There are many myths surrounding women in IT, as well as the reasons for the lower representation of women compared to men. Several theories exist as to why women do not pursue studies in IT. For example, a common belief is that women are not interested in IT, that they are too afraid to study it, that people perceive it as a field for men, and that women are not considered intelligent enough to study it. Even though companies are expecting more women in IT, schools are reluctant to pursue female student candidates, as they fear that diversity will lower student quality and that an increase in women will result in lower timely graduation rates. The goal of this paper is to address some of these issues through the studies conducted among IT students at Tallinn University of Technology. Despite the growing emphasis on workplace diversity, higher education has been slower to respond to these biases. We aim to determine whether it is possible to identify gender-based differences in study motivation, entry pathways, and perceptions of study quality, and to translate these findings into institutional recommendations that can enhance women’s participation and success in IT education.

This paper is based on two institutional studies conducted at the Institute of Information Technology, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech): a bachelor’s student survey carried out in autumn 2024 and a master’s student survey conducted in spring 2025. The surveys were designed to explore diversity and gender-related experiences among IT students, as well as to understand differences in study motivation, learning pathways, and perceptions of inclusion.

The surveys reveal clear gender- and study-level differences in students’ experiences and motivations in IT programs at Tallinn University of Technology. While both male and female students share a strong intrinsic motivation—namely, an interest in technology and problem-solving—their pathways into IT and perceptions of study quality differ notably.

The outcomes of the studies provide the basis for policy recommendations for TalTech as well as other IT institutions in Estonia and possibly elsewhere. The recommendations also take into account the broader Estonian educational context and existing research. The paper also seeks to align its insights with national and European gender equality policies in STEM education.