Creative Industries, Entrepreneurship & Placement Readiness in Tallinn and Helsinki

Key Information

Eligibility

About

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Key Information

Information

Application Deadline: 02/02/26 at 9:00 am

Opportunity type: Employability trips, Extra-curricular opportunities

Ref: 10010244

Dates

Departure Date: 08/06/25

Return Date: 12/06/26

Costs

£153: This is your estimated cost for travel and accommodation after deducting the £200 DMU Global bursary and special £150 DMU Made bursary. It also includes a £3 carbon levy to help offset emissions from your flight.

What’s not included: UK and in-country transfers, Helsinki ferry crossings, visits, food & drink, and visa (if applicable).

Booking

Accommodation: Shared rooms in a hostel or hotel booked by DMU

Travel: Flights booked by DMU (students travel as a group)

Contact

General Enquiries: Global Mobility Office - dmuglobal@dmu.ac.uk

Trip Lead: Simon Baines - sbaines@dmu.ac.uk

How to pay

Payment details: If offered a place, students will receive further information and will be asked to pay the student cost listed above. As mentioned, the DMU Global bursary has already been deducted from this.

Your application

Important: The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and others to write or generate content for your application is not permitted. DMU Global reserves the right to reject applications that have been created using these tools. To learn more, visit our application process page.

Trip Profile

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Independent travel

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Eligibility

All DMU home students are eligible to participate on this opportunity, irrespective of their faculty or course providing they can provide a Unique Tax Reference number allocated to them since July 2025, or, a reference number to prove they have applied for one via gov.uk. In particular, we are looking for students with a demonstrable interest in freelancing and self-employment, or you may have a business idea that you would like to launch or grow. Your UTR number is considered as evidence of this. Additionally, first and second year undergraduates interested in doing a work placement in the future are encouraged to apply. A minimum of 15 participants are required for this opportunity to take place. Students are recommended to check the eligibility criteria before applying.

About

Trip description

Tallinn is known throughout the world as one of the most pioneering locations for innovation and start-ups. In recent years, many Entrepreneurs and businesses have relocated from Silicon Valley in America to the city, because of its rich and diverse capabilities in business. It is a thriving city, known for digital nomads and creative freelancers.

During the trip, students will participate in a number of activities focused on freelancing, self-employment and entrepreneurship. There will also be content relevant to placement readiness; This means students will learn about personal branding, how to apply entrepreneurial skills within a placement role, the importance of sustainability and unique extracurricular skills that employees are looking for.

Please note, students must include the UTR number in their application statement to demonstrate their eligibility.

Activities may include:

Introduction to E-Residency and business support in Northern Europe with an innovative company
A networking opportunity with Start-ups at a local business event in Tallinn
A visit to a popular coworking space which houses young startup companies in Estonia
A visit to the Entrepreneurship department at TalTech University
A series of bespoke workshops covering entrepreneurial competencies for application in placements or careers, freelancing and personal branding
Students will undertake a ‘placement in a day’, undertaking problem solving and creative thinking tasks set by a business

Also, as part of the trip there is an optional trip to Helsinki to visit the Sustainability department at the University of Helsinki. This additional visit will require students to pay (£70) for the ferry between Tallinn and Helsinki.

DMU Made Startup Grant

This is a special trip with an additional bursary. To be eligible for this trip, applicants must be able to provide a UTR (Unique Tax Reference) number, allocated to them after July 2025.

You will have a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) if you have:
– Registered for Self Assessment
– Set up a limited company

You can find your individual UTR number:
– In your Personal Tax Account
– In the HMRC app
What If I don’t have a UTR yet but wish to take part?

If you do not have a UTR currently but wish to participate in the trip, you must apply for one now. It takes 15 days for you to receive your UTR. When you register as Self-Employed, you will be shown a reference number on screen. You must state in your application what your reference number is and on receipt of your UTR, you must provide it to DMU Made.

You can register for a self-employment (and your UTR) here. If you require support or have any questions about this specifically, please email dmumade@dmu.ac.uk

Please note, legally, only home students can apply.

Learning objectives

Participating in a DMU Global opportunity can help you develop a range of employability skills and competencies that enhance your studies. Through participation in this trip to Estonia we expect that students will:

Understand freelancing, self-employment and startups.
Learn how a post-soviet company functions and what it means for innovation and the economy.
Become equipped with the skills to be “placement ready”, to include entrepreneurial skills.
Develop and apply skills relating to freelancing in creative industries.

Participants will take part in workshops before, during and after the event which are all relevant to developing entrepreneurial skills which can be applied within a future job role or within the participants own business ventures. Tallinn is particularly favoured by tech and creative startups, although it is also home to many designer-makers, photographers and artists.

Cultural activities

Tallinn is a very cultural city, with art galleries, museums, many bakeries, cafes and restaurants. Highlights include: the UNESCO-listed Tallinn Old Town, where medieval cobblestone streets come alive with outdoor cafes and local artisans. The Kadriorg Palace and Park, a beautifully landscaped area that bursts into colourful bloom in May, and is worth a visit. In addition, a visit to the Tallinn Photography gallery (£10) will be arranged.

In their free time students may also choose to visit the stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an architectural masterpiece, and enjoy panoramic views of the city from Toompea Hill. Alternatively, to learn about the innovative and contemporary art scene in Estonia, you may wish to visit Kumu Art Museum.

Visa information

Due to various external factors and an unprecedented demand for international travel, there are significant delays in visa processing, as well as very limited availability of application appointment slots for some countries and embassies.

We recommend that you take all appropriate steps to secure a visa as soon as practically possible, and to notify DMU Global if you face any issues. It is your responsibility to meet the entry requirements of the country you are travelling to. Failing to do so may mean that you’re liable for the costs incurred to the university (including repayment of the DMU Global bursary). Visit our visa information page to learn more.