Information on Tallinn education for people from Ukraine

You have arrived in Estonia, please take some time for your family to adjust, get settled and find a peaceful rhythm of life. The Estonian state and city of Tallinn will provide you with all the support you need to settle in.

We will do our best to offer your child a place in a kindergarten if you wish. For school-age children, we will ensure that they can continue their education. Participating in education helps your child to better adapt to the new situation.

Children and youth arriving in Estonia can participate in education as follows:

• Kindergarten and nursery for pre-school children (3-7 years old).
• Basic education in general education schools for children and youth of compulsory school age (7-17 years).
• Secondary, vocational and higher education in upper secondary schools, vocational schools, polytechnics and universities.
• Extra-curricular education and activities in hobby schools, general education schools and open youth centres, usually from the age of 7.
• Youth work in open youth centres and youth organisations for children and youth between 7-26 year of age.

In Estonia, teaching is generally provided in Estonian, but in some schools and kindergartens also in Russian.

All Ukrainian war refugees are referred to the Tallinn reception centre, where information on children in need of kindergarten and school places is collected and forwarded to the Tallinn Education Department.
Tallinn reception centre
Niine 2, Põhja-Tallinn
Open 24 hours a day
Tel Mon-Fri 9-18 +372 600 0677

If you have a child of kindergarten age, please note that attending kindergarten in Estonia is not compulsory. Where possible, we offer places in kindergarten to children aged 3-7 living in Tallinn. There is a charge for kindergarten services. The fee per child in the municipal kindergartens is €79.79 per month (€87.64 per month for kindergartens with a swimming pool), plus food fee. The daily food fee ranges from €1.18 to €2.40. To get a place at the kindergarten, a child must have an Estonian identity code.

If you have a child of school age, please note that basic education in Estonia is compulsory. A child must have reached the age of 7 by 1 October of the current year to be admitted to first grade. Compulsory schooling lasts until the child has completed basic education (grade 9) or until he or she turns 17. Basic education is free of charge in Estonia. A short- and long-term plan has been developed for school-age children.

• Short-term plan - adaptation period until the end of the current school year
  The Tallinn Education Department will contact the parents of school-age children and let them know to which school the child will be admitted. In determining the school, the child's place of residence in Tallinn is taken into account. During the adaptation period, different flexible forms of learning is implemented, e.g. small group learning, independent learning with the help of a tutor, learning in cooperation with local partners in the field of recreation and youth (e.g. youth centre, extra-curricular school, etc.). During the adaptation period, pupils are not assessed.
• Long-term plan - from the new school year, from 1 September 2022
  Under the coordination of Tallinn Education Department, children will be enrolled in Tallinn schools. Education is organised on the basis of the Estonian National Curriculum. Estonian language teaching will be additionally supported in Estonian-medium schools.

For questions about kindergarten and school, please contact Tallinn Education Department +372 530 078 45 or by e-mail ukraina@haridus.ee.