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Tallinn European School

Estonia, Tallinn

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, French
Fees €4,390 - 6,280
Ages 4 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational
Opened 2013
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum
Taught languages English, French, German, Estonian, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian
Strengths STEM, Languages, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

Tallinn European School provides education for ages 4 to 18 within European School framework. The curriculum follows the European Schools model and leads to the European Baccalaureate, a qualification recognized by universities across the EU and beyond. The school operates two language sections, English and French, with instruction in the respective languages and a structured L1/L2/L3 language program. L2 is compulsory from Primary 1 to Secondary 7 and L3 from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5. Founded in 2013 by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, it is Baltics' only Accredited European School, owned by the European School Foundation. In 2018 the campus moved to Tehnika 18, a renovated 7,200-square-metre site in central Tallinn with four floors, Blocks A-C, a library, a canteen and a gym and around 40 classrooms. Extracurricular options span sports, arts and STEM, including Young Engineers Bricks Challenge and Play & Speak – French vocabulary for students.

The Essentials

Tallinn European School has 500 pupils, instruction in English, French.

Location
Tehnika 18, 10149 Tallinn, Estonia. The school is located in central Tallinn, near the Old Town and the Telliskivi creative district, and is easily accessible by car or public transport.

Stages
Nursery, Primary, Secondary; students aged 4–18.

Type
Accredited European School

Additional learning support
SEN teacher; psychologist; nurse; and other welfare professionals available on site.

Country affiliation
Estonia

School day structure
The school building is open 8:00–18:00. Precare for Nursery is 8:00–9:00; Precare for P1–P2 is 8:00–8:50. Lessons start at 08:15 for P3–S7, 09:00 for Nursery, and 09:05 for P1–P2. Canteen opens 8:00–16:30 with Breakfast 8:00–10:50, Lunch 11:50–14:15, Afternoon snack 14:50–16:00. Aftercare runs 16:00–18:00 for Nursery and 15:40–18:00 (14:50 on Wednesdays) for P1–P4.

Bus service
The school is well connected by Tallinn public transport. The stop Kelmiküla is in front of the building and serves trolleybus lines 1, 4 and 5 and bus lines 22, 40, 41/41B, 43 and 59. Balti Jaam (central station) is nearby. Public transport is free for Tallinn residents with a registered Smartcard.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The school enforces a dress code rather than a formal uniform. The guidelines require skirts, skorts and shorts to extend below fingertip length, shoulders to be covered, hats not to be worn inside, indoor shoes, and outerwear to be stored in the cloakroom; secondary pupils store backpacks in the cloakroom or lockers.

Food Options
The canteen is operated by Baltic Restaurants Estonia AS and serves breakfast and lunch at a self-service counter. Breakfast options include porridges, eggs and omelettes, soft cheese pudding with jam, mini pancakes, and bread with spreads; lunch offers hot main dishes with three hot sides and at least three salads, with a daily vegetarian option; Afterschool Activity Packs are available; the school participates in the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme.

Governance and Ownership
Tallinn European School is owned by Sihtasutus Euroopa Kool (European School Foundation), established in 2018; it is the only Accredited European School in Estonia. The founder is the Republic of Estonia, with the Ministry of Education and Research exercising founder rights. Governance is provided by the foundation's board and a management team, and the school operates under the European Schools framework.
Fees

Annual tuition at Tallinn European School ranges from EUR 4,390 to EUR 6,280 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- One-time application fee: EUR 200.00.
- The application fee is non‑refundable.
- The application fee does not apply to children of employees of European Union institutions and agencies.
- Accepted payment methods for the application fee: bank transfer or credit card (cash is not accepted).

Tuition fees (annual amounts by year group)

- Nursery (per year): EUR 4,610.00.
- Primary (per year): EUR 5,400.00.
- Secondary (per year): EUR 6,600.00.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition is billed on an annual basis but may be paid as monthly instalments; families should confirm payment frequency and any one‑off employer payments at admission. If tuition remains partially unpaid at the end of the school year, the pupil will be removed from the school list.
- Bank transfer details (used for tuition payments / invoicing): SEB, Swedbank, LHV and Luminor account numbers are published for invoice payments (invoice reference and pupil name/number must be included on transfers).

