Overview
Estonia's 2026 national university-student research contest accepts defended theses from bachelor, master's and doctoral levels, with a total prize pool above €200,000.
Complete competition details
The Estonian Research Council opened submissions for the 2026 National Contest for University Students through 15 September 2026 inclusive. The contest covers all research fields and three higher-education categories: applied higher education/bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies. The national prize fund is €112,900, and partner special prizes add more than €93,000, taking the total above €200,000. Eligible research papers must have been completed in 2025 or 2026 and must be complete, defended higher-education theses.
Eligibility requirements
Students from all fields and levels of higher education may participate with qualifying research completed in 2025 or 2026. The work must be a completed and defended higher-education thesis. Research papers must be submitted in Estonian; work written in another language must include an Estonian-language summary. Applicants should follow the detailed contest rules on ETAG's official site.
Tips for this competition
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Study the scoring criteria and previous winners before deciding what evidence, prototype, essay, research or portfolio will best support the entry.
- Confirm country, age, team, education and organization restrictions and whether one person may enter multiple submissions.
- Follow the required file format, word/time limits and naming rules exactly; technical non-compliance can disqualify a strong entry.
- Keep proof of submission and submit before the deadline rather than relying on the final hour.
Verification notes
Verified on 27 August 2026 against ETAG's official 14 August 2026 announcement. Submissions are accepted through 15 September 2026 inclusive via konkursid.etag.ee. The official source states a €112,900 national prize fund plus more than €93,000 in partner prizes. No closing time is stated, so the machine deadline is intentionally null.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
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