Study Science in Estonia - 3 reasons why

Author: Joy Ananda

For a country that is made up of 50% forest, Estonia boasts stellar scientific development. A country in Northern Europe, Estonia joined the European Union in 2004. Since joining, they have spent ample funds and successfully built their reputation to what it is today, having increasing success in ecology, molecular biology, genetics, and research networks. There are five Bachelor of Science degrees that you can get in Estonia, including Science and Technology, Commercial Aviation Management, Veterinary Medicine, and Cyber Security Engineering. That said, let's explore three reasons why you should study Science in Estonia.

E-Society

You guessed it! - 'E' means Electronic because Estonia operates everything electronically, including ID cards, government practices, healthcare, parking, and even schooling. Estonia is so technologically advanced that you can even get internet access in the middle of the forest. Back in 2005, Estonia was already a world leader in technology with the ability to vote online. Since technology is the application of science, where devices are created to solve day-to-day problems, Estonia is a great way to experience all the benefits modern technology can bring us.

A metropolitan city in Indonesia is also pretty much cashless at this point; We can use e-money using the financial apps to pay for public transportation like MRT, parking, taxis, food, and retail purchases. We have many things readily available in Indonesia for online matters, including online bank transactions, declaring tax online, online school (especially in this pandemic), and digital prescriptions from doctors (thanks to selected applications). You can do all of that in Estonia and even more. Estonians can easily organize their government administration affairs online, such as voting, applying for government aid, creating companies on their computer through a government-issued program (hence the numerous startups in the country), and even signing legal contracts. On top of that, the citizen can digitally find their perfect Christmas tree by navigating through Estonian forests online, chopping it down, paying for it, then waiting for it to ship, all from the comfort of their phone.

Origin of Many Digital Brands

Estonia has been put on the map thanks to valuable brands that originated from the small country. One of the brands is Skype, a software founded in 2003 by three friends and was then acquired by Microsoft and went on to be used by around 300 million users every month until today.

One of the brands that sound familiar to us Indonesians is an Estonian startup called Bolt, which since 2013 it focused on food delivery and ride-hailing services. From its successful launch in the country, it continued to expand into 40 other countries around Europe. Other brands, however, have leaped into the more technological sphere, for example, Starship Technologies' robots; instead of actual people delivering your fast food like pizza, in Estonia, you are served by robot machines on wheels! These self-driving robots are also starting to infiltrate the UK and US. In addition, Cleveron's (another brand) robots also help deliver your packages at specific pick-up points.

Unique Educational Programmes

Estonian universities have paved their way to success based on high-tech education-focus programs. These include cyber security, digital learning games, and e-government technologies and systems. There are more foreign scientists than locals in the small country because of the easy accessibility to research archives - since everything is online, and there is money available for funding and support. The same goes for small businesses since creating a startup only requires a laptop and a strong wi-fi connection. This small European country highly encourages entrepreneurial culture. Some private organizations or even government programs have some funding opportunities for startups that need it.

Besides all these intriguing reasons to study science in Estonia, keep in mind that the country itself is convenient and beautiful enough for you to come to visit for leasure. Public transportation is free in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia; it has a tiny population which means an ultra tight-knit community; in terms of living costs as a student in Estonia, it's very affordable. Imagine that if a small city in France costs around 700 euros per month (as mentioned to EHEF.id by a student who previously studied and lived there), the average living cost in Estonia is just under 300 euros a month. You also get to experience nature in its truest form, where the deep forests and lakes surround you, with the best air quality, as Estonia ranked first in 2011 in a WHO (World Health Organization) survey.

Besides that, Estonia is considered one of the world's safest countries, with renowned high-education institutions, opportunities to get international-student scholarships that cover up to 100% and get an extra six months in the country to look for a job post-graduation. If you feel like you're not ready to commit to 4 years of university yet, you can even opt for summer or semester courses if you would like to give it a try first. With all those points in mind, we hope to see you in Estonia soon! Check out EHEF.id's website for more information about the small country of Estonia.