Approximately 2,550 high school seniors vying for admission to the University of Tartu were notified that their applications were marked as removed from competition. For many degree programs, scoring at least 70 points—or 75 points for certain majors—guarantees a study place, provided the candidate completes secondary education and meets language requirements.

Some students, fearing their university plans were over, quickly registered for the U.S.-based Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) as an alternative. Unlike the local academic test, the SAT is a paid service costing more than €100.

Getter Musting, chief communications specialist at the University of Tartu, said the first inquiry regarding the error arrived at 11:04 a.m. on Monday. The university notified candidates about the protocol-related problem at 11:48 a.m.

Musting added that the university does not yet have detailed information on why the error occurred and has asked the Ministry of Education, as the administrator of the admissions information system (SAIS), to investigate.

The university has contacted candidates through SAIS to explain the situation, and Musting confirmed that all correct results have now been entered. The Ministry of Education and Research promised to provide more detailed information on the cause of the error on Tuesday.

Ministry of Education apologized to candidates

The Ministry of Education apologized Tuesday after an error in the information system mistakenly notified university candidates that their academic test results were zero.

Marit Teras, product manager and analyst at the ministry's department of education information systems, told they are aware of the incident and are investigating the circumstances alongside the developer.

"We apologize to all affected candidates for the confusion and inconvenience caused," Teras said, adding that further information will be shared at the earliest opportunity once the exact causes are identified.

"No one needs to retake the test, and as of today all test-takers have received their results," she said Tuesday afternoon.

Problems with information systems are not unfamiliar in Estonia's education system. In February, it emerged that the new gymnasium admissions information system, SAIS3, could not be used this year to admit basic school students because the ministry failed to complete the platform in time.

544 young people secured a study place

The University of Tartu announced Wednesday morning that 544 candidates had secured a study place at the university through the academic test, including 371 high school graduates.

A total of 544 candidates secured a study place by achieving at least 70 points on the test, which allows them to choose a suitable program from 30 bachelor's or professional higher education curricula. The required threshold of 75 points for admission to economics and law programs was exceeded by 354 test-takers.

This year, the university will admit nearly 2,700 students to undergraduate studies.

This story was updated to include the Ministry of Education's apology to the candidates

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