According to Serbak, HTM monitors the situation of finding school places daily. Since continued admissions to schools are still underway, HTM does not yet have a complete overview of young people who have not found a new study place after finishing basic school. Schools must enter admitted students into the Estonian Education Information System, from which HTM can see how many students are still without a school place.

HTM's project manager for compulsory education, Külli Solo, said that many schools do not do this during the admissions process, and there are young people who have received a school place but have not been entered into the information system.

The final number of basic school graduates who will not continue their studies will be known around 10 September. According to HTM data, in previous years about 800 basic school graduates have not continued their studies. The forecast is the same for this year.

Serbak said the ministry is trying to find solutions to the current situation in cooperation with local governments.

The ministry is analysing how to make basic school graduation and finding school places smoother and less stressful next year. "We have also informed the city of Tallinn that we would like to discuss options for increasing the number of preparatory study places ordered at Tallinn Applied College," Serbak said.

Continued admissions underway

Ülle Matsin, head of HTM's department of general and vocational education, told ERR last week that schools are conducting continued admissions every day, which means that eventually all students will find a study place.

"There is definitely a study place available to fulfil compulsory education, and if students currently still need counselling, they can confidently contact the schools where admissions are still ongoing," Matsin said.

"All learners will find opportunities to study. Through cooperation between the state and the city, study places in Tallinn should ultimately be available for all students," she confirmed.

Tallinn deputy mayor Andrei Kante said last week that the reason so many young people still lack clarity about their study options at the end of August is that basic school is being completed by young people without learning skills.

Matsin agreed that basic education holds several keys: a basic school graduate should receive guidance on where to continue studying and be aware that vocational fields offer many learning opportunities.

"We have actually pointed this out earlier in our messaging — that career counselling in basic school is important, and preparing the student at the end of the third school stage to move forward is crucial. In that respect, he is undoubtedly right," the ministry official said.

Tartu also has young people without school places

As of Friday, Tartu had around one hundred young people who have not found a school place, have not looked for one, or have left Estonia altogether, such as Ukrainian war refugees. This number is still constantly changing, said Riho Raave, head of Tartu's education department.

He said continued admissions are underway in some upper secondary schools and vocational institutions in Tartu, such as Tartu Applied College and Tartu Art School. "Applications are ongoing and the process is still underway, so I think by 1 September there will be even fewer who have not found a study place," Raave noted.

In connection with compulsory education, preparatory study will also begin for the first time this academic year. It is intended for young people up to age 18 who need support after basic school to move on to the next level of education.

According to Raave, the problem in Tartu is that all state‑funded preparatory study places at both Tartu Art School and the Applied College are already full.

Raave said schools had the option to admit students to preparatory study on their own. "Students applied, schools accepted them, but now there are no preparatory study places left for the most complex group of students — those who cannot find a school place," he explained. Raave believes more places need to be created.

Preparatory study should be an extreme measure

Solo said that ongoing continued admissions may still bring changes to preparatory study places, but negotiations with local governments are underway regarding the number of study places.

"Preparatory study is an extreme measure, intended specifically for those 800 young people who do not continue studying," Solo said.

In early August, it became clear that HTM wants to begin admissions to preparatory study next year starting from 1 September — that is, after basic and continued admissions. This should ensure that preparatory study is offered only to those young people who do not have a study place by 1 September or who need additional support.

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