Estonia & Baltic States Scholarships 2027: State-Funded Study in Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Quick Overview

Feature	Details
Full name	Estonian National Scholarship + Latvian State Scholarships + Lithuanian State Scholarships
Funded by	Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (via Education and Youth Board / HARNO), Latvian Ministry of Education and Science (via VIAA), Lithuanian Education Exchanges Support Foundation
Coverage	Monthly stipends from €350 to €700 — plus tuition-free university options in Lithuania
Urgent deadline	Estonia: September 2 – October 1, 2026 (23:59 Estonian time)
Next windows	Latvia: Feb 1 – Apr 1, 2027 · Lithuania: ~Feb–Apr 2027 (verify)

The Baltic states are one of the most overlooked corners of European scholarship funding. Between them, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania offer state-funded stipends for international degree and exchange students — and one of those windows, Estonia’s, closes on October 1, 2026. This guide covers all three countries, with exact amounts, eligibility rules and application steps verified against official sources in August 2026.

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What Does It Cover? (Benefits Table)

Program	Level	Monthly Amount	Duration	Extra
Estonian National Scholarship (degree/exchange)	Master’s, PhD (BA only for Estonian language & culture)	€350 (BA/MA) · €660 (PhD)	1 academic year (12 months; 10 in final year)	Paid 12 months/yr; results by Dec 1
TalTech MFA Scholarship	Master’s at TalTech	€400	2 years (nominal Master’s period)	For citizens of 8 partner countries only
Estonian Summer School Grant	BA/MA/PhD (enrolled abroad ≥1 yr)	Course fee up to €700 + €25/night accommodation (max 4 weeks)	1–4 week courses	Next window ~Apr–May 2027
Latvian State Scholarship	Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD	€500 (BA) · €600 (MA) · €700 (PhD)	Up to 10 months (BA/MA); 11 months (PhD); 2 yrs for Latvian philology/literature/culture/history MA	Can cover tuition OR living costs
Lithuanian State Scholarship	Master’s, integrated studies	Monthly scholarship + study-cost coverage	1–2 semesters / full Master’s	70 grants in 2026 call; country quotas
VILNIUS TECH Scholarships	Bachelor’s, Master’s	Tuition-free OR 50% / 25% tuition reduction	Full degree	Merit-based for internationals

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Eligibility (✅/❌ Checklist)

✅ Estonia — You Must:

• Be a citizen of a country with a bilateral education agreement with Estonia (see HARNO country list — Russian and Belarusian citizens are excluded for 2026/27)

• Hold a confirmation/admission letter from an Estonian higher education institution for the 2026/27 academic year at the time of application

• Apply for Master’s or PhD in any field, or Bachelor’s in Estonian language and culture fields

• PhD applicants must NOT have an active junior researcher employment contract with the Estonian HEI

✅ Latvia — You Must:

• Be a citizen of one of the 28 agreement countries (incl. Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Peru, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam) or one of the 11 partner countries without formal agreements (incl. Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Slovakia, Switzerland, USA)

• Have confirmation of admission from a Latvian HEI before applying

• Bachelor’s applicants must have completed at least one year of studies

• Not hold another scholarship (no double funding)

✅ Lithuania — You Must:

• Be a citizen of an eligible country (2026 call: Armenia, Azerbaijan, China/Taiwan, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam) or a foreign citizen of Lithuanian origin (non-EU/EFTA)

• Apply for full-time Master’s or the last two years of integrated studies

❌ Not Eligible If:

• You are a Russian or Belarusian citizen applying to Estonia for 2026/27

• You are applying for an Estonian Bachelor’s in a field unrelated to Estonian language/culture

• You already receive Erasmus+ or another state scholarship (Latvia/Estonia enforce no-double-funding)

• You hold a junior researcher contract at an Estonian university (Estonian PhD track)

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How to Apply: Step by Step

Step 1: Secure admission first (all three countries)

Every Baltic state scholarship requires proof of admission from a host university before you can apply for the stipend. Start your university applications early:

• Estonia: University of Tartu, TalTech (Tallinn University of Technology), Tallinn University

• Latvia: University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, RSU

• Lithuania: Vilnius University, VILNIUS TECH, Kaunas University of Technology

Step 2: Estonia — email your application (Sep 2 – Oct 1, 2026)

1. Download the degree/exchange application form from harno.ee

2. Attach 3 files: the application form (Word), a copy of your passport/ID, and the Estonian HEI confirmation letter (stating status, level, curriculum, start/end dates)

3. Send to `rvo.dokumendid@harno.ee` with the subject “Scholarship for degree and exchange study in Estonia” before Oct 1, 23:59 Estonian time

