Financial support for children's extracurricular activities in Estonia in 2026: who is eligible and how much will the local government pay?
A child’s sports training, music school, art club, robotics, or other extracurricular activity can mean a significant monthly expense for a family. In Estonia, the state also supports children’s and young people’s hobby education and extracurricular activities in 2026. However, there is an important distinction: the state’s extracurricular activity support is not a uniform cash benefit paid automatically to every parent.
2026. aastal on riikliku huvihariduse ja huvitegevuse lisatoetuse sihtrühm eelkõige 7–19-aastased noored. Riik eraldab raha kohalikele omavalitsustele ning vald või linn otsustab, kuidas seda oma piirkonnas kasutatakse. Mõnes kohas saab pere
taotleda osalustasu või transpordikulu hüvitamist, teises kohas läheb raha huvikoolile, klubile või teenusepakkujale.
What is the child activity support in 2026?
Under the Youth Work Act, the state may provide municipalities with additional support to improve the availability and diversity of systematic, supervised hobby education and extracurricular activities for young people aged 7–19. When using the support, the local government must take into account the actual needs and challenges of the area.
The Education and Youth Board also explains that the funds allocated to local governments make up the largest share of state supplementary funding, and the local government has the main decision-making authority over how the support is used.
Official source: Youth Work Act – Riigi Teataja
Official explanation: Haridus- ja Noorteamet
Who is eligible for support?
There is no nationwide rule under which the parent of every 7–19-year-old child would receive a fixed amount. The main purpose of state support is to reduce barriers to participation. Municipalities may take into account, for example, a family’s financial situation, the number of children in the family, a child’s special needs, transport requirements, or whether suitable extracurricular activities are available near the child’s home at all.
How much did the state allocate to regions in 2026?
According to the annex to Government of the Republic order No. 42, dated 26 February 2026, a total of 9 225 000 euros was allocated to local governments for hobby education and extracurricular activities. The amounts below are listed by county; opening each county also shows the allocations to its local governments.
Official source: Government of the Republic of Estonia order 26 February 2026 No. 42 – Riigi Teataja
How much can a family actually receive? Examples from 2026 municipalities
Here is the most important difference: the state allocation to a local government and the support paid to a family are not the same thing. In some municipalities, specific limits have been set for parents; in others, the service provider is supported, and the benefit to the family takes the form of a lower out-of-pocket contribution or a wider choice of extracurricular activities.
When distributing state aid, factors considered include the number of young people, the number living in financially more difficult circumstances, the number of young people with disabilities, and the municipality’s financial capacity. In addition, a local government may use its own budget funds or any balance from previous periods for hobby education. Therefore, the total amount in the local hobby education plan may not be exactly the same as the allocation from the state support fund for 2026.
What can the grant cover?
Depending on the municipality, assistance may cover, for example:
- hobby school tuition or a hobby group participation fee;
- transport to a hobby school, training or a hobby group;
- necessary supplies and equipment;
- participation in competitions, contests, camps or festivals;
- additional arrangements needed to enable a child with special needs to participate;
- the service provider’s costs to make a hobby group or study place more accessible to the family.
Always check the current regulations of the municipality where you live for the exact list.
How can you check whether your child is eligible for support?
Does sports training count as a hobby activity?
Yes, sports activities may be eligible for hobby activity support, but that does not mean that every sports club's monthly fee
is reimbursed automatically. Some local governments provide support directly to a sports club or hobby school; some offer
reimbursement of expenses for parents, while others use both models.
Frequently asked questions
Does every child receive hobby activity support in 2026?
No. State support is paid to local governments, and the municipality or city decides the conditions for local support.
What age group is the state supplementary support intended for?
Under the Youth Work Act, the target group for state supplementary support is young people aged 7–19.
How much support does one child receive?
There is no nationwide fixed amount. For example, in Viimsi the annual upper limit for tuition or hobby-group fee support is 350 euros, while in Hiiumaa participation-fee support may be up to 100 euros per month, but the conditions of these schemes differ.
Is the money always paid to the parent?
No. For example, in Tartu the activity support is calculated based on the participation confirmed by the parent, but the money is paid to the hobby education provider.
Can you receive support for a private hobby school?
You can, if the local government's rules or funding model allow it. The conditions vary between local governments.
Ametlikud allikad
Youth Work Act – Riigi Teataja
Education and Youth Board – support for hobby education and activities for local governments
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This article was prepared using artificial intelligence. Data verified 24 September 2026. The terms, application rounds, and budgets for local subsidies may change. Always check the current official information from your municipality or city before submitting an application. County-level amounts have been calculated as the total allocations for local governments’ hobby education and activities, as published in the annex to the Government of the Republic’s 2026 allocation for the year.