A student with special needs is a student who needs support to achieve learning outcomes through changes in the organisation of the course or in the learning environment. The need for support may be due to health-related circumstances.
What are the possible adaptations?
These are a few examples of adjustments; the list is not complete.
Adaptations are a preventive measure and do not apply retroactively. For instance, if the deadline for independent work has already passed and the lecturer has not been informed in advance about the difficulty of submitting the work on time, it is not possible to take adjustments into account retroactively.
Students and prospective students of the University of Tartu are welcome to turn to the special needs adviser.
Times are available for the following 30 days, new appointments become available daily.
NB! Please use the university e-mail address ([email protected]) when booking.
NB! The form is in Estonian, please use Google translate for translating the form.
At the University of Tartu, making adaptations is governed by the Study Regulations. According to that, to request adaptations, the student contacts the special needs adviser and presents proof of special needs.
The teaching staff member makes reasonable adaptations in the course for the student if the special needs adviser has prepared a list of adaptations recommended for the student and the teaching staff member is informed of it within a reasonable time from the beginning of the semester; without the adaptations, it would be difficult for the student to achieve the learning outcomes in the course due to special needs.
What is the process of making adaptations?
The purpose of the scholarship is to support students with special needs in acquiring higher education. More information can be found on the webpage of the Estonian Education and Youth Board.
Full-time students (excluding doctoral students) whose economic situation has deteriorated or whose capacity to work has diminished are eligible to apply for a need-based special allowance, amounting to 135 euros per month. More information on how to apply for the allowance can be found here.
Academic leave means a period for which a student is released from the obligation of undertaking study and research. Students are not transferred to the next year (course) during academic leave. The date of completion of a student's studies is postponed by the period of time spent on academic leave. For the duration of the academic leave the student's nominal period of study is suspended.
There are two types of academic leave – at one’s own request and for health reasons. You can read more about academic leave here.
You can apply for academic leave at your own request once per stage of study. This type of academic leave must be a single uninterrupted period. You cannot apply for academic leave for 6 months, then study for a semester and then apply for academic leave again for 6 months.
You can go on academic leave at your own request within the nominal period of study; you cannot go on academic leave at own request leave during the extension of your study period. You also cannot apply for academic leave at your own request at the first study level during the first semester of the first year.
You need to specify the duration of academic leave in the application. You can choose the length of the period. You can go on academic leave at your own request for up to one year. If you have taken academic leave for a shorter period, you can apply for an extension of leave bringing the total to one year before the expiry of the leave.
While on academic leave, Estonian students do not have health insurance from their student status.
You can apply for academic leave for health reasons at any time on the basis of a medical certificate. Your application needs to be accompanied by a certificate on which the doctor has determined the duration of your academic leave.
You can go on academic leave for health reasons multiple times, but the total duration of leave must not exceed two years.
In order to apply for academic leave you need to submit a due application and, where necessary, respective annexes. The application needs to be submitted at the latest one day before the start (or cancellation) date of adacemic leave. Academic leave cannot be formalised retroactively.
It is possible to submit the document signed on paper or signed digitally. Based on your application, the vice-dean/director of your college will issue an order, and a notice granting academic leave will be sent to your e-mail address, and to your messages mailbox in SIS.
The application must be submitted to:
A student who has a moderate, severe or profound disability or decreased work capability or is a parent or guardian of a disabled child of up to and including 15 years of age will be released from tuition fees on the basis of the student’s application in either full-time or part-time studies, provided the student commences studies full-time in an Estonian-taught curriculum.
Students can apply to be released from tuition fees until 15 September (autumn semester) and 15 February (spring semester).
The application and the document proving the entitlement to the discount must be submitted to the dean's office or the institute of your field.
When applying for release from tuition fees, a document certifying entitlement must be submitted in addition to a duly completed application:
More information can be found here.
Support services at the University of Tartu:
Support services outside the university:
For information on planning studies or internships abroad and exploring the available opportunities, please visit the website of the Study Abroad Centre.
Students with special needs can apply for an inclusion grant to cover additional expenses directly related to their fewer opportunities, which are not covered by the regular monthly supplementary allowance. Further details regarding additional support available for international mobility can be found here.