Ukrainian citizens who have arrived in Estonia because of the war are welcome to learn Estonian. For this, we primarily offer free Estonian language courses and the registration is already open.

We support the adaptation of Ukrainian war refugees through the national adaptation programme Settle in Estonia. It provides free Estonian language courses for levels A1, A2, and B1 in cooperation with language schools all across Estonia.

Everything about the courses is always available in the environment of the adaptation programme: LINK. You can select a suitable course among the ones being offered based on your legal status and the level, location, and schedule of the course.

As of 24 July 2024, we welcome Ukrainian war refugees to sign up for the following Estonian language courses for levels A1, A2, and B1:

• Beneficiaries of temporary protection can begin their studies in August, September, or October this year. The number of slots in the groups is limited: level A1 – about 1,000, level A2 – about 200, and level B1 – about 400. Registration for a course closes as soon as a group is full. Select a suitable course and sign up in the environment of the adaptation programme: SIGN UP.
• Beneficiaries of international protection can sign up for courses starting in August, September, or October this year; in the autumn, we will add more options for learning Estonian. The courses currently open for registration have a limited number of slots: level A1 – about 100, level A2 – about 160, and level B1 – about 40. In the autumn, we will offer an opportunity to start learning Estonian at A1 level language courses for nearly 1,800 people. Registration for a course closes as soon as a group is full. Select a suitable course and sign up in the environment of the adaptation programme: SIGN UP.

You can take a course online or on location in larger cities. Estonian language courses meant for beginners, or level A1 courses, usually last about four months; courses for advanced learners last a little longer: level A2 – about 6 months, and level B1 – about 8 months. Details about the teacher, location, and time of a course are available in the environment of the adaptation programme.

Information about the national adaptation programme Settle in Estonia can be found on the website of the Integration Foundation: LINK. Updates about the adaptation programme are available in our social media accounts: LINK.

If you have any questions, please contact the advisers of the Integration Foundation: info@settleinestonia.ee.

IMPORTANT

• The adaptation programme Settle in Estonia offers courses for people with different language levels and legal status who have recently arrived in Estonia.
• Newly-arrived immigrants are foreigners who have come to Estonia in the last five years by means of conventional migration or who have been granted temporary or international protection in Estonia. Ukrainian war refugees are categorised as beneficiaries of temporary and international protection.

• Currently, newly arrived immigrants who have arrived in the course of conventional migration can register for courses starting in August, September, and October. There are about 200 slots available in level A2 courses and about 100 in level B1 courses. Registration for a course closes as soon as the group is full. Select a suitable course and sign up in the environment of the adaptation programme: LINK.

For the purpose of learning and practising Estonian, the Integration Foundation will organise six language camps this summer and five in 2025, where people of different language levels will be offered diverse opportunities to practise Estonian.

In 2024, the camps will take place in Saaremaa, in the village of Mändjala, at the Saare Hotel, at the following times:

• First and second camp, 14–20 July, language levels B1–B2
• Third and fourth camp, 17–23 August, language levels A1–A2
• Fifth and sixth camp, 2–8 September, language levels A1–A2

One camp session will accommodate twenty people. The camps are open to people who have successfully completed their studies and have expressed a strong desire to continue their studies at the next language level. Registration is open via ID card, Mobile-ID, or Smart-ID to adults from the age of 18 who have an Estonian personal identification code. Participation is free of charge.

Transport has been arranged for the participants from Harju County and Ida-Viru County to the camp and back, as well as to excursions and other trips during the camp. Buses depart from Tallinn. Participants from Narva, other parts of Ida-Viru County, and Harju County can come to Tallinn by train or bus. Tickets will be emailed to participants.

Before the camps take place, a video meeting is organised to introduce the participants to the camp programme, rules of procedure, team, transport, catering, etc.

