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Information regarding the war against Ukraine

Last updated on 31 March 2023 (information about scholarships under Short-term studies in the academic year 2023/24). 

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the University of Tartu has been actively supporting its Ukrainian staff and students and preparing for the reception of refugees from Ukraine.

  • This academic year, 205 new Ukrainian students started at the University of Tartu free of tuition, in addition to the 70 Ukrainians already studying here.

  • The university established a scholarship fund to collect and channel donations to support Ukrainian students' studies at the University of Tartu. In December Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk made video address in support of Ukrainian students.

  • In November University of Tartu scholarship fund for Ukrainian students gave out this autumn’s scholarships. During the year, the fund collected nearly 117,000 euros with the help of companies, individuals and Estonian diaspora in Canada and the US and gave out 113 scholarships to Ukrainian students.  

  • In addition to the possibility of applying for a scholarship from the scholarship fund, all Ukrainian students starting at the first and second level of studies in 2022 receive a one-off stipend of 500 euros. The students have been informed on how they can apply for this one-off stipend.

  • The senate created the possibility for Ukrainian students to apply for a need-based special allowance in 2022.     

  • The new application round is planned to be opened on 15 February 2023, but this can only happen if the fund has enough resources by then. We invite the entire university family to donate to the University of Tartu scholarship fund for Ukrainian students and share the word about the fund. Make the donation via ut.ee/donate.

 

Current students and staff of UT

The university offers support to its members during difficult times. The university keeps looking for more counselling opportunities, so this list will be updated accordingly.

  • Students receive psychological support from the university's Counselling Centre. Please register using this webform. Counselling is available in Estonian, English and Russian.

  • University staff can get psychological support from staff Counsellor-Chaplain Tõnu Lehtsaar at tonu.lehtsaar@ut.ee. You may contact him in Estonian, English and Russian.

  • Information on other counseling opportunities can be found on the university's website.

  • We are a large university family and so there may be people around us who are very closely and personally affected by what has happened. In this situation, one of the ways in which each of us can help is to notice another person's concern and offer first psychological support.

The Ukrainian students, admitted before the academic year 2022/2023,  do not pay tuition fee in the academic year 2022/2023. All newly admitted students have received tuition waivers for their studies at UT.


The holders of temporary protection can apply for needs-based scholarship, further info here.

Estonian universities decided to halt cooperation with Russian and Belarusian universities. The decision concerns institutional cooperation between universities. The International Cooperation and Protocol Office will compile information on ongoing cooperation projects and organise the informing of partner universities.    

As of 7 March 2022, University of Tartu has decided that citizens of Russian Federation and Belarus can submit applications for first and second level programmes offered in the academic year 2022/2023 only if they hold a residence permit or long-term visa of the European Union or are currently studying in Estonia.

 

 

Future students: degree and short-term studies

The application period for the academic year 2023/24 starts on 2 January 2023. 

General admission requirements apply to Ukrainian students. All available international programmes are listed here.

The university offers Ukrainian applicants three tuition waivers for the bachelor's programme in Business Administration and three for the bachelor's programme in Science and Technology. The application deadline for international bachelor's studies is 15 April 2023.

Arrival to Tartu

Ukrainian citizens can come to Estonia without a visa, including those who do not have a biometric passport or a Schengen visa. However, you need to follow the orders given by Ukraine, so please consult with your local authorities first to find out what documents you need for crossing the border of Ukraine.

Upon arrival to Estonia, please apply for temporary protection (which gives you a one-year residence permit) as soon as possible at the Police and Border Guard Board office. 

For the latest updates regarding the arrival and stay of Ukrainians, Estonian public services etc., please follow “information for Ukrainians”.

Please contact first the Tartu Welcome Centre for assistance with administrative formalities.

If you want to apply for an academic position at the University of Tartu, please write to ukraine@ut.ee.

See more:

General information

  • For Ukrainian university family members, the first point of contact of emergency is the Head of International Cooperation Kristi Kerge (+372 529 7677). Please send written enquiries to ukraina@ut.ee.
  • People arriving from Ukraine are kindly asked to contact the Tartu Welcome Centre for assistance with administrative formalities.
  • The City of Tartu provides practical guidance for people arriving from Ukraine.
  • MTÜ Ukraina Maja (NGO Ukrainian House) brings together the Ukrainian community in Tartu and elsewhere in Estonia, and helps create links between the local and newly arrived Ukrainians. The NGO provides information support to the Ukrainian community in Estonia, and coordinates cultural and social initiatives aiming to support Ukraine and Ukrainians.
  • Please send media enquiries to avalik@ut.ee.

Victims of war can be supported through a number of initiatives.

  • Making donations.
  • Humanitarian aid and helping refugees.
    • If you want to help the people of Ukraine, you can call the state helpline 1247 (when calling with a foreign calling card: +372-600-1247).

    • Information on how to provide assistance to the people of Ukraine has been gathered on the website of the city of Tartu.

    • Through Estonian Refugee Aid, you can support the provision of humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

    • As a public initiative and with the help of the employees of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, a Facebook group “AITAN KAITSTA – teeme koos varjevõrke” (HELP PROTECT – weaving camouflage nets together) has been set up. The initiative’s aim is to organise a nationwide campaign to produce camouflage nets for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

  • To support the opportunities for Ukrainian citizens to acquire higher education, the university extended the admission period to non-Estonian-taught curricula for Ukrainian citizens. They could apply to the first and second level of study until 1 June. In addition, Ukrainian applicants are also exempt from the fee for processing application documents. 
  • In cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, the university is creating additional tuition-waiver student places for Ukrainian citizens. For the 2022/2023 academic year, the university is ready to create up to 250 additional student places for students from Ukraine. In addition, the university is offering jobs for academic staff arriving from Ukraine. 
  • Estonian universities decided to halt cooperation with Russian and Belarusian universities. The decision concerns institutional cooperation between universities. In the 2022/2023 academic year, citizens of the Russian Federation or Belarus who do not have a residence permit or a long-stay visa of a European Union member state or who are not studying in Estonia are not eligible to apply to the university.
     
  • On 30 July, an amendment to the regulation of the Government of the Republic came into force, restricting Russian citizens from applying for temporary residence permits or visas for studying in Estonia. Previously, the same regulation had also restricted the citizens of Russia and Belarus from obtaining a temporary residence permit or a visa for employment or business activity in Estonia. As an exception, the residence permits of students who are due to complete their studies at an Estonian institution of higher education will be extended for one year. Further information.
  • On  30 March a webinar “Ukrainian Cities at War: From Conspiracy Theories to New Urban Realities” took place on Worksup. Watch the recording. This continued the Ukraine-related discussion that started at the fundraising event on 24 March. The webinar series about Ukraine goes on until the end of May. Everybody is welcome to listen and think along.  
  • On 27 April a webinar on Ukrainian language and culture took place on Worksup. Watch the recording. 
  • European cooperation for developing Ukraine’s education system continues, defying military action
  • Article by Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk
  • The University of Tartu Senate’s address to the people of Ukraine
  • Public address (in Estonian) by the Department of Slavic Studies
  • A list of reliable information channels compiled by researchers of the University of Tartu Institute of Social Sciences
  • Antiwar declaration (in Russian) from the participants of the international congress "Juri Lotman's semiosphere"
  • An appeal by The Guild network to European governments and the European Union  
  • statement by the University of Tartu Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies 
  • Rector Toomas Asser's address to the Ukrainian members of the university and the entire university family

For updates on the security situation, see the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For information about how to help the Ukrainian people, call the state information line 1247.

Please send media enquiries to avalik@ut.ee.

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