Visiting Researcher's Guide - EURAXESS Estonia

FAMILY
When visiting the homes of your Estonian friends or colleagues, you should know that it is customary to
take your shoes off at the door unless you are told otherwise. From autumn to spring this also has a very
practical justification – to avoid carrying mud into the rooms. Bringing a small present is perceived as
good manners, but what exactly to bring depends on the occasion and your choice, and almost anything
from sweets to flowers is suitable.
7.2 Day care and schooling
Estonia’s well-developed day care system provides opportunities
for families in which both spouses work. There are day care
facilities for children under the age of 3, called crèches. Between
the ages of 3 and 7 children can attend nursery school, where
they already learn some social skills and have lessons like
music or drawing. Although most children go to municipal day
care centres, privately-owned day care centres exist as well.
In municipal day care centres the parents pay for the cost of
meals and a small tuition fee, but the rest is covered by the local
government.
Additionally, babysitters can be found with the help of friends or
through newspaper advertisements.
School is obligatory from the age of 7 until acquiring basic education
or attaining 17 years of age. Municipal schools are prevalent;
some schools belong to the state and a few are privatelyowned.
At municipal and state owned schools there is no tuition
fee, and parents must only buy school supplies.
Possibilities for education in English can be found in the two biggest
cities – Tallinn and Tartu, where the International school
of Estonia, Tallinn International kindergarten and Tartu International
school operate. The International school of Estonia
accepts students up to grade 12 (17–18 years of age). Tartu
International school educates students from age 6 to 14. As all
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