The number of foreign students in Estonian higher education institutions has decreased

In the 2022/2023 academic year, 1,484 foreign students were accepted, which means a 15 percent decrease compared to the previous year. In the last academic year, 5,072 international students studied in Estonia.

According to Eero Loonurm, head of international marketing for higher education at the Board of Education and Youth, Estonia continues to be an attractive country for foreign students, but this year's admission has been affected by both the war in Ukraine and the global health crisis. "The desire of foreign students to study in Estonia is a proof of the competitiveness of our higher education and a good learning environment," he commented.

In terms of the top 10 sending countries, enrollments fell the most in student numbers from Russia, Latvia and Azerbaijan, by 68, 35 and 34 per cent respectively, while the number of students from Ukraine rose by 222 per cent and those from Turkey by five per cent.

Study in Estonia's recent analysis shows that the majority of foreign students are still in master's studies in Estonia, where 2,043 foreign students are studying. Interest in doctoral studies has also grown, where 763 foreign students are studying this academic year.

In total, foreign students from 123 countries are studying in Estonia in the 2022/2023 academic year. The largest sending country is still Finland, from where 846 students or 17 percent of all foreign students in advanced studies come from in 2022/2023. Great growth has been made by Ukraine, whose foreign students are studying in Estonia this academic year, more than half a thousand, 528 to be exact.

It is followed by Ukraine with 11 percent, Russia with nine percent, Nigeria with six percent, India with four percent, Azerbaijan also with four percent, and Pakistan, Latvia, Turkey and the United States all with three percent.

Bangladesh and Iran have dropped out of the top ten, but Turkey and the United States have returned. About 70 percent of students from third countries study in Estonia, and about 30 percent of foreign students from European Union countries.

Looking at the number of foreign students in level education at Estonian higher education institutions by field of study, the most foreign students study in the fields of business, administration and law, with 1,414 foreign students, followed by humanities and arts with 784 and information and communication technology with 671 students.

In this academic year, the number of foreign students admitted to the fields of information and communication technology and service increased the most.

The majority of foreign students study in English-language curricula. Five percent of all foreign students study in Estonian-language curricula, and about three percent of all students study in Russian-language curricula.