"At a time when global competition in higher education is steadily increasing worldwide, Estonia has emerged as an attractive destination for students despite its other competition in neighboring European countries, especially for international students specifically," says International Business Administration student Brenan Mari Geronimo Pineda.
Besides its reputation for being a modern, innovative and tech-focused country, the main factors that really pushed me forward to studying here was Estonia’s high level of safety and its hands-on, practiced oriented approach to education. These two factors are easily what convinced me to study here.
Safety plays a crucial role when students decide to study abroad, especially for those coming outside the region. When I first heard about Estonia thanks to a business consultant who promoted European education, the first factor he mentioned was that Estonia was regarded as one of the safest countries in Europe.
This easily created a sense of ease and security not just for me, the student, but as well for my family and the families of other interested students. International students can focus on their studies without the worry of personal safety, which greatly improves their study experience.
Not to mention Estonia’s overall well organized services and transportation that are not only reliable, but easily accessible and available for everyone, providing further convenience and comfort for students to travel around Tallinn and other parts of Estonia.
Another major reason for me personally was its hands-on, learning by doing approach. I am a student who overall easily learns when I practice a topic or formula by repeating it and explaining the step-by-step process to achieve that result. This was a key point pointed out by the multiple alumni from various universities that came to promote education in Estonia.
They highlighted how universities emphasize practical skills, project-based learning and even cooperation with companies. This approach not only helps the students study easier, but they also get to engage in real-life scenarios, internships and problem-solving tasks that equip them with skills that they not only practice inside the classroom, but skills that will help them later on outside the classroom as well.
From my 2 years of studying here, I do not regret ever picking Estonia and if anything I am grateful that I can have quality education, while being safe and learning effectively thanks to its practical approach to education. If you're still thinking about applying here, then I highly recommend doing so. Its various universities and diverse cultures guarantee that you will be able to enjoy quality education and feel welcome from your very first step in Estonia.
The original article was published in Postimees.