Autumn application round for the Programme for Academic Studies of Estonian Language and Culture Abroad for the 2026/27 Academic Year
The application round for the autumn semester of the academic year 2026/27 is open from October 15th until November 15th 2026
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Autumn application round for the Programme for Academic Studies of Estonian Language and Culture Abroad for the 2026/27 Academic Year
The autumn application round for the Programme for Academic Studies of Estonian Language and Culture Abroad (EKKAV) for the 2026/27 academic year is open from 15 October to 15 November 2026. Applications are welcome for the Estophilus research scholarship for Estonia-related research in Estonia, scholarships for the Estonian language and culture winter school, funding for lectures on Estonia at higher education institutions abroad, and funding for guest lectures at higher education institutions abroad.
With support from the Estonian state, the EKKAV programme has posted lecturers of Estonian language and culture to universities abroad and provided scholarships and teaching materials, thereby supporting the learning and teaching of Estonian worldwide.
The Estophilus scholarship is intended for final-year bachelor’s students, master’s students, doctoral students and researchers holding a doctoral degree at higher education institutions outside Estonia. During a stay of one to five months in Estonia, scholarship holders can write a research paper on an Estonia-related topic or collect materials for their research. The scholarship consists of a monthly allowance of €660 to cover living expenses and a travel grant.
The programme also supports short lecture series on Estonia at universities abroad. Funding for lectures on Estonia is open to Estonian citizens and foreign nationals with a higher education qualification whose education or experience qualifies them to deliver such lectures at a higher education institution abroad where no curriculum-based teaching of Estonian language and culture takes place during the planned lecture period. Applicants must have a prior agreement with the host university to deliver the lectures.
Applications are also open for funding for additional guest lectures to complement Estonian language and culture teaching at universities abroad. This funding aims to enrich and further develop local teaching of Estonian language and culture and to increase interest in Estonia and its language and culture. Lecturers teaching Estonian at universities abroad may apply for funding to invite a guest lecturer.
In addition, international students who have already begun learning Estonian are offered tuition-free places on Estonian language and culture winter courses through the scholarship scheme. Tallinn University’s Estonian language winter courses will take place from 11 to 29 January 2027.
The target groups of EKKAV are:
- students studying in universities abroad;
- local opinion leaders and experts as the image creators of Estonia and promoters of mutual relations;
- enthusiasts of the Estonian language and culture worldwide.
Additional information:
Kerttu Lõhmus
Senior Specialist of EKKAV program
Education and Youth Board of Estonia
+372 5359 7544
[email protected]
Documents
Studies of Estonian language
Estonian language has been taught in foreign higher education institutions for more than 100 years. The tradition of academic teaching of the Estonian language has lasted the longest in Finland and Sweden. In the academic year of 1833/34 the first lecturer of Finnish language Carl Niclas Keckman at the University of Helsinki shared knowledge about the Estonian language within the course Comparative Grammar of Related Languages. The first Estonian language lectureship was opened in 1923 at the University of Helsinki, whereas the Estonian poet Villem Grünthal-Ridala began working as the Estonian lecturer.
Estonian is currently being taught all over the world from America to Asia in about 30 universities and colleges. There are 10 Estonian language visiting lecturers deployed by the state of Estonia to conduct Estonian language and culture teaching at universities abroad.
The EKKAV programme Estonian language lecturers teaching abroad:
The EKKAV programme Estonian language lecturers teaching abroad:
- at Vilnius University in Lithuania, Ms Svetlana Kass,
- at the National Institute of Languages and Oriental Civilisations (INALCO) in Paris, France, Ms Riina Roasto,
- at the University of Warsaw in Poland, Ms Lea Jürgenstein,
- at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in Ukraine, Ms Heinike Heinsoo,
- at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech, Ms Irene Saal,
- at the University of Latvia in Riga, Ms Ieva Spolite-Jansone,
- at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Ms Leila Kimmel,
- at the University of Greifswald in Germany, Ms Katrin-Kristiina Polviander,
- at the University of Toronto in Canada, Ms Kadri Tüür
Additional study centers abroad where Estonian language and culture is being taught *:
- Indiana University
- University of Washington
- Universität Wien (University of Vienna)
- Beijing International Studies University
- Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)
- Uppsala universitet (Uppsala University)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich)
- Turun yliopisto (University of Turku)
- Tampereen yliopisto (Tampere University)
- Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsingi)
- Oulun yliopisto (University of Oulu)
- UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies
- L’Università degli Studi Roma Tre (Roma Tre University)
- Università di Bologna (University of Bologna)
- Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem (Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungay
*The list of institutions is updated according to the information given to the Estonian Education and Youth Board.
Grants for international students studying abroad
- The purpose of Estophilus scholarship is to support the studies and research of the students enrolled in universities abroad and of international researchers interested in the Estonian language and culture (in Estonia), by thus contributing to the exchange of knowledge and making Estonia more visible.
Read more - The EKKAV scholarship for attending Estonian language and culture summer/winter courses can be applied for by all the international university students interested in the Estonian language and culture who are studying or have previously studied Estonian.
Read more
Support to foreign higher education institutions in developing Estonian studies
Within the EKKAV framework, it is possible to order study material (textbooks, magazines, books, films etc) to develop Estonian studies at study centers abroad.
Within the EKKAV framework, it is possible to apply funding for short term guest lectures at study centres abroad in order to develop and diversify the Estonian studies and raise interest for Estonian topics.
Additional information
Kerttu Lõhmus
Stipendiumite ja toetuste büroo vanemspetsialist
Haridus- ja Noorteamet
+372 5359 7544
[email protected]
General information about the EKKAV programme
The first state run programme for EKKAV activities was launched in 2005. Currently, the academic studies of Estonian language and culture abroad is managing its third programme period 2018-2027.
The programme is guided by the 9-member Programme Council:
- Birute Klaas-Lang – Chairman of the Council (University of Tartu, Estonian as a Foreign Language Professor)
- Andero Adamson (Ministry of Education and Research, Head of Language Policy Department)
- Liisa Ojaveer (Ministry of Education and Research, European Union and International Cooperation Adviser)
- Tiina Rüütmaa (Tallinn University, Estonian as a Second Language Lecturer)
- Kristiina Praakli (University of Tartu, representative of the Estonian Mother Tongue Society)
- Mart Meri (Representative of the Estonian Institute)
- Eero Loonurm (Head of Study in Estonia, Education and Youth Board)
- Helena Metslang (Member of the Estonian Association of Applied Linguistics)
- Kadri Linnas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adviser)
The Council is composed on the basis of the decree of the Minister of Education.
Autumn application round for the Programme for Academic Studies of Estonian Language and Culture Abroad for the 2026/27 Academic Year
Last updated: 03.11.2026
