Scholarship for students with special needs

The Scholarship can be applied for by a person who is:

• a student of professional higher education, bachelor’s, master’s, integrated and doctoral studies;
• an Estonian citizen or staying in Estonia on the basis of a long-term or temporary residence permit or a permanent or temporary right of residence, or staying in Estonia on the basis of a visa or visa-free if an agreement on visa-free travel has been concluded with a foreign state or the visa requirement has been waived with regard to citizens of a foreign state, and has submitted an application for a temporary residence permit for study;
• a learner in full-time or part-time studies (including those on academic leave who participate in studies);
• with special needs and have a decision from the Estonian Social Insurance Board confirming the disability.

In order to receive the scholarship, you must have a decision of the Estonian Social Insurance Board regarding the identification of your disability. The scholarship can be applied for by full-time and part-time students. As well as students participating in studies who are also on academic leave. Students enrolled in degree studies at a foreign institution of higher education may not apply for a scholarship, as the scholarship is granted on the basis of the Estonian Higher Education Act.

Documents to be submitted with the application: 

• A digitally signed consent form for the processing of personal data and, if applicable, for requesting information from the Social Insurance Board;
• Part-time students or students completing their curriculum while on academic leave must submit a certificate of subject registration, confirmed by the higher education institution;
• A full-time student who continues their studies in the year following the nominal duration of the curriculum must also submit a certificate of subject registration issued by the higher education institution.

The decision on whether to grant or deny the scholarship will be made no later than 45 calendar days after the application is submitted. The applicant will be notified in writing within five (5)  working days from the date the decision is made.

Payments are made by the 10th of each month. If your study load or disability status changes, inform the Board immediately. The scholarship amount may be adjusted or stopped based on these changes.

Students on part-time and academic leave but participating in studies must submit a certificate of the subjects together with the credits before the beginning of the spring semester.

The Board may award and pay the scholarship for full-time studies from the month of application submission for up to ten academic months, and for part-time studies or studies undertaken during academic leave from the month of application submission until the end of the semester. No scholarship payments are made for July and August.

The amount of the scholarship for students with special needs is:

1. Hearing impairment (severe): EUR 510/month;
2. Mobility or visual impairment (severe): EUR 148/month;
3. Other severe disabilities, not specified in clauses 1) and 2): EUR 80/month;
4. Hearing impairment (average): EUR 325/month;
5. Mobility or visual impairment (average): EUR 68/month;
6. Other average disabilities, not specified in clauses 4 and 5: EUR 60/month.

Scholarship rate for students with special needs per credit point while on part-time study or academic leave:

1. EUR 85 for a student with a hearing impairment corresponding to a profound or severe degree of disability;
2. EUR 24.67 for a student with impaired mobility or visual function corresponding to a profound or severe degree of disability;
3. EUR 13.33 for a student with a deviation from another function corresponding to a profound or severe degree of disability and not specified in clauses 1 and 2;
4. EUR 54.17 for a student with a hearing impairment corresponding to the average degree of disability;
5. EUR 11.33 for a student with an abnormal mobility or visual function corresponding to the average degree of disability;
6. EUR 10 for a student with a deviation from another function corresponding to the average degree of severity of disability and not specified in clauses 4 and 5.

Scholarship rates can also be found here in the new tab (in Estonian). 

Scholarship holders are required to notify the Board, if:

• the study load changes;
• the student is exmatriculated;
• the student is on academic leave.

Payments will stop as of the following month if you no longer meet the scholarship requirements.