1. General provisions

1.1 This procedure establishes the conditions and procedure for applying for, grant and payment of need-based special allowance in Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter TTÜ).

1.2  Students in bachelor’s, integrated, professional higher education and master’s studies (hereinafter students) have the right to apply for need-based special allowance. [entry into force 22.03.2017]

2. Applying for need-based special allowance

2.1 A student has the right to apply for need-based special allowance if:

2.1.1 he/she is an Estonian citizen or is staying in Estonia on the basis of a long-term or temporary residence permit or on the basis of a permanent or temporary right of residence;

2.1.2 he or she studies full-time and has by the starting semester cumulatively completed at least 75 per cent of the study load subject to completion under the study programme in the previous semesters or studies full-time in the first semester;

2.1.3 the student’s application for need-based study allowance has been declined in the relevant semester on the grounds that according to the register of taxable persons of the Tax and Customs Board the average monthly income of the student and his or her family members exceeds the established maximum average income calculated for the receipt of need-based study allowance;

2.1.4 the average monthly income of the three months preceding the submission of an application for need-based study allowance of the student and his or her family members does not exceed the maximum average income calculated for the receipt of need-based study allowance established annually by the state budget, above all, if the given income has decreased in connection with registration of the student or his or her family member as unemployed [entry into force 22.03.2017];

2.1.5 an application for need-based study allowance has been declined in the calendar month of application for special allowance.

2.2 When applying for need-based special allowance, a student shall submit to the Office of Academic Affairs a written application (form Annex 1), to which the following shall be annexed:  (amended by Rector’s directive No 284 of 05 November 2015)

2.2.1 data of the applicant’s family members to the extent specified in subsection 5 (2) of the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act in accordance with the data in the Estonian population register;

2.2.2 data of the income of the last three months of the applicant and his or her family members as a certified printout from the Tax and Customs Board;

2.2.3 other documents required to certify the applicant’s and his or her family members’ monthly income of the three months preceding the submission of an application, excluding bank statements.

2.3 A student has the right to apply for need-based allowance for up to five study months twice during an academic year – from September to January and from February to June. Allowance shall be paid from the month of applying for the allowance.

2.4 Clauses from 2.2.2 to 2.2.3 and clause 3.3 do not apply to Ukrainian citizens studying at Tallinn University of Technology in degree studies at I and II level or commencing studies at Tallinn University of Technology in degree studies at I and II level in the 2022/2023 academic year. [entry into force 23.03.2022]

3. Grant of need-based special allowance

3.1 In order to grant a need-based special allowance, the average monthly income per family member of the three months preceding the submission of an application by the student shall be calculated in accordance with the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act.

3.2 In order to grant need-based study allowances, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs shall establish a committee consisting of up to 5 members, including a representative of the Student Body.

3.3 The committee specified in clause 3.2 shall make a proposal to the deans for granting an allowance to students who have submitted an application for need-based special allowance and comply with the requirements specified in clause 2.1.[entry into force 22.03.2017]

3.4 The dean shall approve the recipients of need-based special allowance on the proposal of the committee specified in clause 3.3 not later than five working days before the date of payment of the allowance. An order shall be prepared in the study information system ÕIS. [entry into force 22.03.2017]

3.5 A need-based special allowance shall be granted for up to five study months from the month of submission of the application.

3.6 The applications submitted shall be processed in the order they were submitted and allowances shall be granted by taking into account the volume of the need-based special allowance fund allocated to TTÜ by the Ministry of Education and Research.

4. Payment, termination of payment and reclamation of need-based special allowance

4.1 A need-based special allowance shall be transferred, on the basis of the order for granting the allowance, to the bank account indicated by the student in his or her application for allowance.

4.2 If a student goes on an academic leave after he or she has been granted a need-based special allowance, payment of the allowance to the student shall be terminated. [entry into force 22.03.2017]

4.3 If it is established that a student did not meet the requirements for the grant of allowance established in this procedure upon application for the corresponding need-based special allowance and that he or she was aware or ought to have been aware of not meeting the requirements, payment of the allowance to the student shall be terminated immediately and the student shall lose the right to be granted an allowance during the academic year in which payment of the allowance to him or her is terminated and during the following academic year.

4.4 If a need-based special allowance is granted to a student by mistake due to reasons attributable to TTÜ, TTÜ has the right to terminate payment of the allowance to the student when the mistake is discovered.