Kallas, who was responding to a written inquiry from Riigikogu MP Vadim Belobrovtsev (Center Party), said the government's position on the issue remains unchanged.

The policy of being able to obtain a first university degree in Estonian at one of the country's state universities should continue and remain free of charge.

The ministry also has no plans to introduce tuition fees in the near future fo students pursuing their first bachelor's or master's degree.

At the same time, changes in legislation are being prepared that will allow universities to offer paid master's programs lasting less than two years for those who already have another master's degree. The move will also lead to the introduction of tuition fees for doctoral students from third countries.

The minister noted that the government intends to seek increased funding for higher education in line with the expected rise in student numbers over the coming years.

These additional funds are primarily needed in order to expand educational opportunities in fields where the demand for labor is particularly high, such as education, information technology, engineering and healthcare.

According to Kallas, free higher education is seen as a long-term investment that will bring economic returns in the future. To increase the sustainability of the funding required, a transition to a new funding model is also being discussed, whereby support for universities will depend more on the number of students and graduates and factor in the strategic priorities of the state.

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