Boarding fees

- Boarding: not applicable. Tallinn European School does not operate boarding facilities and no boarding fees are charged. Day services such as aftercare and canteen are provided instead.

Other costs and recurring fees

- Aftercare / Precare:
- Precare (Nursery and P1–P2): free of charge.
- Aftercare: EUR 75.00 per month or EUR 8.00 per day (Nursery and Primary; aftercare is free for pupils waiting for an extracurricular activity until the scheduled time).
- Canteen / school meals:
- Nursery one‑day meal: EUR 3.05 (incl. VAT).
- Primary & Secondary: breakfast EUR 1.50, lunch EUR 1.54, afternoon snack EUR 1.80 (all incl. VAT). The canteen accepts cash or bank cards for on‑site payments.
- Extracurricular activities: typical fee example listed as EUR 50.00 per month for club activities (varies by activity).
- European Baccalaureate (Bac) examination registration and exam charges: the European Baccalaureate registration fee is invoiced separately from tuition; the European Schools' published schedule lists the registration fee at EUR 108.10 for the 2026/2027 session (additional candidate examination costs and oral exam fees apply and are invoiced separately).
- Field trips, study visits, transport, study materials and special educational support are not included in the published tuition amounts and are billed separately where applicable.
- Small administrative or incidental charges may apply (for example a badge or access card charge has been listed historically); such items are charged separately when required.

Refunds and reductions

- Application fee: non‑refundable.
- Tuition fee reductions: the school may grant reductions in specified circumstances (family‑based reduction for additional siblings; a staff‑member reduction for employees; and exceptional reductions subject to application and approval). The employee reduction provision can be large (e.g., a staff reduction percentage is defined in the school procedures).
- Tuition refunds on mid‑year withdrawal: the director has the authority to decide on reductions of tuition for pupils who leave before the end of the school year; such reductions are discretionary. Outstanding fees must be settled before school reports, certificates or other official documents are issued.

Fee payment options and invoicing

- Primary payment method for tuition and invoiced items: bank transfer to the published account(s); invoices include a reference number and require the pupil name and invoice number in the transfer description.
- Credit card payments are accepted for the application fee; canteen purchases can be paid by cash or bank card on site. Invoiced tuition payments are arranged via bank transfer as per the published bank details.

Notes on amounts and billing frequency

- The listed annual tuition amounts are for the 2026/2027 academic year. Tuition increases between school years are limited by policy (the published maximum increase between two school years is up to 10% unless otherwise stated in contract terms).
- The school publishes annual tuition figures and provides invoicing details; tuition is commonly collected by instalments (monthly instalments are an available billing pattern), while other services (canteen, aftercare, extracurriculars, exam registration) are invoiced separately when applicable. Detailed per‑term invoicing schedules are not published with the annual tuition figures; families should use the annual amounts and the school's instalment option in planning payments.
Academics

Tallinn European School teaches Bespoke Curriculum for students aged 4 to 18.

Curriculum
The school follows the European Schools curriculum leading to the European Baccalaureate. It is the only Accredited European School in Estonia and the Baltics. The school offers two language sections: English (Nursery to Secondary 7) and French (Nursery to Primary 5). Instructions are generally given in the language of the respective section, and language learning follows L1/L2/L3 structure with L2 compulsory from P1 to S7 and L3 compulsory from S1 to S5. The European Baccalaureate is delivered at the school and is recognized by universities across the EU and beyond. For 2024/2025, TES provides lessons in 11 official EU languages.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates pursue higher education across Europe and beyond, as the European Baccalaureate is a recognized entry qualification for higher education in EU countries and beyond. TES also hosts Career Day to present university options in Estonia and abroad.

Gifted and Talented
There are advanced level options in some subjects; students may study some subjects for two periods, four periods or at an advanced level. Optional courses can be opened if a minimum of five students sign up for the course and a qualified teacher is available.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
KiVa antibullying programme is implemented in Primary and Secondary to prevent bullying and foster positive social relationships. A pupil welfare team supports social and emotional wellbeing, including a school nurse, a psychologist, and a SEN teacher. Extracurricular activities and aftercare options until 18:00 provide opportunities to socialize and build relationships.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Educational support and inclusive education are provided, with a dedicated SEN teacher. A Policy on the Provision of Educational Support and Inclusive Education guides this provision (latest version: 3 December 2024).

