The most popular bachelor's programs at the University of Tartu are informatics, economics, psychology, preschool pedagogy part-time and medicine all of which had received over 400-500 applications by noon on Thursday.

Most applications per study place were registered in physiotherapy, psychology, economics, preschool pedagogy part-time and English language and literature.

Tuuli Kaldma, head of the university's admissions service, said there were no surprises in the rankings this year. "These have traditionally been popular subjects," she said, adding that several of these programs admit students based on high school state examination results alone.

Kaldma said that preschool pedagogy is popular because many current kindergarten employees need the necessary qualification. She added that the University of Tartu has been admitting 60 psychology students annually for the past decade and that recent focus on mental health problems is making the subject even more popular.

She added that students tend to go for practical programs that can help them secure stable work and income in the future. "What am I going to do with Danish after I graduate if I'm not planning on becoming a teacher or translator," Kaldma said in terms of students' logic.

Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) will be accepting admissions applications until July 4. So far, the most popular programs have been business economics, construction engineering and management, IT systems development part-time and full-time, as well as informatics.

Most applications per study place have been filed for part-time IT systems development, informatics, IT systems development full-time, cybersecurity technologies in English and business economics.

The university's vice-rector for studies Hendrik Voll said that IT has been popular in recent years, which trend continues as almost have of all admissions applications have been for IT-related programs this year. "We can see a slight uptick in interest in natural sciences, in applied chemistry and gene technology, while road construction and geodesy are less popular. This has to do with media coverage of falling levels of funding in the roadbuilding sector. We would also like to see more applications for the Maritime Academy programs, especially ship mechanics," Voll added.

A total of around 3,500 qualified applications have been registered at TalTech, including from Estonians through the SAIS system and from foreign students via the DreamApply portal.

Popular bachelor's subjects also remained largely unchanged from previous years at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), including graphic design, architecture and urban planning, design and innovation, glass, ceramics, jewelry and smithing and arts (graphic art, installation and sculpture, painting).

The competition was fiercest for study places in graphic design, animation, art history and visual culture, heritage conservation and interior architecture.

Helen Jürgens, chief specialist of EKA's studies department, said that the university has received more admissions applications than in previous years, and since more are expected on the last day, it is too soon to tally up the results.

More popular programs at the Estonian University of Life Sciences are rural business and financial management, geodesy, real estate and land management, veterinary medicine (in Estonian) and nature tourism. The same subjects have also seen the most applications per available study place.

Tallinn University's more popular BA programs are psychology, preschool pedagogy, administration and business management, special pedagogy and pedagogy.

Competition was closest for psychology, administration and business management part- and full-time, special pedagogy part-time, preschool pedagogy part-time and and physical culture part-time.

Those looking to study at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater (EMTA) preferred composition and music technology subjects, musical pedagogy, singing and strings programs. The university's jazz music program was also popular.

EMTA Admissions Secretary Margit Võsa said that annual program saw fewer applications this year compared to previous ones. Admissions for performing arts programs and international CPPM and CoPeCo programs take place every other year and are skipped in 2023.

Admissions information and rankings can be seen by visiting the SAIS information portal.

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