Estonia may move conscription start dates a week earlier

Estonia may move the start of military service one week earlier from 2028 to make it easier for young people to combine service with their studies, ERR reports. A draft defence minister’s regulation would shift the start dates from the eighth and 34th weeks of the year to the seventh and 33rd.

The change follows a request from the Council of Rectors, which last week urged the defence and regional affairs minister and the Defence Resources Agency to consider earlier call-up dates. The council proposed starting winter service in the final week of January and summer service in the first week of August.

In 2027, call-ups are scheduled for February 22 and August 23. Under the current schedule, those returning from winter service may find the spring semester already under way and course registration closed, while summer service may end just before the new academic year begins.

The draft says the revised dates should help students move between education, military service and work. It also notes that vocational schools have different schedules from universities, and that an August summer call-up could affect agricultural work, a busy period for some farming activities.

Education providers are also expected to help students plan courses before service and resume their studies smoothly afterward. Military service starting in 2028 will last 12 months, a change due to take effect next year.