Settling to Estonia …. made easier

Published in

TalTech Blog

8 min readNov 21, 2019

Moving into a new country definitely might be challenging, stressful and raise many questions. Regardless of the reason for moving either for studying or joining your partner, there are many things that need to be arranged, different sources where you can get a dozen information (which unfortunately not always match together increasing confusion), while the time is ticking and you just feel … lost.

Luckily for everyone who legally moves in Estonia, the government provides a huge variety of supporting modules which cover almost everything that someone needs to know, to make this process easier and less painful. Settle in Estonia is a unit supported by the state which provides eight different modules for all foreigners who have been living in the country for a maximum of up to five years. From the very basic module to family module, from education to research and work and entrepreneurship and from children to international protection, all modules are tailored to come handy and answer questions that arise.

Basic module

Just as the name says, its scope is to cover almost everything on fundamental level. It is mainly suitable for newcomers to introduce with core values and functioning principles of Estonia, rights and obligations and daily life matters.

Participants of this module will be able to know the basics of Constitution, how Estonian state and government works, how to use numerous online services, rights and obligations of every resident and every other aspect that someone might face during their living.

Education module

This module is specifically made for those who come to Estonia to study. It covers aspects of rights and obligations of newcomers, how Estonian education system works, topics related to internships and work, how Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund works. How one can be part of student organizations and become active in student life by making an impact.

This module is very crucial, especially for those who have come from totally different education systems but also very important to know everything in advance, so to avoid any unexpected situation with their status of residence.

Family life module

This is another very important module for students who decide to come in Estonia with their spouse and/or children. It covers concerns that someone might have regarding Estonian education system, benefits of living with your family in Estonia, how to register children in school or kindergarten, opportunities for labour market etc. This is an excellent opportunity for learning how your beloved ones can adopt while you are studying and help to integrate easier.

Research Module

This module is made specifically for any researcher or student who has moved in Estonia for the purpose of pursuing their passion for going the extra mile in their education. Scientists, lecturers, PhD students or those who aspire to become one of them in the future, can benefit from this module as it covers necessary information about research and higher education, funding opportunities and support services that are available for the field of their profile.

Work and entrepreneurship module

With one of the highest number of startups per capita in Europe, it does not come as a surprise that there would be a module for entrepreneurship for everyone who settles in Estonia. This module is focused more for those who have arrived in Estonia with confidence and passion that they can work for a new unicorn or why not create a new one?! Participants of this module are expected to become familiar with topics concerning working in Estonia, opportunities and advantages that e-government services can provide for them, Estonian tax system, rights and obligations and an excellent chance to network for further cooperation with similar co-minded people. As advertised in the module description itself, this workshop is oriented to be practical to make it as realistic as possible so to provide more value for attendants.

Children and teenagers module

This module is made up for newly residents which either need to go to kindergarten or primary school. Its aim is to help them with adopting the new environment and society at the same time as their parents are acquiring information for similar concerning theme. The daily activities include information about Estonia, its culture, history and geography, organizations which “young humans” can join to get integrated quicker in society etc. Such information will be of a huge help to lower potential cultural shocks that might exist between the home country and Estonia.

Estonian language training

Although Estonians in general have an excellent English command, speaking or at least knowing the basics of the local language, would be not only a sign of your willingness to accelerate the process of becoming part of society but it will be appreciated from locals (as Estonian language is known to be hard to learn). The course starts from very beginners level and covers everyday’s life expressions, how to introduce yourself and get to know each other, food and drinks, numbers, ask and give directions, vocabulary etc. Different methodologies are used throughout the course from self-learning to interactive games and activities.

So who said that moving to a new country can be just stressful?!
No matter how challenging moving to Estonia it might seem, there are plenty of opportunities to make that process not only easy but also fun. New and existing students can benefit a lot from them, so they will feel welcomed and supported.

Disclaimer!

All information in this article is based on the official website of Settle In Estonia. Please do refer to each module separately for full details as the article is meant to give an overview and changes might be made.

Useful links

Modules

References and other External links

Visa and residence permit
Applying for the temporary residence permit
Welcome To Estonia Picture https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/welcome-to-estonia-gm642291156-116433577
Fintech Baltic — “How Estonia is Secretly Rising to Be Europe’s Startup Nation” https://fintechbaltic.com/2019/03/14/how-estonia-is-secretly-rising-to-be-europes-startup-nation/, Accessed November 2019
Elle Hunt “Estonian president delights in country’s high proportion of unicorns”-The Guardian June 29, 2018, link https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/29/estonia-unicorns-president-kersti-kaljulaid-delight, Accessed November 2019o make this process easier and less painful. Settle in Estonia is a unit supported by the state which provides eight different modules for all foreigners who have been living in the country for a maximum of up to five years. From the very basic module to family module, from education to research and work and entrepreneurship and from children to international protection, all modules are tailored to come handy and answer questions that arise.