Information 2026 and onward
The National Contest for University Students is open to students who are enrolled in, or have graduated from, study programmes registered in the Estonian Education Information System during the year of the contest or the preceding calendar year, including international students of foreign nationality.
The contest is also open to students studying or having studied abroad, provided that they are Estonian citizens, holders of a long-term residence permit in Estonia, or persons with permanent residence rights in Estonia.
General requirements
- The research paper has been completed by the year of the contest or the preceding calendar year.
- The submitted work must be a research-based final thesis completed as part of a higher education programme and must have been successfully defended.
- Only complete research paper (thesis) may be submitted to the contest; individual research articles are not eligible.
- Research paper completed within an Estonian-language study programme must be submitted in Estonian. Research work completed within a foreign-language study programme or at a higher education institution abroad may be submitted in English or, by prior agreement, in another widely used foreign language. All research papers in other language than Estonian must have an Estonian summary (minimum 3 page).
- Research paper co-authored by multiple students may be submitted. The application form must specify the contribution of each student author to the paper. The supervisor may not be a co-author of the research paper.
- The research paper must comply with the academic requirements and formatting standards applicable at the respective university.
- The same research paper may be submitted to the National Contest for Student Research Papers only once.
Submitting the research paper
To participate in the contest, applicants must complete the electronic application form available at konkursid.etag.ee. The application deadline is 15 September 2026 at 23:59 (EEST).
Research paper and all required supporting documents must be submitted exclusively by the student through the electronic application form.
If a research paper includes extensive supplementary materials that cannot be uploaded through the application form (such as videos or similar files), these should be made available via YouTube or another suitable platform. In such cases, the application form must include a link to the location of the supplementary files.
Documents required for application
- The research paper in PDF or document format, compliant with the contest requirements.
- The author’s (or authors’) academic CV, including information on academic studies and activities to date, previous awards and distinctions, and a list of publications.
- A copy of the graduation diploma issued by the university (diploma supplement not required). If the diploma has not yet been issued, an official academic record signed by the issuing institution may be submitted instead.
- For research papers submitted in a foreign language, an Estonian-language summary (minimum 3 pages). The summary can be in free format and it has to give an overview about the whole research including materials and methods used, describing the value of the research paper to science and give the evaluator an idea of the author’s skills and competence. The Estonian-language summary must be submitted as a separate file even if it is already included in the main document.
- A written assessment (letter of recommendation) of up to one page, prepared and signed by the supervisor. The assessment should outline the significance of the research paper and evaluate the author’s contribution, including subject-matter competence, commitment, and thoroughness. In the case of multiple supervisors, the assessment must be signed by the principal supervisor. By agreement with the contest organisers, it may alternatively be prepared by the head of the relevant academic unit. Assessments may be submitted in English if the supervisor’s native language is not Estonian. Both a digital signature and a colour scan of a handwritten signature in PDF format are accepted.
Please note that the webpage konkursid.etag.ee for applications is provided in Estonian only.
