Nigerians have discovered Estonian universities

Photo: Jaanus Lensment

These days, admissions desks at Estonians universities are on overload answering questions from Africa. Though just a tiny percentage ends up studying here, and those that do will have passed a gruesome gauntlet of red tape, the numbers of Nigerian students have performed a tenfold leap in just a few years.

In 2009, Estonia had one lone Nigerian citizen studying in our midst. By today, Estonian Education Information System (EHIS) says Nigeria has evolved into a major sender of students. Almost overnight, there are close to a hundred Nigerians studying in Estonia. In this year alone, 48 Nigerians enrolled for formal education in Estonian Universities (formal education meaning those who are here for a degree, not as short-time exchange students – T. K.).  Last year, China sent 29, Germany 21 and Ukraine 45.

The aspirants are overwhelmingly more numerous of course. Tallinn University of Technology (TTÜ) experience says serious applications are ten to one regarding admissions. Indeed, lion’s share of Nigerians do end up at TTÜ, the Estonian university most blessed by foreign students going after formal higher education.

EHIS says TTÜ had 1,067 foreigners last year at formal education, 478 of whom had enrolled that very year. To compare: in University of Tartu, these figures are mere 580 and 204, respectively.

«We’ve detected serious interest towards engineering sciences from the East and from the South. This past year, it is especially Africa that stands out as a sender, and in our case it is indeed Nigeria that is most represented,» admitted TTÜ international relations head Mariann Lugus.

She went on to say that of the thousand students, half hail from third countries and the rest are Finns who come to get international experience or fail to squeeze into the schools at home. 

«We would like for Germans, Frenchmen, Americans to come, but in reality the developed Western nations aren’t looking at Estonia like that yet, and majority of students come from third countries engulfed in enormous fight for survival,» explained Ms Lugus.

Last year, TTÜ had 37 enroll though no Estonian university is advertising itself in Africa. «We go by the principle that we will not be helping along in a market so actively opening up,» noted Ms Lugus.

Tallinn University (TLÜ) Prorector Priit Reiska also confirmed increased interest in third countries towards studying in Estonia. In addition to Nigeria, he also pointed out Bangladesh, Pakistani, Ghana and Ukraine, where interest in Estonia has been on the rise.

Last year, close to a hundred Nigerians filed applications to TLÜ, of whom 14 were admitted. Meanwhile, Cameroon had about 70 applicants with 18 admitted.

In Nigeria, Estonian universities have come into fame thanks to one man largely – materials science doctoral student God’swill Chimezie Nkwusi who enrolled at TTÜ in 2011.

«When I came I only knew one Nigerian. In 2012, I already helped seven Nigerians to come here; on the second year I helped 25 and last year the number was over 40,» related Mr Nkwusi.

A ministering angel

«There’d be over a thousand willing to come, but the Estonian universities aren’t prepared yet,» he said. Mr Nkwusi is assisting admissions at TTÜ and TLÜ alike and is advising Nigerians – beginning with what conditions must be met and how to apply for visa and residence permit, and ending with explanation on the cheapest airline tickets to buy.

Mr Nkwusi says studying abroad is popular among Nigerians as he schools in homeland just can’t take them all. In the nation of 170 million inhabitants, 1.6 million yearly desire to enter universities, while there’s only places enough for half of that. Also, the youth with experience abroad are more appreciated on labour market. And thus they head abroad, which is a bit easier thanks to English being their second official language. The dream is USA, naturally.

«Few come to Europe, because Europe is more closed, as if. Also, Africans have caused problems – unavoidably, there are the bad examples among the students which have caused caution, and this is a hindrance for the new ones to come study,» related Mr Nkwusi.

In Europe, the top popular countries of destination are Great Britain and Sweden. Up to now, Estonia has not been known but Mr Nkwusi says a Nigerian community is beginning to form. Having his Master’s from University of Lagos, Mr Nkwusi did also acquire a grant for the UK, but studies over there would have ended up too expensive.

So he had to seek for cheaper options. While searching about the universities in Sweden, he happened upon Estonia – a land he naturally didn’t even know existed. What attracted him was our interesting Master’s programme and the grant.

Had he only known what a pain coming to Estonia would prove to be! Getting admitted into the university was the easy part. Travelling around Nigeria, Mr Nkwusi visited over 20 consulates to get a visa.

«It is very complicated to come from Nigeria to study in Estonia – one must travel to Egypt to get the papers; often, people even venture to India or China to get the papers,» admitted Mariann Lugus.

