SMK Ilukoolituskeskus – Barber, Tallinn

SMK Iluinstituut on Gonsiori in central Tallinn runs a 200-hour barbering programme built explicitly on the Estonian level 4 hairdresser occupational standard, a useful anchor, because it means the syllabus is mapped to a national competence framework rather than invented in-house.

The course runs three months and comprises 37 hours of theory, 83 hours of practical work and 80 hours of independent study, priced at 1,020 euros in total or 340 euros a month across the three months. Content covers client service, hair and scalp washing and care, beard and moustache cutting and maintenance, men’s cutting in four basic forms, blow-dry styling, instrument disinfection and sterilisation, and workplace safety. Assessment is demanding for a course of this length: three classical men’s cuts on models, independently modelled cuts, beard cuts, three blow-dry styles and a written theory examination. Successful candidates receive a certificate titled Barber, men’s salon hairdresser; those who do not pass receive an attendance certificate only. Cohorts run monthly in both Estonian and Russian streams, with dates published well into 2027.