This concern has brought students to the streets in both Estonia and Canada. On September 24th, Estonian students gathered in Tallinn and Tartu under the slogan “Läbipõlev Eesti tulevik” (Estonia’s Future Burning Out) to demand better student support. On November 5, Ontario students walked out of classes to protest changes to financial assistance, tuition fees and university funding. Both demonstrations raised the same question: can higher education be accessible if students struggle to afford living costs?
For Ellen, a third-year History student at the University of Tartu, the financial reality of university is closely connected to family support. Her monthly budget, including rent and food, is approximately 500 €, which her parents cover. Although this allows her to concentrate on her studies, she is aware that not every student has the same opportunity. “My biggest worry is placing a financial burden on them,” she explains. She considers studying a full-time commitment in itself and believes that having to work alongside it could mean sacrificing her academic performance or well-being. “If something were to happen and my parents wouldn’t be able to support me anymore, getting a job would most likely mean giving something up.”
Ray, a fourth-year Cell and Systems Biology and Human Biology student at the University of Toronto, faces a different financial situation. His monthly expenses amount to approximately 2,000 CAD, covering rent, groceries, eating out and other personal costs. He finances them through part-time work, personal savings and an algorithmic trading system he developed. For Ray, rising food prices are among the biggest challenges. He recalls occasions when he chose to skip lunch rather than spend additional money. Although this might seem like a minor compromise, he points out that going through a day of classes without eating properly can affect concentration, energy and academic performance.
Their experiences differ, but both illustrate how financial circumstances can influence student life beyond tuition fees. While Ellen depends on her family’s ability to support her, Ray has found ways to finance his expenses independently. Neither situation necessarily reflects the experience of students more broadly, but both reveal the importance of financial security while studying.
“There’s a difference between making university technically affordable and making it financially sustainable for students throughout their degree,” Ray says.
At first glance, Estonia and Canada have quite different approaches to financing higher education. Estonia offers tuition-free study places to eligible students in many programmes, whereas Canadian students generally face tuition fees and may rely on financial assistance such as the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
However, the distinction between tuition costs and the overall cost of studying is important. Rent, food, transport and study materials can create substantial financial pressure even when tuition is free or financial assistance is available.
Ellen believes that Estonia’s higher education system is not equally accessible to students from different financial backgrounds. She points to the way parental income is considered when determining eligibility for student support, arguing that this does not always reflect a student’s actual circumstances. She also notes that some of her acquaintances would not be pursuing higher education if it were not tuition-free.
Ray similarly believes that financial assistance does not necessarily eliminate inequality. Students from financially secure families may be able to focus primarily on their studies, while others have to divide their time between employment and academic responsibilities. In his view, the cost of housing, food and transport in Toronto can be just as significant as tuition itself.
“There’s a difference between making university technically affordable and making it financially sustainable for students throughout their degree,” he says.
The demonstrations in Estonia and Ontario reflect these concerns, although their immediate demands differ.
In Estonia, the Federation of Estonian Student Unions called for reform of the student support system, more stable funding for higher education and greater consideration of students’ needs in decision-making. Ellen fully supports the demonstrations, describing it as admirable that students are willing to voice their concerns. She believes students should be able to concentrate on their education without constantly worrying about affording rent or groceries.
She is also concerned about the discontinuation of state-funded performance-based scholarships for students with excellent grades in 2025. In her view, the government should take students’ demands seriously, update the eligibility conditions for financial support and increase the amounts available.
In Ontario, the November 5 demonstrations were organized in response to changes to OSAP funding, planned tuition increases and concerns about government involvement in universities and colleges. Among the protesters’ demands were more grants rather than loans, an end to tuition increases and protection of institutional autonomy.
Ray supports the demonstrations, arguing that financial circumstances should not determine whether someone can pursue their academic interests. Although he recognizes that universities need funding to maintain educational quality, he does not believe that the financial burden should simply be transferred to students.
Despite the differences between the two systems, both students emphasize that access to higher education involves more than being admitted to a university or being able to pay tuition. It also requires having sufficient resources to live and study without compromising basic needs or academic performance.
Both see the government as key to ensuring accessibility. Ellen argues student support must better reflect individual financial needs, while Ray stresses that assistance programs must account for the actual cost of living in expensive cities like Toronto. To Ray, a successful outcome means ongoing dialogue leading to tangible improvements. Ellen hopes the government listens, saying that young people are continuously called the country’s future.
Ellen believes that student support should better reflect individual financial circumstances… [she] hopes that the government will respond to students’ concerns, pointing out that young people are often described as the country’s future.
Both see the government as having a particularly important role in ensuring this accessibility. Ellen believes that student support should better reflect individual financial circumstances, while Ray argues that assistance programmes should account for the actual cost of living, particularly in expensive cities. He also considers universities responsible for managing their resources transparently and providing affordable student services.
For Ray, a successful outcome of the protests would not necessarily mean that every demand is met immediately, but that discussions between students, universities and policymakers lead to tangible improvements. Ellen similarly hopes that the government will respond to students’ concerns, pointing out that young people are often described as the country’s future.
Ultimately, their accounts highlight a question that extends beyond either country’s education system: what does the promise of accessible higher education mean if the everyday costs of obtaining a degree remain difficult to manage?
This article was written by Emma Nahkor as part of the Local Journalism Initiative. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
