For Foreign Students
Welcome to our University Guide for foreign students! We are thrilled to be your compass as you embark on an exciting academic journey in a foreign land. This guide is designed to be your trusty companion, providing insights into the academic, cultural, and practical aspects of university life in a new country. Whether you're a first-time traveler or a seasoned explorer, our aim is to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with your study visit abroad.
The University of Tartu Student Union and ENLIGHT Student Network have developed this guide for you, so you'll be well-prepared to make the most of your international educational experience, fostering personal growth, cultural understanding, and academic excellence. So, let's embark on this adventure, and may your visit be filled with discovery, friendship, and unforgettable moments.
This guide encompasses resources made by the City of Tartu, University of Tartu, and the University of Tartu Student Union. Our aim is to provide foreign students, whether they are here for a semester or longer, with a web page that will help you find all you need to have a fulfilling time while studying here.
Basic information
One of the most important parts of your stay is the place you will call home for the next period of time. While there are opportunities to rent out apartments or rooms by searching social media, there are many opportunities for student housing as well. There are different opportunities depending on whether you are ere as an exchange student or a degree student, but we recommend familiarising yourself with all of them.
The web page of Tartu Welcome Centre with all the important information
It goes without saying that we wish for a pleasant working and studying environments for all our students & staff. To guarantee this we would like to give you some information. Included here are the emergency contacts used in Estonia as well.
All information regarding health care and safety can be found on this web page.
112 - Emergency Services
1220 – Family Doctor’s Advice Line, ENG every day 15.00-17.00. (Calling from abroad +372 634 6630)
1247 – Crisis hotline 24h free (Calling from abroad +372 600 1247)
6123500 – Migration consultants Mon-Fri 9.00-15.00
We of course hope your journey at the university of Tartu will be pleasant, however unpleasant things might happen on university campus. We want you to know that help is never far away and if you need to can always reach out to:
Tartu Welcome Centre: https://tartuwelcomecentre.ee/get-in-touch/
Study Abroad Centre: https://ut.ee/en/study-abroad-centre-1
Visa and temporary residence permit (TRP) assistance upon arrival: studentvisasupport@ut.ee
Here you can find a list of the University of Tartu contacts for different study-related matters: https://ut.ee/en/content/whom-contact
The Student Union stands for the student's interests and needs, if you have any concerns contact us: tyye@ut.ee
For more information follow us on Instagram @studentunion.ut
Life in Tartu
Everyone likes good food and drinks but where should you go?
Restaurants
Tartu does not have any student run places to eat or drink, but the Old Town is filled with restaurants and bars. Almost all of the restaurants in the city have lunch offers, so for sure take advantage of that.
If you want to get cheap daily offers for different places in Tartu, use the Paevapraad Eesti app or the website: https://xn--pevapakkumised-5hb.ee/tartu. Both are in Estonian unfortunately, but it shows you all the offers of the day. Most of the faculties have a microwave, so you can always heat up the food you have taken from home.
Bars
Rüütli Street is the place to be if you want to find students, bars and the nightlife. One of the most visited bars in Tartu is Möku (Magasini 5).
Chances are slim that you’re an Olympic athlete or a living Leonardo da Vinci, but that doesn’t mean you can't enjoy some sports or culture.
All the University of Tartu museums are free to visit for the students. https://muuseum.ut.ee/en/university-of-tartu-museum.
The website for the University of Tartu Sports Centre: https://sport.ut.ee/en/home.
The website for the University of Tartu Library: https://utlib.ut.ee/en.
Museums in Tartu: https://visittartu.com/museums-every-taste.
To know the basics of Estonian, here are some important words and sentences:
Hello: “Tere”
Good morning: “Tere hommikust!”
Good afternoon: “Tere päevast”
Good evening: “Tere õhutust!”
Goodbye: “Head aega!”
Please: “Palun”
You are welcome: “Pole tänu väärt!”
Thank you: “Aitäh!”
Yes: “Jah”
No: “Ei”
Cheers: “Terviseks!”
Transportation and Travel
Transportation is always a bit tricky at first. So, we got you covered! Firstly (and lastly), maps apps are lifesavers. Do not hesitate to use them. All the information can be found on the Tartu Welcome Centre website, under the tab "Transportation in Tartu"
Public transportation in the city:
⊛ Public transportation tickets (bus)
If you wish to have a shortcut to see the timetables on your phone, then download the app(s) Tartu bussiajad and/or ESTRA. Google and Apple maps are also mostly up to date with the bus stops and the timetables.
⊛ The cheapest taxi you could take is from the Bolt app (electrical scooters are also available).
⊛ There is also a possibility to use city bikes.
Transportation in Estonia:
⊛ Bus tickets: Tpilet and Lux Express
Maps can of course help you out a long way but just in case we got you covered with a local city map!
Tartu city map: https://www.tartu.ee/en/maps.
Tartu city itself is a campus. The university of Tartu map: https://issuu.com/tartuuniversity/docs/1608tu_a4_eng-2019.
The virtual tour of University of Tartu buildings: https://virtualtour.ut.ee/en/tartu-city-view?i=sg1
All important information is written here: https://tartuwelcomecentre.ee/basics/living-in-tartu/ under the tab “Getting to Tartu”.
In Tartu we do not have an airport (which is open to international flights), but there are two airports that are nearby.
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (Estonia)
Riga Airport (Latvia)
From Tallinn Airport, the best way to get to Tartu is by bus. It goes from straight from Tallinn Airport to the Tartu Coach Station. You can find tickets here: https://www.tpilet.ee/en/ or https://luxexpress.eu/en/. There is also a possibility to take the train from Ülemiste (you must walk there a little bit) to Tartu. You can find tickets here: https://elron.ee/en.
From Riga Airport there is also a bus that goes straight from the Riga Airport to the Tartu Coach Station. You can find tickets here: https://luxexpress.eu/en/.
Further information
If you have made it this far you are always halfway an expert. If you still want to know more, then we recommend you look on the following websites!
Getting started for international students: https://ut.ee/en/getting-started-international-students
Arrival ABC: https://ut.ee/et/arrival-abc
Orientation course: https://ut.ee/en/orientation-course
Study regulations and guidelines (for law students, but the idea is general): https://oigus.ut.ee/en/study-regulations-and-guidelines
Tartu Welcome Centre: https://tartuwelcomecentre.ee/
E-learner's handbook: https://eoppija.ut.ee/book/elearner
Settle in Estonia: https://www.settleinestonia.ee/
Tartu city: https://www.tartu.ee/en
Work in Estonia: https://workinestonia.com/
Integration Foundation: https://www.integratsioon.ee/en
Estonian World: https://estonianworld.com/
News: https://news.err.ee/
New in Estonia: https://newinestonia.ee/
All that is left now is for us to wish you good luck with your travel preparation, safe travels, and a pleasant stay, and we hope to meet you at the University of Tartu!
University of Tartu Student Union & The ENLIGHT Student Network
