkillers, antacids, ointments, and other simple drugs could be obtained without one. There are several pharmacies around town, but you will most likely find one in any of the big shopping centres.  

Dentists (hambaarst) - For adults, dental care is not free. A usual visit may cost from 30 EUR upwards depending on the given problem.

Dentists:

EU Citizen’s Right of Residence

Citizens of the member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation (hereinafter “EU citizens”) have the right to stay in Estonia on the basis of a valid travel document or identity card for the period of up to 3 months. As international students stay longer, the following 2 steps are compulsory:

1) Register the place of residence

To obtain the right of temporary residence, EU citizens must register themselves as citizens of Tartu within 3 months from the date of entering Estonia. That can be done at the Population Register Office.

Required documents for the registration:

• identity document of an applicant;

• tenancy contract.

See more information about Population Register Office in Tartu.

Once you have registered yourself as a citizen of Tartu, you receive the Estonian ID code (isikukood).

2) Apply for an ID card

Within the period of one month from the acquisition of the right of temporary residence, you must personally contact the Migration Bureau to apply for an identity card that certifies your right of temporary residence. Required documents for the identity card:

• an application for identity documents;
• an identity document;
• 1 color photo with measures 40x50 mm;
• a document certifying the payment of the state fee.

See more information about the Citizenship and Migration Bureau Tartu Service Point (Kodakondsus- ja Migratsioonibüroo Tartu teenindus).

EU citizens must pay the state fee of 25 EUR. After registration, the right of permanent residence is granted for a period of five years.

NB! Officers in the Migration Bureau mostly speak Estonian, some Russian, and only a few of them English. It is recommended to take your tutor or someone who speaks Estonian with you.

Other Nationals must apply for a visa to the Schengen area.

Non-EU Citizen’s Residence Permits and Visas

All students, whose study period in Estonia is up to 6 months, can use D-visa to enter and study in Estonia. Students who study in Estonia for up to 6 months can apply for a long-stay (D) visa instead of a temporary residence permit (TRP) for study.

NB! It is not possible to extend D-visa. Students who stay for longer than 6 months must apply for the Estonian TRP. For more information, please see the section "The list of documents to be submitted for TRP".

D-visa may be issued for single or multiple entries into Estonia. If you plan to travel during your study period, you should apply for a visa with multiple entries. D-visa enables you to travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 6-month period.

D-visa holders do not need to register themselves in the Population Register Office in Tartu or apply for a residence permit! D-visa can be applied in person only at the Estonian embassies.

Documents to be submitted upon visa application:

• valid travel document that is issued within the previous 10 years, contains at least two blank pages for the visa, and is valid at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa;

• application form (provided by the embassy or from the following webpage: Ministry of Foreign Affairs);

• one photo (size 35x45 mm);

• an insurance policy valid for Estonia or for the Schengen area with coverage of at least 30,000 EUR for the entire duration of stay;

• documents indicating the purpose of the journey: Acceptance;

• any information which supports the applicant's intention to leave the Schengen area before the expiry of the visa;

• documents proving the sufficient means of subsistence for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to the country of origin or residence (86 € for each day in Estonia): i.e. your scholarship proof or bank statement;

• a visa fee of 80 €

More information about long-stay (D) visa

NB! Please pay attention when filling in the application that the duration of your intended stay (counted in days) would cover your whole study period. After you have received the visa, you should check if the duration of stay (number of days you are allowed to be in the Schengen area) covers your study period. If not, you will later need to apply for a temporary residence permit for study.

If you should have any problems concerning your rights as a D-visa holder, please contact the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs orPolice and Border Guard Board immediately.

After your arrival:

1. D-visa holders are not required to have an Estonian ID code. However, it is highly recommended that you get one, as without it you will not be able to receive transportation discounts, register with a family doctor, or use a variety of other e-services.

2. To get an ID code, you must visit the Tartu City Government department at the address: Tiigi 12, room 7 ( office hours are 9.00-12.00 and 13.00-16.00 )
   

Please bring your Acceptance Letter or proof of studies with you (you can get this from the Erasmus Coordinator).

Once you get an Estonian identification code, please send it to your Erasmus Coordinator. It will then be inserted into the Study Information System. Within 4 working days, the information will be added to the National Education Info System (EHIS) and then you will be able to receive public transportation discounts and other services.

Erasmus Student Network organizes the visiting students’ cultural and social life. There are students from all of Tartu’s universities and colleges. You can contact them by yourself or through the Erasmus coordinator.

At the beginning of the semester, they usually organize a welcome party, and after that, during the semester, different get-togethers, movie nights, sports activities, etc. More information: https://esn.ee/esn-tartu

• Tartu Kultuuriaken (Calendar for cultural events in Tartu)
• Kultuurikava.ee (Calendar for cultural events in Estonia)
• Theatre Vanemuine (Theatre)
• Apollo (Cinemas)
• Estonian National Museum

• About the city of Tartu
  
• About Estonia
• Study in Estonia
  
• Rights of Residence in Estonia
  
• Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  
• Application for a Schengen visa
  
• Student Guide Book