The content of the camps is inspired by the nationwide theme year ‘Estonia’s cultural diversity’ and introduces the history of Estonian folk culture and different areas of folklore. The camps will be based on language immersion methodology and active learning methods, and will be structured around communicative language learning, interaction situations, and engaging language practice activities. The main learning objectives of the camps are: a) developing language skills, b) building confidence to communicate in Estonian, c) learning new words and expressions, d) developing writing skills, e) developing listening skills, and d) learning about Estonian history, geography, and culture.

The camps are run by Kiri-Mari Kirjastus OÜ.

The camps will be carried out in the framework of project no. 2021-2027.4.07.23-0006 ‘Activities supporting Estonian language learning and civic education’, sub-activity No. 3.4.4.5 ‘Launching cooperation and language camps for adults and other activities supporting language learning and the use of Estonian’, financed by a grant of the European Social Fund Plus.

TikToker Uwanma Odefa arrived in Tallinn at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic back in September 2021. She learned quickly that greeting random people on the streets was not a thing for Estonians but they love communicating once they are behind the screen.

Who are you and how did you get to Estonia?

I am from Nigeria. I am a bit of a traveller. I go on trips every year, sometimes twice a year. Sometimes I go to Europe when it is cold in the winter. Nigeria is too hot for me. Traveling is the best form of education.

I always knew that at some point I would love to live and work in another country, preferably in Europe. Then covid happened and it seemed as if the world was about to end. I was thinking that I had this dream and I had not done anything about it and that is when I started seriously looking.

I knew it would be Europe. I did not want a country that is loud and very popular or too involved in global politics and all that drama. I wanted a country that held certain values. A small country. (There are at least 222 million people living in Nigeria.) A country that speaks some English.

A friend of mine was about to move to Estonia. Cool. All this digital stuff. Not too populated. I had never been to Estonia, although I had been to Europe. I had never heard of Estonia. I had heard of Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia… but never of Estonia.

I did some research and decided that I will go for it. I started looking for a job. I also wanted to go back to school and do a master’s programme. I wanted to go to Estonian Business School. I did not go there. I went to Mainor instead. A lot of teachers are experts in their field. They are teaching from a real-life perspective. I applied, got an offer, and packed my suitcases. I arrived here 2021 in September.

Why did you choose to learn Estonian?

I wanted to learn Estonian to be able to speak to local people and make friends. We had Estonian language classes in university; it was compulsory. We had the most amazing teacher and she was very patient and it made the class engaging for me and then I had an interest in learning.

I started to learn Estonian in 2022 at school. I did not know about the Settle in Estonia language programme.

I did TikTok live streams and videos. I learned that Estonians are friendly when they are behind the screen. People started to greet me in the shop and on the street.

Then my A1 level classes ended. I tried to find A2 classes in the summer of 2023. I followed the SIE Facebook page. I did not find classes that were suitable for me at the time. My DRP visa had expired. I was looking for a job. And then I wrote to Settle in Estonia and they said ’Send us the A1 certificate!’ They said I cannot learn while I do not have DRP. Then I paid for private lessons; it was quite pricey. In November 2023, I got a job. In February, I got the card and I went back to Settle in Estonia.

I would have preferred learning in person but now I am doing my A2 online. The first teacher set the bar very high.

What do you like about Estonia?

Public services are very easy, accessible, and quick.

We had a lecturer at the university who asked ‘What are you doing here? It is cold, it is dark. ‘I'm like yeah, but life is not just about weather; there is more. For people like us, we have seen sunshine for 30+ years of our lives from January to December. It gets boring.

But sometimes, it is just this crazy wet weather and no sunshine for months here. Just bring your own sunshine or whatever you like!

I remember the dean telling the students, ‘We do not get close to strangers. It is not about you or about you being foreigners. We just like to keep our distance from people, and we do not warm up to people until we review that connection.’ I feel that it makes communication more authentic because if Estonians consider you a friend, it means that you are a true friend.

How has the adaptation process been for you in Estonia? Have the locals welcomed you well?

I have had a few racist comments in Estonia but I do not want to dwell on things like that. I think the very first time and the only time someone has actually called me the N-word to my face was here… Oh my gosh, it was children! This made me sad because they did not realise the impact or significance of what they were saying.

