Gathering forms at Estonian War of Independence Monument in Tallinn as Finnish students prepare for Sügisläbu event

A gathering of around 30 people has formed in front of the Estonian War of Independence Monument in Tallinn. Among them is Milla-Maria Kujala, the former president of the Finnish Student Organization in Tallinn (TSOJ). “People start dropping out of the game. Every time you fall, you take a shot,” she explains the rules. “It’s those who have ordered shots that drink. No one is obligated to drink,” she clarifies. The traditional autumn event for Finnish students, Sügisläbu, is about to kick off, preceded by the distribution of overalls badges. Kujala noted a positive surprise in attendance, as in previous years, only 10 to 15 tickets were sold. “In Tartu, the situation is quite different, with about 200 participants, 60 of whom came specifically from Finland.”

Despite the popularity of student events, it’s not evident that the number of Finnish students in Estonia is declining. Finns still represent the largest group of foreign students in Estonia, with 749 studying in the last academic year out of a total of 4,340 foreign students. This year’s statistics are not yet available. Traditionally, Finnish students favor the University of Tartu’s medical faculty and the veterinary faculty at the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

Last year saw a drop in Finnish students starting higher education in Estonia to 150, a third of the peak year 2014. Kristi Raudmäe from Estonia’s Ministry of Education attributes this decline partly to Finnish higher education policies and inflation affecting living costs. “Finland is no longer as affordable as it used to be,” says Kasper Lantto, a student at TalTech in Tallinn. Despite the decrease, Estonia remains an attractive option for Finnish students due to lower rent than Helsinki and safe living conditions.