Namely, a small nation like Estonia cannot afford diplomatic representations in every country. There are indeed the agreements with other states for consular services, but these mostly work when it comes to tourist visas.

«A student coming in for formal education needs a residence permit, but a partnering consulate may not receive applications for residence permits; also, a partnering consulate cannot award long-term visas. They will have to travel to the nearest Estonian consulate which in Africa is in Cairo, Egypt,» said Ms Lugus.

«Likewise, there’s trouble for potential students from Vietnam, Pakistan or Cambodia,» she said. To get to Estonia, these need to first travel to Beijing, Shanghai or New Delhi. «In the countries with the greatest potential for students, the chief hindrance is absence of our consular services,» admitted Ms Lugus.

Due to the increased terrorism threat in the world, Nigerians are no longer allowed into Egypt. Therefore, Mr Nkwusi had to apply for residence permit in Turkey.

The getting-to-Estonia headache

First, he had to apply for Turkish visa to get to Istanbul. In the Estonian embassy there, he submitted the application for residence permit and had to travel back to Nigeria. By Police Board, the residence permit is processed up to two months; after that, another trip to the Estonian embassy to get the paper. Which, in turn, means getting another Turkish visa.

«This was a great shock for me, that it was so hard to get here – I was thinking: is there something wrong in Estonia, as why do I need so much stress to get into a country I had never heard of before?»

«Sometimes, it is indeed easier and cheaper, time-wise, to fly to some totally absurd spot – to India, for instance – to get the documents to come study in Estonia,» Ms Lugus agreed.

Meanwhile, she assumed, had Nigeria an Estonian embassy the avalanche of applications would probably several times greater. «As soon as we opened consular service in New Delhi, the numbers of students from India skyrocketed,» she said.

As admitted by Mr Reiska, due to the bureaucracy many of those admitted will never reach Estonia. For instance, of the 14 Nigerians admitted last year only seven came to study. Concerning Cameroon, the figures were 18 and six. «It is sad of course for the university as we have worked a lot with a candidate to ensure he can come study, and then they never show up,» said Mr Reiska.

Mr Nkwusi is glad he did not give up. At TTÜ, he has gotten his second Master’s and is now studying for the Doctor’s to be a teacher himself – whether in Estonia, Nigeria or some other place in the world. 

«In Nigeria, the teachers are more patient and will explain a thing to you that you have never seen with your eyes. In Estonia, to the contrary, there are very many options to develop practical skills,» commented Mr Nkwusi, who hopes to complete his Doctor’s degree in two years.

Doctoral study for free

«As many want to study the soft specialties, we must seek for young people from the outside for technology. We hope a part of them will remain on the Estonian labour market,» said Ms Lugus. According to her, in many technology specialities grants are paid to enhance the interest.

With life in Estonia, the Nigerian is satisfied. «The Estonians are complaining that it is so terribly cold, but no-one can imagine how hot it is in Africa,» he smiled. The life costs more, but is stable. In Nigeria, one never knows what price they will ask for services which we take for granted – such as telephone, Internet, or electricity.

«Estonians are very negative and pessimistic – they complain a lot. I’m thinking, you have so much to be thankful for,» said Mr Nkwusi, adding that we should not be afraid of and repel diligent people from third countries. «Putting up walls is not good in a time when the whole world is opening up.»

Major sender states (admissions into Estonian universities)

(star marks third countries)

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Finland	124	177	265	356	349	431
Russia*	30	32	45	55	60	72
India*	4	7	9	4	22	57
Georgia*	9	16	26	22	35	56
Nigeria*		2	5	6	25	48
Ukraine*	8	8	16	16	34	45
Turkey*	11	14	23	28	48	41
Latvia	21	35	37	26	28	30
China*	22	28	30	22	24	29
Germany	7	10	9	16	12	21
USA	7	12	15	13	20	19
Bangladesh*					4	17
Belarus*	2	5	2	11	4	14
Iran*	1	3	10	6	8	12
Spain	2	3	6	6	7	12
Lithuania	5	5	8	11	9	11
Pakistan*	2	6	5	7	4	11
Armenia*					2	10
Colombia*					2	10
Other	75	84	89	84	123	154
Totalling	340	457	617	698	820	1,100

Source: EHIS, compiled by Foundation Archimedes

Temporary residence permits issued to students

2009 – 392

2010 – 459

2011 – 464

2012 – 516

2013 – 679

2014 – 893

Source: Police and Border Guard Board