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school offers two language sections: English (all levels) and French (Nursery and Primary only). If there is no respective mother tongue learning possibility, the pupil's L1 is the language of instruction of their language section (English or French). In Secondary, the English section is the language of instruction. The school provides instruction in 11 European languages overall, including English and French.

Mental Wellbeing
The school nurse works with pupils, teachers and parents to promote good health and wellbeing. A psychologist is available as part of the pupil welfare services to support mental health.

Safeguarding
The school provides a safe, healthy, secure and supportive learning environment. KiVa antibullying programme supports safeguarding by addressing bullying and fostering respectful behavior school-wide.
Parent Experience

History
Tallinn European School was established in 2013 by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research to provide a multilingual international education from Nursery through Secondary levels. It follows the European Schools' curriculum and delivers the European Baccalaureate diploma. It is the only Accredited European School in Estonia and in the Baltics. The owner is the European School Foundation (Sihtasutus Euroopa Kool).

Community
The TES community includes a Parent Council and a Student Council. The school offers extracurricular activities, aftercare until 18:00, pupil welfare services, a canteen and a library, in a fully renovated building in the heart of Tallinn. A KiVa antibullying programme is in place. The TES School song Wings to Fly was composed in 2018 and performed at the 5th Anniversary Concert on 27 April 2018.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Parent Council at Tallinn European School is a non-profit, volunteer-led association of class parent representatives. Its purpose is to facilitate communication and cooperation between parents, teachers, and the school administration to support students' development. Parents are vital partners in TES life, and the council coordinates volunteer efforts and supports school activities. The council organizes events for the TES community, including Welcome Day for New TES families, Summer Reading Ice Cream Challenge, World Teachers' Day, Fall Flea Market, Spring Flea Market, Book Fair, Europe+ Day, and more. The Parent Council board comprises a chair, vice chair, treasurer/secretary, and representatives for secondary, primary, and nursery, along with a CAPEEA delegate.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Tallinn European School moved to Tehnika 18 in August 2018, in a fully renovated building with spacious, high-quality facilities. The school integrates a canteen, a library and a gym, in addition to around 40 classrooms of various sizes. The building covers about 7,200 square metres and is distributed across four floors and multiple blocks, including the historic part, Block A, Block B, and the gym in Block C. The centennial historic building is a protected architectural heritage with neo-Gothic features such as a rose window and pointed-arch windows, and its wooden ceilings have been restored. The school provides education in English and French and is located in the heart of Tallinn with convenient public transport connections.

Sports Facilities
The school has a gym on site. The gym is housed in Block C of the Tehnika 18 building, a four-floor campus that also includes a canteen and a library. The building's facilities support physical education through the on-site gym and the surrounding common areas where students can meet and rest between activities. The campus spans roughly 7,200 square metres across four floors and three blocks, including the historic part and the gym in Block C.

Academic Facilities
The school features around 40 classrooms of varying sizes. It is housed in a renovated building designed to provide a spacious, high-quality learning environment with integrated services to support education. On-site facilities include a canteen and a library to support academic life. The building is a centennial historic structure, protected for its heritage, with restored wooden ceilings and neo-Gothic elements such as a rose window and pointed-arch windows. The school is located in the heart of Tallinn, with access to several parks and convenient public transport nearby.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular activities cover Sports, Music, Dance, Art and more for all age groups. Activities start on 8 September 2025 and are offered in Nursery, Primary and Secondary levels. Examples include Ceramics Hobby Group, Dance and Movement Class, Estonian Language Club, Football after school, Play & Speak – French Vocabulary, Singing & Music Club, Sizzle & Drizzle Cooking Club, and the Young Engineers Bricks Challenge Program, among others. Each activity is run by an instructor or provider with specific times, groups and registration details published for families to join.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
Young Engineers Bricks Challenge Program introduces STEM concepts through hands-on building with Young Engineers bricks for ages 5-8. Robotics & Coding provides an introduction to robotics and computer science using the LEGO Education Robotic and Scratch curriculum, developing problem-solving, critical thinking, modeling and coding skills. Lessons are conducted in a playful and engaging mode with over 30 robotics and coding projects.