On TikTok, people were telling me to be careful with 12-year-old boys. I was walking towards the indoor car park and they were sort of quiet there. Then, they passed me by and one of them said hello and followed it with a racist insult. I mean you hear it in music, you see it on TV, people called me that on TikTok, but they are typing it so it does not matter. That is different, like anonymous. But now, kids say it to my face… I turned around to them and said, ‘What did you say?’. One of them said, ‘It was not me; it was him’. Then they backed away and I did not feel threatened. These kids need someone to tell them that it is not nice.

Anyway, some people say, ‘Africans are coming to take our jobs. They are coming to live off of our benefits.’ This is interesting because I do not know any dark-skinned person, even an Indian or Pakistani, who lives on benefits. When I was unemployed, I did not take benefits. We are just raised to work, and we do not want to depend on anyone. People also fear that if you get benefits from the state, it will affect your ability to stay here. It might not be accurate, but it just makes us believe that when you apply for permanent residency, maybe they are going to check it. I think it is also quite difficult to get the benefits in Estonia if you have not lived here for years because, for example, if you want to get this unemployment benefit, you must have a history or track record that you have worked continuously for at least the past twelve months. It is not so easy at all – today, I come here and tomorrow I will become dependent on benefits. I think this is also something that some politicians are using to get cheap political points from people who do not know better.

Do you have any suggestions for newcomers?

I have this Estonian friend and she said, ‘Kids are the best way to learn a language. Come hang out with my kids’. They do not speak English and so we had play dates with four-year-olds and six-year-olds, which was very fun. They taught me Estonian. That is very wise because children do not speak a complicated language. I think they speak at the A1 level. They are also very patient and explain something twenty times if needed.

Come with an open mind to Estonia. Make up your mind that you are going to make it work. Focus on the positive. Spread the positive.

The Settle in Estonia Programme is a free educational programme provided by the Estonian state which is intended to help the foreigners who have arrived in Estonia to adapt and become accustomed to local life more easily. We offer courses for people who have come to live or study in Estonia and have lived here for less than 5 years. For example, war refugees to whom Estonia offers international or temporary protection, as well as people who have come to Estonia to work or do business here or relocate with their family member. The adaptation program The Settle in Estonia Programme is free for participants. We offer language training and other courses to help you cope with everyday life in Estonia. Read more and register: https://integratsioon.ee/en/kohanemine. The adaptation programme is co-funded by the European Union and the state budget.

Darja Rovba, a board member of a non-governmental organisation and a participant in our Language Friends programme, and her mentor, communication expert Maria Leis, shared with us their impressions of their spring cooperation.

What were the benefits of participating in the programme? What inspired you to get involved?

Darja: In my opinion, the most effective way to learn any language is primarily through oral language practice. This is also what the programme offered me. We all learned grammar, correct word usage, and sentence structure in school. This is undoubtedly important, but I think we should start from elsewhere. When I moved to Scotland and spent five years there, native speakers often commented how correct my use of language was. At first, this seemed surprising, but then I realised that such grammatically perfect forms are not used in everyday life, so in conversation I appeared like a ‘newly arrived girl’. Therefore, in my opinion, it is more effective to start language learning with simple spoken language and once these basic skills have been acquired, begin with grammar. The most important thing is to overcome the shyness and fear of speaking. It does not matter how many mistakes you make. The more you listen and use the language, the faster your sense of language will develop and you will begin to intuitively choose the right words and constructions. For me, the most valuable form of learning the language was engaging in lively conversations with native Estonian speakers. I feel more confident using Estonian now, relying less on English for word choice and self-expression.

