Estonian general education is divided into basic education (põhiharidus) (Grades 1-9) and general secondary education (üldkeskharidus) (Grades 10-12).

A child becomes of compulsory school age when he or she reaches the age of seven by 1 October of the current school year. A person ceases to be of compulsory school age when he or she reaches the age of 17 or when he or she has completed basic education.

Schools are obliged to guarantee equal opportunities in education to all children subject to compulsory education resident in the service area of the school. Schools may admit children from outside the school’s service area if there are vacancies. Education in public general schools is free of charge.

Compulsory school attendance may also be fulfilled at special education institutions or classes for disabled children as well as in the form of home study. Children in need of special education can study at the school of their area of residence or at specially created institutions.

The basic education institutions of Estonia aim at uniformity – the national curriculum ensures equal opportunities for all children to transfer smoothly from one grade to the next and from one school to another, when minimum requirements are met. Based on the national curriculum schools create their own curricula.

After satisfactory completion of the study programme and passing the basic school final examinations and carrying out a creative project, the students obtain the Põhikooli lõputunnistus (Certificate of Basic Education) and can continue studies at a general secondary school (gümnaasium) or a vocational education institution (kutseõppeasutus).

Secondary education is divided into general (üldkeskharidus or gümnaasiumiharidus) and vocational secondary education (kutsekeskharidus). General secondary education is determined by the national curriculum (Põhikooli ja gümnaasiumi riiklik õppekava, Gümnaasiumi riiklik õppekava), vocational secondary education is determined by the vocational education standard (Kutseharidusstandard) and the national vocational curricula for certain professions. There are two main options after completing basic school: a general secondary school (gümnaasium) or a vocational education institution (kutseõppeasutus).

The Law on Basic and Secondary Schools establishes gümnaasium (Grades 10-12) as the main structural unit of secondary education. A secondary school, as an institution, may also include a basic school (Grades 1-9).

The period of study at general secondary school is three years (Grades 10 – 12). Graduation students must take the school examination (koolieksam), three state examinations (riigieksamid) and complete student’s research or practical work. School examination and student’s research paper or practical work are organised by the school. The state examination in the Estonian language (eesti keel) or Estonian as a second language (eesti keel teise keelena), mathematics (matemaatika) and foreign language (võõrkeel) are compulsory for all secondary school leavers.

In mathematics, the state examination can be chosen between the narrow mathematics and broad (extensive) mathematics. In the case of the foreign language examination student has a choice between German, English, French, or Russian language examinations. State examination of foreign language may be replaced by an internationally recognised language test on the conditions established by the Minister of Education and Research.

The programme concludes with a minimum of five final examinations, including three mandatory, centralized state exams (riigieksamid). Upon successful completion, students receive the Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus (Certificate of General Secondary Education) and a Riigieksamitunnistus (State Examination Report). These qualifications grant access to higher education, where admission is typically based on examination results. However, higher education institutions may set additional entrance requirements. After finishing vocational secondary education, a graduate can continue studies also at vocational school by a post-secondary vocational programme.