A total of 114 foreign students have had their visas to Estonia denied, with the University of Tartu having the highest number of rejections – 66 or 57.89 per cent.
According to Estonian media, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) denied most visas to Nigerian students – a total of 28, followed by Pakistani (22) and India (ten) rejected study visas, Schengen.News reports.
Tiina Nirk, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Estonia, said for ERR that there are often uncertainties regarding the true intention of students applying for a study visa to Estonia, implying that they apply only to gain access to the EU.
In 2024, a total of 646 foreign students were granted visas, with Chinese being the top beneficiaries 65), followed by Americans (53) and Azerbaijan (51).
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A total of 43 students out of 65 applicants from Pakistan have been approved visas, while among Nigerians, out of 37 applicants, nine students were granted visas. This means that the rejection rate for Pakistanis was 34 per cent while Nigerians were rejected 75 per cent of visas.
On the other hand, the number of international students at the University of Tartu has dropped in the last three years. As Aune Valk, the university’s vice rector says, in the post-pandemic times, the number of international students has declined, with difficulties in obtaining visas and economic reasons emerging.
The University of Tartu, Estonia’s largest, has a total of 1,700 international students, which represents 11 per cent of the total number of students enrolled.
We have 70 more international students this year than last, but it is still unclear whether they will all arrive, as not everyone receives a positive response to their visa applications.
Pakistani Students Concerned They Might Not Get Refunds
A Pakistani student shared his experience. He, together with three other students from Pakistan, was accepted into the master’s program in Computer Engineering and Robotics at the University of Tartu. His classes are scheduled to begin on Monday, September 2.
However, since there is no Estonian embassy in Pakistan, students were hoping to obtain their visas at the Estonian embassies of Singapore or Turkiye. They were denied entry to both countries and have remained unable to apply for a study visa to Estonia.
The four students spent a total of €6,300 as an initial deposit at the University of Tartu, with each student paying a total of €1,600 individually.
This situation represents a significant financial loss for us and our families. Our families have invested their savings in our education.
The University of Tartu refunds only those students who get their visa denied by the Estonian embassy.