Language Friend: Darja Rovba 

Maria: I am an Estonian patriot and there is nothing more beautiful to me than dedicating some of my time to help even just one person in Estonia speak our national language even better. There were several important things that inspired me to get involved in the programme. First and foremost, language is intertwined with both the identity of my country and my own personal identity. It is an integral part of who I am, something I hold in high regard and deeply respect. I also believe that language is a part of who I am and how I express myself. So, I try to write and speak correctly, avoid foreign expressions, and use correct Estonian in my work. Second, it is important for me that other people around me speak good Estonian. It does not matter what nationality they are. Third, it was important for me to be able to contribute to the preservation of the Estonian language in general through this programme. According to the 2022 census, 84% of the Estonian population speaks Estonian: 67% as a first language and 17% as a foreign language. I very much hope that my contribution has increased the number of Estonian speakers.

Mentor: Maria Leis

What did you like most and what proved to be the main challenge?

Darja: I liked the format and flexibility of the programme. Maria and I could select a convenient time, adjust if needed, and either meet online or at a café (although we have not utilised the latter yet, it remains an option!). I have been very fortunate with my mentor because each conversation turned out to be unique and interesting. We discussed various philosophical and existential topics that were important to us at the time and made us reflect. Alternatively, we simply exchanged impressions from the past week. Maria is great to talk to. Actually, I cannot think of any challenges. I did not feel any pressure during our conversations; on the contrary, I felt curious, grateful, and inspired.

Maria: One positive aspect was that already in the first conversation, I realised that she is my kind of person, so to speak. Darja and I share many interests, she has a good sense of humour, a wide vocabulary, and uses very interesting sentence structures to express herself. I can talk to her about anything. She has also broadened my worldview in several ways – we have talked about international relations, life for non-native speakers in Estonia, and so on. I was really lucky to meet such a pleasant and nice language learner in the programme. I think we have not had any difficult situations. It was only during the first conversation when we both were searching for topics to discuss and trying to get to know each other.

How often and how did you have conversations?

Darja: We mostly had conversations once a week. There were exceptions where a lesson was cancelled, but we made up for it when possible. I am very grateful to Maria for her openness, flexibility, time, readiness, and desire to continue our conversations even after the official deadline. I can confidently say that these conversations have already become part of my weekly schedule.

Why should other language learners participate in the programme?

Darja: It is worth participating in the programme because it is a good experience and an opportunity to improve your skills and find new values. Looking deeper, this programme is not just about practising the Estonian language but also about cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and pushing boundaries (if they exist), both internally and externally. We largely live in a world of conventions (there are no state borders in nature, a fox does not need an ID-card to cross the Latvian border, and rain falls equally on an engineer, a businessman, and a pie seller), and I am glad that programmes like the Language Friends programme help us break out of these conventions and bring our society closer together.

Why is it worthwhile for other Estonian speakers to participate as mentors?

Maria: I believe there are several reasons to participate in the programme as a mentor. First, if things go well, you might meet a very nice person and if things go even better, you might make a new friend, which otherwise can be quite difficult to achieve for someone in their 40s. :) Second, this programme allows you to enrich society with a very small contribution on your part – just one hour of your free time per week. Third, for me, there is the aspect of the Estonian language. Through this programme, I can promote the use of Estonian even more by encouraging my language partner to speak it. Last, and most important, I can genuinely help someone. The results of my efforts are audible and visible—my language partner has become much more confident in speaking Estonian and has significantly enriched their vocabulary from one meeting to the next. This is very important and gives me a very good feeling. I am sure there are many socially sensitive people among us for whom such an initiative, giving back to society, would bring joy to their hearts.

Will you continue your conversations with each other and if so, how, and do you plan to participate in the programme next season?

Darja: Yes, I definitely want to participate in the programme next season! I also shared the news with my friends and they are interested too.

Maria: I entered the programme with high expectations and lots of curiosity. The season is not over for us yet because we continue our weekly meetings. I will definitely participate in the programme next season as well.

The project receives support within project no. 2021-2027.4.07.23-0006 ‘Activities supporting Estonian language learning and civic education’, sub-activity No. 3.4.4.4 ‘Provision of various cultural and leisure activities to support Estonian language learning and practice’, financed by a grant of the European Social Fund+.