Useful information
Before Arrival: 1) submit necessary application and documents online and in paper; 2) wait for the Letter of Acceptance which will be sent as an email attachment; 3) pay accommodation deposit to secure the place of living; 4) contact the project coordinator for the date, time, place of arrival; 5) Your buddy (student volunteer) will contact you and agree on where and when you will meet). Once Arrived: 1) Participate the Orientation Days http://www.ttu.ee/studying/new-and-current-student/orientation-days-5/; 2) pick up the student code (and enter password of Study Information System ois.ttu.ee) at the IT support department X-132; 3) attend the lectures, choose courses from the timetable, mix and match your personal study plan; 4) register courses in the Study Information System before the deadline; 5) Purchase the smartcard for public transportation system http://ttu.ee/public/e/en/studying/Incoming_Exchange_Studies/Public_transportation.pdf; 6) Register the place of living at local municipality office; 7) Read Student ABC http://ttu.ee/studying/exchange-studies/exchange-studies-incomingoutgoing/students-abc/ and ask for help from your tutor and project coordinator; 8) Apply for the "Estonian residence permit based on study" and ID card at Migration Bureau http://politsei.ee/en/teenused/residence-permit/tahtajaline-elamisluba/oppimiseks/index.dot
TTU offers accommodation to TTU students. All student residences are located inside campus, within walking distance to and from the study buildings. In total there are 1600 beds in the student residences. http://www.ttu.ee/en/?id=31356. NB! only degree students who received the official acceptance letter can apply for places in the residence. For exchange students or short stay, the student needs to arrange accommodation either at the Academic Hostel http://v2.ttu.ee/academichostel-eng or private rooms and apartments via real estate portal, with the help of the rental agencies. More info http://ttu.ee/index.php?id=42102. Some students are sharing useful information of private accommodation in Tallinn online http://ttu.ee/studying/exchange-studies/exchange-studies-incomingoutgoing/b_accommodation/tips-private-housing/. A Facebook group was created for this purpose as well http://www.facebook.com/pages/Accommodation-for-international-students-in-Tallinn/237391599737566
TTU offers foreign language courses at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels: Estonian language and culture, Finnish, Swedish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese
"The cost of living in Estonia, compared with the rest of EU, is affordable. Based on the survey of all TTU international students, the average cost of living per month is around 500 EUR depending on life style, including:
- accommodation: 100 -150 euro at the dormitory (one bed in a double room) http://www.ttu.ee/organizations/campus/.
- electricity+ water+ internet+ winter heating: 20-30 euro (per head per month at student residence)
- food: 200-300 euro per month; one warm meal at the university canteen costs 2,5-3 euro; cheaper if you buy material from supermarket and cook yourself
- Tallinn city public transportation: Free for Tallinn Residents starting from January 1, 2013
- telephone bill: there are different packages offered by three main service providers, ranging from 8-25 euro per month
- Miscellanea: 100-150 euro
The weather in Estonia is largely dictated by its closeness to the Baltic sea. In the summer the skies are blue and temperatures can reach 30° Celcius and the summer average is a very pleasant 16.4°C. In summer there can be 19 hours of daylight, known locally as the “white nights”. Light rain can fall in spring and autumn so bring an umbrella and waterproof jacket. In winter the rain turns to snow when the temperature drops below zero (ideal skiing weather, great for sledging and building snowmen too!) – so wrap up warm. Medieval old town Tallinn is picture postcard perfect when the buildings are topped with snow. Some winters its even possible to drive on the ice roads constructed between the islands. Cool breezes from the Baltic sea moderate the climate in spring and summer."
Disabled students should inform the project coordinator in advance so that necessary steps will be taken to help those students integrate into TTU studying and living environment. Lifts and wheelchair ramps are installed in some newly renovated buildings , but not available in older buildings.
Depending on the course and professor, regular tests and consultation are arranged. The project coordinator and study consultant in your faculty are available to answer questions by phone, email, and pre-arranged meeting.
At the beginning of every academic semester, TTU organizes the Orientation Days for newly-arrived international students. During the Orientation Days, you will learn about the academic issues, study programs, courses, timetable from the study consultant of different faculty; representatives of Library, Sports Center, and student counselor will introduce relevant services provided by TTU; last but not the least, the International Club (IC), Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Tallinn, and TTU student union will share endless possibilities to spend your free time in Tallinn, Estonia and nearby countries. Christmas Festival, Jazz Festival, local events, cultural events organized by the IC members, such as International Dinner, outings outside Tallinn, visit to the Parliament building, etc.