Arts & Creative
Art Club with Miss Triin runs weekly sessions for Primary students to learn techniques and express themselves. Ceramics Hobby Group develops creativity and fine motor skills through clay work. Drama Club focuses on improvisation and basic acting, with a potential year-end performance; Dance and Movement Class promotes movement, rhythm, and confidence. Music lessons are offered as individual guitar, piano, and violin sessions.

Cultural & Language
Play & Speak – Boost Your French Vocabulary develops French language skills for Primary–Secondary pupils. The program uses board games, creative crafts, role-play and other interactive games to expand vocabulary and encourage spoken French.

Social & Hobbies
Dance and Movement Class fosters movement, rhythm, and confidence. Taekwondo builds physical strength, perseverance, focus and respect for all ages. Cooking Club for P2-P5 covers nutrition and practical cooking skills.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Taekwondo promotes physical fitness and discipline. Dance and Movement Class develops coordination and confidence. Sizzle & Drizzle Cooking Club teaches cooking and healthy eating habits through hands-on sessions.
Languages

Language Provision
The school teaches 11 official EU languages: English, French, German, Estonian, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Romanian. There are two language sections, English and French; when there is no local mother tongue option, the pupil's L1 becomes the language of instruction in their language section (English or French). The secondary cycle currently consists of the English language section.

Bilingual Teaching
The school has two language sections: English and French. Lessons are offered across 11 official EU languages. If there is no respective mother tongue learning possibility, the pupil's language of instruction is English or French.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Official admission period for the 2026/2027 school year runs from 12 January to 13 March. Current students are not required to reapply.

2. Language requirements: The school provides two language sections—English (all classes) and French (Nursery and Primary only). The mother tongue/dominant language (L1) is compulsory from P1 to S7, and a second language (L2) is compulsory from P1 to S7; L2 becomes the language of instruction for some subjects from Secondary 3. A third language (L3) is compulsory from S1 to S5 (optional in S6–S7). At the start of Secondary 1, students must have A2 level in L2, and the school may conduct language tests to verify levels.

3. Application fee: An application fee of 200 euros is payable on application and is non-refundable. The fee does not apply to children of employees of EU institutions and agencies. Payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card; cash payments are not accepted.

4. Tuition and charges: Tuition for 2026/2027 is Nursery 4,610 euros per year; Primary 5,400 euros per year; Secondary 6,600 euros per year. Fees may be paid in monthly installments; if a yearly payment is needed (e.g., through an employer), confirm at admission. The costs of canteen, extracurricular activities, aftercare, transport, field trips and study materials are not included.

5. Enrolment categories: TES has two categories. Category I covers children of EU institutions and agencies; Category II covers children of foreigners living and working in Estonia if the children cannot study in their mother tongue in a local state or private school. Category II enrolment is subject to availability. Priority is given to the children of EU diplomats in Tallinn; within Category II priority is given to children who have previously studied in one of TES's section languages (English or French).

6. Online application: The application and documents are submitted through the online admission application form of MySchool. First, create an account in the system; thereafter applications can be filled out and submitted. Personal information is processed according to the Principles of Processing of Personal Data. If a study place cannot be provided, all accounts and shared data will be deleted shortly before the beginning of the next admission period.

7. What the process involves: A family interview (via Skype) to understand the pupil's previous education, languages spoken at home, and family routines. A trial day may be arranged if requested to observe the pupil in class. Language tests may be conducted: L1 from Primary 3; L2 from Primary 3; L3 from Secondary 2. A Mathematics test may be required.

8. How class level is decided: The school follows the table of equivalences drawn up under Article 11 of the Convention defining the Statute of the European Schools; age and emotional maturity are also considered.

9. Entry timing: Pupils are admitted at the beginning of the school year in the calendar year in which the child reaches the minimum age of the class requested.

10. Additional notes: If vacancies exist, new applications may be considered outside the standard January–March period for Category II; otherwise Category I applies. The school reserves the right to decide whether to accept applications outside the application period.

Scholarships
The school offers tuition-fee reductions: Family-based Reduction for families with more than one TES pupil; Employee's Reduction for parents or legal representatives who work at TES with a minimum 0.6 workload.
School Events
The school has not added events
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