Estonia promises smoother high-school admissions next year

Estonia’s admissions process for gymnasiums and vocational schools should run more smoothly next year, Education Minister Kristina Kallas told ERR, as schools adopt a shared schedule and use the SAIS admissions information system.

The changes follow widespread attention this year after nearly 1,900 basic school graduates still did not have a school place one week before the new academic year began.

The Education Ministry has prepared a joint admissions timetable for next year. Previously, each school set its own schedule, although schools will continue to establish their own admission requirements.

Students will apply through SAIS by logging in, selecting schools and ranking their preferences. Kallas said the system had completed load testing and that developers were working on the preferences function. Schools can practise in a test environment and enter their admission requirements from January. They will have until the end of March to do so.

Students can submit applications from March 29 to May 18. There is no limit on the number of schools to which they can apply, although Kallas said unlimited choices could make the process confusing because students may apply everywhere. She said the question of whether Estonia should limit the number of applications requires public discussion.

Students must rank their preferences so schools can see how many applicants have placed them first. This will allow schools, for example, to begin interviews with students who have named them as their first choice instead of interviewing everyone.

Basic school final examinations will take place from April 28 to May 11. Kallas said most students would know their exam results by May 12. The results will be entered into the Estonian Education Information System on May 17.

Students will be able to review their applications before admissions decisions are made. If their exam results differ from expectations, they can change their preferences accordingly. Kallas said the ministry had wanted to allow three days for this, but school principals agreed to only one day.

Schools must make offers to students by June 11, two days later than the deadline last spring. The main round of study-place offers will run from June 11 to July 2. Kallas urged students to accept offers quickly so they do not hold places that other applicants could take.

She said strong students had received offers from many schools this year and taken a long time to confirm them, while weaker students had received immediate rejections and many applicants in the middle had been left waiting. Kallas said she wanted to prevent a repeat of that situation and urged schools to hold additional admissions in July.

The new arrangement will require some teachers to return from holiday earlier.