Student Life Funding

Who should I contact with my concern?

• Chairman of the Funding Committee: Concerns about the funding platform, project submission, requests for changes, and for additional clarifications.
• Assistant: Questions and issues related to writing and submitting reports.
• Executive Director: Questions and issues related to invoices and receiving Student Union funding.
• Audit Committee: Appeals regarding results – the applicant has the right to appeal the board's decision if the committee has violated the current regulations or the Regulations for Student Life Funding. The appeal must be submitted in free form to the Student Union Audit Committee via email within 10 calendar days after the results are announced, clearly stating which points were violated, along with supporting evidence.

What are the main objectives of TalTech Student Union in funding student life?

The five objectives of funding student life are:
1. Promoting student life at TalTech;
2. Increasing student activity and initiative;
3. Supporting students’ development opportunities;
4. Enhancing the visibility of the student body and the university;
5. Ensuring the stable and sustainable development of student organizations.

What is the Funding Committee?

The Funding Committee is an organization created by the Student Union that organizes project and annual grant competitions, evaluates applications, and makes funding decisions.

Who are the members of the Funding Committee?

The Funding Committee consists of 6-8 members, led by the Chairman of the Funding Committee. The committee includes the Chairman of the Funding Committee, two to three members of the Student Council representative body, a board member or their deputy, and three to four people selected by the Chairman of the Funding Committee. The Chair proposes the committee’s composition to the Student Union board.

How can I participate in competitions?

First, you need to determine whether you want to participate in the Board Reserve Fund, Small Projects, or Large Projects competition. You can find the criteria for the Small and Large Projects competitions above. Then, create an account on the rahastus.tipikas.ee platform. You can find information on account creation above. Once your account is created, you can participate in competitions.

I don’t have an organization account, and the deadline is approaching. What can I do?

If your organization is not yet registered in the system, you should notify the Chairman of the Funding Committee as early as possible by sending an email to rahastus@tipikas.ee. In the email, you must specify the name of the organization and its representative (the administrator who will manage the account). You cannot create an organization account yourself.

The application has been submitted on time. What happens next?

Once the competition deadline has passed, the Chairman of the Funding Committee will review the applications within 3-5 calendar days and either accept them, request changes, or reject them. If the application is accepted, you will need to prepare for its defense. If changes are requested, the Chairman will explain what needs to be corrected to meet all requirements. If the application is rejected, it is removed from the competition, and no further actions can be taken.

What is the defense? When does it take place, and is participation mandatory?

The defense is a procedure where you briefly present the content of your application and answer questions from the committee members. The defense usually lasts 7 minutes but may be shorter or longer. Participation is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended, as attending the defense is one of the evaluation criteria, worth at least 10 points out of 100. The defense takes place in the same month as the application submission, usually two to three weeks after the deadline.

Does the defence take place in person, or can it be virtual?

The defense takes place virtually. The exact procedure will be announced about a week before the defense, and the Chairman of the Funding Committee will notify you by email.

What are the evaluation criteria for applications, and where can I find them?

The evaluation criteria can be found above.

Who can participate in the Small projects competition? 

All TalTech students, student organizations, and faculty student councils whose activities are neither political nor religious can participate in the competition. The activities mentioned in the application must be related to TalTech.

How can I apply? 

Applications must be submitted through the rahastus.tipikas.ee platform. To apply, you need to create an account using either your Uni-ID or by writing to the Chairman of the Funding Committee to request an account (if you are not a student but wish to submit a project on behalf of an organization). When the competition is open, you need to click "Submit Application" and then "Submit" once the application is filled out.

What does the phrase "the maximum project budget is €1,000" mean?

This means that the total project budget (including Student Union funding, self-financing, and support requested from partners) cannot exceed €1,000. For example, if €550 is requested from the Student Union, the self-financing amount cannot exceed €450. Non-monetary contributions (such as materials provided for free by partners or volunteer labor) are not counted in the project budget.

Who can participate in the Large Projects Competition?

All TalTech students, student organizations, and faculty student councils whose activities are neither political nor religious can participate in the competition. The activities mentioned in the application must be related to TalTech.

How can I submit an application?  

Applications must be submitted through the rahastus.tipikas.ee platform. To apply, you need to create an account using either your Uni-ID or by writing to the Chairman of the Funding Committee to request an account (if you are not a student but wish to submit a project on behalf of an organization). Once the competition is open, you need to click "Submit Application" and then "Submit" after completing the form.

What does the phrase "the project budget must exceed €1,000" mean? 

This means that the total project budget (including Student Union funding, self-financing, and support requested from partners) must exceed €1,000. You can request as little as €100 or as much as €2,500 from the Student Union, but the total budget must be more than €1,000.

Who can participate in the Annual Grants Competition?

The Annual Grants Competition is intended only for organizations registered in the TalTech student organizations register. This means that individual student councils or students cannot participate in this competition.

What is the student organizations register?

The student organizations register is a record maintained by the Student Union, which includes all TalTech student organizations whose activities are non-political and directly focused on student development. Organizations are added to the register based on an application and after an interview with the Student Union board. For more details, you can contact the student organizations coordinator.

If we have an organization that brings together TalTech students, can we participate in the Annual Grants Competition?

You can only participate if your organization is listed in the student organizations register. If your organization is not registered, participation is not allowed.

When does the Annual Grants Competition take place?

The Annual Grants Competition takes place once a year. The competition will be announced on this page and through the Student Union's media channels no later than October 7th. Applications can be submitted for four weeks after the competition is announced. Typically, the submission deadline is at the end of October or early November. Keep an eye on updates to stay informed about all deadlines.

What can be applied for under the Annual Grants Competition?

Organizations can apply for financial support to cover administrative and development costs, as well as for the acquisition of fixed assets. Additionally, organizations can apply for space in the student house or the basement of Akadeemia tee 5 under the Annual Grants Competition.

What is the budget for the Annual Grants Competition?

The budget is determined by the decision of the Student Union board but is always at least €60,000. In some years, the budget may be larger.

Is there a limit on the amount of funding that can be requested?

There is no strict limit, but it's important to consider that the total competition budget is limited, and at least 25 organizations usually participate. A reasonable budget is typically between €1,000 and €2,000, but it can be smaller or larger. If there are not enough funds to fully meet all requests, partial funding may be granted based on the assessment of the funding committee members.

How does the Annual Grants application process work?

 Applications for Annual Grants must be submitted via the rahastus.tipikas.ee platform. This platform is available to TalTech students with a Uni-ID or to organization representatives who have graduated but are still listed as representatives of their organization. For more information on how to register on the platform, check the general questions section above. To participate, click the "Submit Application" button on the competition page, select the organization on whose behalf you're applying, and answer all the questions in the application form.

I only want to apply for a space. Do I still need to submit an Annual Grant application?

Yes, the application form is the same. You do not need to fill in the budget lines. In the budget section, simply enter "0" in all fields to indicate that you are not requesting any funding.

Are there any mandatory attachments that need to be submitted with the application?

Yes, the required attachments include a list of the members of the organization, detailing the number and percentage of members who are TalTech students, as well as how many are active, passive, alumni, international students, etc. Additionally, you need to submit an activity plan outlining the main activities of the organization. These documents must be submitted in .docx, .xlsx, PDF, or an equivalent format, and the file size cannot exceed 5 MB.

When will the results of the Annual Grants Competition be announced?

The results of the Annual Grants Competition will be announced at the end of December after they are approved by the representative council at its regular meeting.