Nearly 3,000 basic school graduates still without a confirmed study place in Estonia
Almost 3,000 basic school graduates in Estonia have not yet confirmed a study place, even though there are over 4,100 vacancies in upper secondary and vocational institutions.
The Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (HTM) released an overview on Thursday showing that out of about 15,000 young people who graduated from basic school this year, only 11,934 have confirmed a study place. This leaves nearly 3,000 without a place.
Starting this autumn, basic school graduates will have a compulsory study requirement, meaning even those with final exam results below 50 percent must continue their education.
The additional admission period for vacant places runs from July 1 to August 31. Applications can be submitted through school-specific platforms. The ministry noted that applications submitted in early July may not receive a response before July 15, as many schools begin additional admission only then.
According to HTM project manager Külli Solo, the highest number of young people without a study place is in Harju County, including Tallinn. At the same time, several regions have significantly more vacancies than young people left without a place after the main admission round. For example, Ida-Viru County has 194 unenrolled young people and 593 vacancies; Tartu County has 312 and 606 respectively; and Viljandi County has 62 and 295.
Across Estonia, there are still nearly 4,100 vacancies in post-basic-school institutions. The largest numbers are at Tallinn College of Technology (478) and Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Center (473). The fewest places are in Hiiu County (17) and Põlva County (85).
The overview covers 109 upper secondary schools and vocational institutions. In Tallinn, the French Lyceum still has eight vacancies and Tallinn 32nd Secondary School has seven.
Most Tartu students have already secured a place, with 158 Tartu-registered young people still without one. Tartu Kristjan Jaak Peterson High School admitted 347 students, while Tartu Annelinna High School did not initially fill its 10th-grade list and is now conducting additional admission.
Statistics also show that nearly one-third of applicants to Tartu upper secondary schools come from outside the university town.
The compulsory study reform places greater emphasis on career counseling so that basic school graduates can better assess their strengths. Young people who do not secure a place in either the main or additional admission rounds can enroll in preparatory studies, which usually last one academic year. The state has created 747 places in preparatory programs.