4. Results are announced personally by email by December 1

Step 3: Latvia — use the VIAA online system (Feb 1 – Apr 1, 2027)

1. Choose a study program and obtain the HEI confirmation letter

2. Register and apply in the VIAA electronic application system between Feb 1 and Apr 1

3. Decisions arrive by email in June

Step 4: Lithuania — watch scholarships.lt (~Feb–Apr 2027)

1. The Education Exchanges Support Foundation posts the annual call on scholarships.lt and studyin.lt

2. Apply directly for university admission AND the state scholarship; VILNIUS TECH tuition-free/partial scholarships are assessed on admission scores

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Insider Tips

1. Estonia’s deadline is deceptive — it’s earlier than you think

The Sep 2 – Oct 1 window applies to the 2026/27 academic year that already starts this autumn. That means you need your admission letter before the scholarship deadline. If you’re targeting autumn 2027 intake, the next window will run Sep 2 – Oct 1, 2027 — start your university applications in early 2027.

2. The €660/month doctoral rate is the real prize

Estonia pays €660/month to PhD students (vs €350 for BA/MA) for a full 12 months — a genuinely competitive stipend for the Baltics, and doctoral study is open to all fields.

3. Latvia’s philology route doubles your funding

Master’s students in Latvian philology, literature, culture or history can receive the state scholarship for two academic years instead of one — the only field with extended funding.

4. Combine institutional scholarships with state stipends where allowed

VILNIUS TECH’s tuition-free Bachelor’s scholarships are decided purely on admission scores — apply to the most competitive programs you qualify for. TalTech’s MFA scholarship (€400/month, 2 years) is available to citizens of Armenia, Botswana, Georgia, Kenya, Moldova, Namibia, Uganda and Ukraine — check taltech.ee for the current country list.

5. Use the summer-school grant as a test run

Estonia funds summer courses up to €700 + accommodation — a low-risk way to experience the system and build relationships before committing to a degree.

6. Baltic degrees are cheap even without scholarships

Even self-funded, Estonian and Lithuanian tuition is far below Western Europe. The stipends above cover a large share of living costs, making the Baltics one of the most cost-effective study destinations in Europe.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply to Estonia if I’m a Russian or Belarusian citizen?

No — for the 2026/27 academic year, applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens are explicitly not accepted under the national scholarship programme.

Do I need to speak Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian?

No. English-taught Master’s and PhD programs are standard at all major Baltic universities. For the Estonian Bachelor’s track (Estonian language and culture), basic Estonian language skills are required — check the specific program requirements.

Can I use the Latvian scholarship for tuition?

Yes — the stipend can be used for tuition OR accommodation/meals. Note that English-taught programs in Latvia are fee-based (roughly €2,800–€15,000/year), and VIAA warns the stipend alone won’t cover everything.

What if I’m an exchange student?

Estonia’s national scholarship explicitly covers degree AND exchange students (10 months max for exchange). Latvia’s program also covers exchange and summer schools.

When do I hear back?

Estonia: by December 1. Latvia: June. Lithuania: typically late spring/early summer.

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Timeline Table

Date	Action
Aug 2026	Start Estonian university admissions (autumn 2026 intake still open at some programs)
Sep 2 – Oct 1, 2026	⚠️ Estonia national scholarship window (2026/27) — apply with admission letter
Dec 1, 2026	Estonia results announced by email
Feb 1 – Apr 1, 2027	Latvia state scholarship call opens
Feb–Apr 2027	Lithuania state scholarship + VILNIUS TECH calls (verify on scholarships.lt)
Jun 2027	Latvia decisions emailed
Sep 2 – Oct 1, 2027	Estonia window for 2027/28 (expected, verify)

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Your Action Plan

1. This week: Check the HARNO eligible-country list to confirm your citizenship qualifies for Estonia

2. This month: Apply for admission to a 2026/27 Estonian program (Tartu, TalTech, Tallinn University) — you need the confirmation letter before Oct 1

3. By Sep 30: Prepare the 3 annexes and email your Estonian application

4. Oct–Dec: If you missed Estonia, target Latvia/Lithuania — start program selection and admission applications now

5. Jan 2027: Get your Latvian HEI confirmation letter ready for the Feb 1 opening

6. Bookmark harno.ee, viaa.gov.lv and scholarships.lt — all three update annually

Looking for more Nordic and Baltic options? Compare with the Finland Scholarship 2027 guide and the Stipendium Hungaricum Hungary scholarship 2027 guide. For full-year planning, see the Scholarship Calendar 2026-2027.

Share this with someone planning to study in Europe — the Estonia deadline is October 1, 2026.