The recent developments are worrying. The University of Tartu has taken a long leap forward, in relation to insufficient public funding, towards reintroducing tuition fees. In the newspaper of media students Neljas Dimensioon the topic is explained; a commentary is given also by Eleri Pilliroog, Eesti Üliõpilaskondade Liit (EÜL) .

An extract from the article:

• Raul Eamets (dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences): "According to the info received from the politicians, the state is not increasing the funding and the whole master's education in the social sciences will be based on tuition fees in the coming 3-5 years." rääkis Eamets koosolekul.
• Eesti Üliõpilaskondade Liit share the fear for such a development and consequently oppose the university's decision.

Ometi on The parliament parties Isamaa, EKRE ja SD have assured their support earlier to the commitment to:

• Public funding of higher education of 1.5% of GDP
• Free Estonian speaking higher education

Keskerakond has not committed itself to 1.5% promise, though they have claimed:

• Tuition fees are not a solution. Üleminek tasulisele kõrgharidusele ei saa olla Eesti puhul edukaks lahenduseks, kuna meie väikese riigi ja tagasihoidliku rahvaarvu puhul on hädavajalik kõigi olemasolevate inimeste võimete väljaarendamine. Meie noorte vaimsed võimed on meie üks olulisemaid rahvuslikke rikkusi ning nende välja-arendamata jätmine kahjustaks oluliselt meie majandusliku ja sotsiaalse arengu võimalusi. Samas peame võimalikuks teatud õppemaksu sisseviimist, milles näeme eelkõige distsiplineerivat mõju.

The only party questioned the free higher education, though not decisively talked against either, is Reformierakond:

• It does not mean the free education perishes but the universities gain an option to offer both - free and tuition based education
  Eesmärk on parandada õppe kvaliteeti ja tõsta õppija omavastust. See ei tähenda, et tasuta kõrgharidus ära kaoks, vaid tekib kõrgkoolidele võimalus ja õigus pakkuda mõlemat õpet.

The stakes of all of the parties in the Parliament one can find on riigikogu.ee . Additionally, be referred to the EKRE's newspaper uueduudised.eewhich writes:

• The rector of Maaülikool Mait Klaassen, Mart Kalm, the rector of Kunstiülikool, and Jaak Aaviksoo, a former rector of Tehnikaülikool have expressed desire to end the free higher education. However, the current rector of Tehnikaülikool, Tiit Land, has been supportive of the free education.