Need-based special allowance
It is a monetary allowance based on the economic situation of the person and granted under the conditions provided for in this Act to students, except for Doctoral candidates, in order to cover expenses related to the acquisition of higher education if the application for a need-based study allowance of a student has been declined. The amount of the need-based special allowance in 135€ per month.
Who has right to apply?
A student has the right to receive need-based special allowance if:
- he or she is an Estonian citizen or is staying in Estonia on the basis of a long-term or temporary residence permit* or on the basis of a permanent or temporary right of residence;
- he or she studies full-time and has by the starting semester cumulatively completed at least seventy-five per cent of the study load subject to completion under the curriculum in the previous semesters or studies full-time in the first semester;
- a student whose application for need-based study allowance has been declined in the relevant semester because his or her average monthly income calculated on the basis of section § 51 of Study Allowances and Study Loans Act does exceed the maximum average income calculated for the receipt of need-based study allowance established annually by the state budget.
- the average monthly income of the three months preceding the submission of an application for need-based study allowance of the student and his or her family members specified in subsection 51(2) of Study Allowances and Study Loans Act does not exceed the maximum average income calculated for the receipt of need-based study allowance established annually by the state budget (756,38€ year 2025), above all, if the given income has decreased in connection with registration of the student or his or her family member as unemployed or in connection with permanent incapacity for work in the extent of 80–100 per cent.
A student shall not be entitled to simultaneous need-based study allowance and need-based special allowance.
Students have the right to submit to the educational institution applications for the receipt of need-based special allowance for up to five study months at least twice during an academic year – from September to January and from February to June. Study allowance shall be paid from the month of applying for the study allowance.
* Does not apply to students who are residing in Estonia with a Temporary Residence Permit for Studies.
Who is considered a family member of the applicant?
- parents of an up to 24-year-old student if the student is not married or a parent or guardian of a child;
- minor siblings and half-siblings of an up to 24-year-old student if the student is not married or a parent or guardian of a child;
- up to 24-year-old siblings and half-siblings of an up to 24-year-old student, who is not married or a parent or guardian of a child, who acquire general secondary education in full-time study or vocational education in full-time study or higher education in full-time study and who have not exceeded the nominal period of curriculum;
- spouse of the student;
- minor child whose parent or guardian the student is.
How to apply? What documents do I need to submit?
- Students have the right to submit to the educational institution applications for the receipt of need-based special allowance for up to five study months at least twice during an academic year – from September to January and from February to June. Study allowance shall be paid from the month of applying for the study allowance.
- Applications can be submitted until the end of the month; the special allowance will be granted no later than the 10th day of the following month. An application will be processed only if all the required documents for applying for the allowance are attached. Applications with incomplete documentation will be rejected, so please monitor the status of your application in ÕIS. The allowance is paid from the month of application until the end of the semester.
- To receive a need-based special allowance, a student should submit an application in ÕIS. When submitting the application in ÕIS, make sure to use a period (.) instead of a comma (,) when entering numbers in the fields. Otherwise, ÕIS will not allow you to submit the application.
What documents do I need to submit?
When applying for an allowance, a student shall submit the following documents:
- A negative decision of the application for a special need-based study allowance, which can be submitted to the University within five working days starting from the date when the decision was announced. A negative decision must be downloaded digitally stamped;
- Extracted data from the Estonian Population Register regarding the household members (needs-based study allowance application from haridsportaal.edu.ee);
- A certificate from the Tax and Customs Board certifying the average monthly income of the three months (taxation data certificate) preceding the submission of a need-based study allowance of the student and his or her family members specified in Subsection 2 of § 51 of the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act (get the information about the certificate from or ask it by e-mail (from emta@emta.ee);
- Documents proving a decrease in the level of income (certificate of registration as unemployed and/or incapacitation for work or other certificates, etc.)
NB! In the ÕIS application, you must select multiple files at once in the file selection window; they cannot be added separately.
The University has the right to verify the correctness of documents and information submitted in order for the student to be granted a need-based special allowance, or to present the documents and information for inspection to competent authorities and persons.