Mobility specification

Country:Estonia

Institution:University of Tartu

City:Tartu

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Law

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The final grade is based on partial assignments throughout the semester, whether they are interim shorter or final longer essays, group presentations, or simulations. There is rarely just one exam, and if there is, it is in the last week of class, not in the final exam week.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?The university organized Welcome Days, which were 2 days full of lectures, tips, tricks and interesting facts not only about Tartu and the university, but also about Estonia in general, language, culture, nature, etc. At the same time, the university organized tours of the sports centre (students have very good access), the library and the whole city.

The ESN is also fully functioning here and organises several events a week (board games, karaoke, quizzes, parties, trips, hardening, visits to the shelter, flower growing, etc.).

We also receive emails from the university inviting us to various guests and their lectures (e.g. a lecture by the former Estonian president), concerts and other events.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?The price of the dormitory is quite high (420 euros/month - I have included this amount in my monthly expenses). On the other hand, I have a room to myself in an apartment where there are 4 of us in total (shared kitchen and bathroom + toilet).
It's generally a bit more expensive here than in the Czech Republic, but again it depends where you shop (they have loyalty cards for everything here and it's definitely worth it). On the other hand, transport here is pretty cheap and with their LuxExpress buses you can get to all the surrounding states for a pretty good price and high comfort.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Definitely loyalty cards (cafes, supermarkets, etc.). There's a communal fridge in halls of residence where food is delivered just before the expiry date several times a week from various shops, so you can basically get everything (except dairy) for free. With a document confirming that you are a student at Tartu University, you get free entry to most museums, as well as student discounts on most entrances, sometimes even in cafes (upon showing your ISIC).

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I hardly use the transport within Tartu at all because everything is within walking distance. But if I need to go further out of town, I use Google maps. If I need to take a bus within Tartu, I normally pay with my card on the bus (one ride is 1.50 euros).
For longer distances (Tallinn, Narva, Riga, Villnius) I use the LuxExpress app, where you can collect points for rides and then get various rewards (free ticket, discount for return trip, etc.).

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Tartu is relatively small, so you can explore the more distant parts of the city during your stay. The most beautiful part is definitely the centre with the big square and the town hall. My favourite place is the hill just behind the square, where the courthouse, one of the university buildings and the ruins of the cathedral are located, from which you have a beautiful view of the city in summer. The surrounding streets near the square are also worth a walk, with lots of cafes, bars and shops.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Within Tartu you can walk quite a long way around the river (both sides). But if you want to go further, definitely to Otepää, which is the "winter" city of Estonia (frozen lake, ski slopes, ice-skating rink). There are also national parks, the "summer" town of Pärnu (right by the sea), islands (Saaremaa) and the big lake Peipsi. Of the cities, definitely Narva (on the Russian border), the capital Tallinn or Riga, which is the closest right after Tallinn, and Helsinki, which is only 2 hours by ferry.

Share your best experience:I can't pick just one, but my favourite moments include long weekends by the sea in Tallinn, long walks and reading a book in the park in the sun with a coffee in my hand, and long evenings with friends at the Möku bar.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane
Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?There is a direct bus from Tallinn airport to Tartu (2.5 hours), but there is only one direct bus to Tartu, from Helsinki, so you always have to change buses from Vienna/Prague. However, the Vienna-Tallinn line is also cancelled at the moment, so I'll probably fly back from Riga, which also has a direct bus to the airport from Tartu.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Cloths, towels, a travel mug, ideally your own cutlery or at least a spoon, rubber bands (not for your hair, but for the bags), medicines that you know are definitely working for you and are not completely basic like paracetamol/ibalgin, your favourite book (in your free time you will definitely prefer something, that you know and like than a new book that might not fit), some photos/favourite postcards to decorate your room, cosmetics that are not sold in the country of departure and you don't want to switch to another brand, miniature cosmetics (you don't want to carry big packs on long weekends).

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?"Loving life is easy when you are abroad. Where no one knows you and you hold your life in your hands all alone, you are more master of yourself than at any other time." H. Arendt