Estonia

This information is currently not available, but will be updated and published in 2021.

Last update: November, 2020

The national curricula establish the standard for basic and general secondary education. The curricula are implemented in all basic and upper secondary schools of Estonia, regardless of the schools’ legal status, unless otherwise stipulated by the law. The curricula and requirements are set by the regulations of the Government.

The subject field of art subjects comprises visual art and music, compulsory at all stages of basic education. Visual art and music are taught from the 1st to 9th grade. The design of required learning outcomes and contents in the subjects of the art field is based on the following division of weekly lessons between study stages and subjects:

• 1st stage (1st-3rd grade) of study: visual art 4,5 lessons and music 6 lessons;
• 2nd stage (4th-6th grade) of study: visual art 3 lessons and music 4 lessons;
• 3rd stage (7th-9th grade) of study: visual art 3 lessons and music 3 lessons.

The national curriculum for upper secondary schools (10th-12th grade) states compulsory subjects in the fields music and visual art. The compulsory courses by subject are the following: 

• Visual art – 2 courses: “Visual art and art history” and “Art and visual culture in the 20th and 21st centuries”; and
• Music – 3 courses: “Development of modern musical expression”, “Nationality in music”, “Music of the 20th and 21st centuries”.
  All three courses include modules of “Musical self-expression: singing, instrument playing, original creation”.

Last update: November, 2020

Higher education is primarily regulated by the Universities Act, the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act, and the Private Schools Act. The Estonian higher education system is binary and consists of universities (ülikool) and professional higher education institutions (rakenduskõrgkool). All higher education organisations are under supervision of the Ministry of Education and Research. There are six universities under public law, one private university, eight state professional higher education institutions and five private professional higher education institutions in Estonia.

Among the public universities, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Estonian Academy of Arts, University of Tartu and Tallinn University offer curricula in different fields of arts and culture. The Pallas University of Applied Science (a state professional higher education institution) also offers curricula in the arts and culture.

Since 2012, higher education is free of charge in public universities and state higher education institutions for those, who study full-time and in Estonian language. Students can apply for special study loans from banks.

Higher education in music can be acquired at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and in the Viljandi Culture Academy of the University of Tartu (mainly jazz and folk music). Also, some music related curricula are offered at Tallinn University.

A higher arts education can be acquired at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Pallas University of Applied Sciences, University of Tartu, Tallinn University (art didactics) and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (arts management).

The Academy of Arts is the only university in Estonia where one can acquire an academic higher education in architectural conservation, cultural heritage and restoration, as well as the conservation and restoration of art. The aim of the cultural heritage and conservation programme is to provide knowledge and the necessary practical skills for qualified professional work in the field of cultural heritage protection, preservation, conservation and restoration.

Design education can be obtained at the Estonian Academy of the Arts. Master’s level programmes are available at the Tallinn Technical University (design and product development), and at the University of Tartu Pärnu College (service design and management). Applied higher education can be obtained at the Tartu Art College, the Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences, and the Tallinn University Haapsalu College.

Last update: November, 2020

Out-of-school activities and education is governed by the Hobby Schools Act (2007) and the Youth Work Act (1999). In 2006, the Government approved the Youth Work Strategy 2006-2013. The objective of the strategy was to devise and implement coordinated and purposeful actions following the actual needs and challenges of young people in different spheres of life. Youth work is one of the activity areas thereof besides education, culture, health care and other fields. In 2013, the Government approved the Youth Field Development Plan for 2014-2020. The general goal of the development plan is for young people to have wide opportunities for development and self-realisation, which supports the formation of a cohesive and creative society.

The Ministry of Education and Research is responsible for youth affairs, planning youth policy, organising youth work and managing the work of the Estonian Youth Work Centre. The Estonian Youth Work Centre develops and organises youth work within the framework of the national youth policy.

A hobby school is an educational establishment operating in the area of youth work, aimed at the diverse development of personal interests, including the cultivation of one’s own language and culture, in different areas of hobby education. The uniform requirements for hobby education have been prescribed in the Hobby Schools Act and the Standard for Hobby Education. These regulations are applicable to all hobby schools, irrespective of their legal status. A significant number among such schools are music, art or dance schools. A network of music and a few dance schools is the basic level in music education pyramid. These schools are mainly financed by municipalities. Since 2017, the state started to finance hobby schools and youth centres through the Estonian Youth Work Centre. A significant part of the funding still comes from the parents of pupils. A number of hobby schools are also private owned. The same type hobby schools unite into NGOs, such as the Estonian Music Schools Union and the Estonian Art Schools Union.

The most popular hobby activities is participating in choirs, orchestras and folk-dance groups. The Song and Dance Celebration is a unique tradition of the Estonian culture and as an integral part of the people's national identity, the Youth Song and Dance Celebration movement has a nationwide network and an educational programmme.

Last update: November, 2020

The vocational education system in Estonia is regulated by the Vocational Educational Institutions Act (2013), which provides the basis for the establishment and maintenance of vocational educational institutions, the basis for the right to provide instruction, management and organisation of studies, state-commissioned education and financing, the rights and obligations of members of schools, and state supervision over the activities of schools. 

Vocational education can be acquired either in vocational education or professional higher education institutions. At least one vocational education institution operates in every Estonian county. In 2019, there were 32 vocational educational institutions and six professional higher institutions active in Estonia that offer a range of 160 specialities.

Estonian is the primary language of instruction used in vocational training. Russian is also used as language of instruction in some vocational education institutions.

Vocational education in the arts is given at Tallinn Georg Ots Music College, Tartu Heino Eller Music High School, Tallinn Ballet School and Tartu Art School. Together with Tallinn Music College and Tartu Music High School, the Tallinn Music High School is a medium-level musical education institution. Tallinn Music High School provides professional music education alongside the general primary and secondary curriculum. This system ensures graduates the possibility of a career in music or in any other field. More than 90% of the graduates continue their studies in higher music education establishments in Estonia or abroad.

The aim of the Tallinn Ballet School is to train competitive ballet artists for the international labour market, who can present both traditional classical choreography and creations of different contemporary choreographers at a high professional level. The Ballet School is the only educational institution for professional ballet dancers in Estonia. One can study classical ballet at the basic school level, and classical ballet and contemporary dance at the upper secondary school level. The duration of study at the Tallinn Ballet School is eight years. 

In February 2020, the construction of a united schoolhouse for the Tallinn Music High School, Tallinn Georg Ots Music College and Tallinn Ballet School began. The three schools will merge in 2022 as a political decision of the former government.

The Tartu Art School is the mediator of information, ideas and skills concerning design and visual art specialties in Estonia. As a developer in the field of art in Tartu, the school values both innovative approach and cultural consistency.