PISA 2025: Estonian students remain among Europe’s top performers
2025 results released today show that the knowledge and skills of Estonia’s 15-year-old students remain among the strongest in Europe. Estonia ranks first in Europe in science and mathematics and second in reading. At the same time, the study highlights a broader decline in reading performance internationally.
Science was the main domain assessed in PISA 2025. Estonia ranked first in Europe and sixth among all participating countries and education systems. Estonia’s average performance remained at the same level as in 2022. Around 90% of Estonian students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in science, while 11.3% were top performers.
In mathematics, Estonian students scored an average of 508 points, placing Estonia first in Europe. In reading, students scored 499 points, the second-highest result in Europe after Ireland, just one point behind. At the same time, reading performance has declined over the past decade in Estonia and in most developed countries. Across OECD countries, average reading performance fell by 27 points over the past ten years, compared with a decline of 15 points in Estonia.
According to Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research, the results demonstrate the high quality of school education in Estonia.
“The fact that Estonian students are among Europe’s strongest performers in science and mathematics, and that a very large share of students attain at least the baseline level of proficiency, is a major achievement for our teachers and schools. One of the strengths of Estonia’s education system is that strong learning outcomes are not a privilege reserved for a small group of young people,” Kallas said. “At the same time, the decline in reading performance is a challenge that requires greater attention. In the age of artificial intelligence, the ability to understand texts, evaluate information, connect information from different sources and formulate one’s own ideas is becoming even more important. We need to use the PISA results to take a close look at our students’ reading skills and ability to concentrate, as well as at the support they need and the support they receive at school,” the Minister added.
The study confirms that Estonia’s education system remains one of the strongest internationally. In Estonia, students’ socio-economic background is less strongly associated with performance than it is on average across OECD countries. In addition, 83% of Estonian students have a growth mindset, believing that their abilities can be developed through learning and effort. In other words, compared with students in many other countries, Estonian students are more likely to believe that their abilities can be developed rather than being fixed, and that they themselves can shape their future.
At the same time, PISA also highlights challenges in the school environment. According to school principals, 73.5% of students in Estonia attended schools where a lack of teaching staff hindered the school’s capacity to provide instruction to at least some extent.
A total of 6,304 students from 204 schools in Estonia participated in PISA 2025. The sample represented approximately 14,600 15-year-olds in Estonia. In total, 91 countries and economies participated in the study.
Additional materials on the PISA 2025 results and reports on Estonia are available on the website of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research and on the OECD PISA website.
