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Student visa for Estonia, for students from Colombia
A visa is normally needed
As a citizen of Colombia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Estonia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Estonia without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €880 a month
- Visa fee
- €120 D visa; €225 temporary residence permit for study
- Work while you study
- No hours limit, provided work does not interfere with full-time study
- Stay after you graduate
- 9 months
Four times the subsistence level set in the State Budget Act. This is the 2026 figure.
Police and Border Guard Board, Student Guide (July 2026), checked 2026-09-24
You can enter on a D visa and apply for the residence permit in Estonia, or apply for the permit directly.
Police and Border Guard Board, Student Guide (July 2026), checked 2026-09-24
You must keep full-time status (about 30 ECTS a semester) and finish within the nominal time.
Study in Estonia (Education and Youth Board), checked 2026-09-24
Stay on to look for work, then apply for a residence permit for employment.
Study in Estonia, checked 2026-09-24
The visa
You need a temporary residence permit for study. There are two routes:
- Apply for a D visa (€120) at an Estonian embassy, travel, and then apply for the residence permit in Estonia, or
- Apply for the residence permit directly at an embassy.
Fees. The Police and Border Guard Board's July 2026 Student Guide gives €120 for the D visa and €225 for the temporary residence permit at a service office.
Processing. D visa: up to 30 calendar days. Residence permit: a decision within 90 days of the application being accepted, and the card within a further 30 days. The permit route can therefore take four months. If you plan to apply in Estonia, the D visa is the faster way in.
The money. You must show €880 a month for 2026. The legal basis is four times the subsistence level, which is set each year in the State Budget Act, so the figure moves every January. The University of Tartu's own guidance, updated 22 September 2026, still mentions €800 a month in one place and €880 in another; the police figure governs.
Health insurance is required for the whole stay. You may choose any suitable provider, but requirements differ between the visa and the residence permit, so check which one your policy covers.
After the permit is granted, register your place of residence within one month.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Estonia that covers Colombia, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: politsei.ee · studyinestonia.ee · politsei.ee · studyinestonia.ee · studyinestonia.ee · oigusaktid.taltech.ee. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Questions students ask
Do students from Colombia need a visa to study in Estonia?
As a citizen of Colombia you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Estonia before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Estonia without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
How much money do I need to show for a Estonia student visa?
€880 a month. Four times the subsistence level set in the State Budget Act. This is the 2026 figure. (source: Police and Border Guard Board, Student Guide (July 2026), checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Estonia?
No hours limit, provided work does not interfere with full-time study.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.
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