Every person who holds the citizenship of Latvia, or who has the
passport of a non-citizen of Latvia, as well as persons who have
permanent residence permission, have the right to study in a higher
educational institution, if they possess a document certifying a
completed secondary education. There are no age restrictions for
acquiring higher education.
If international agreements do not
state otherwise, admission of foreigners in higher education
institutions of Latvia is possible taking into account that:
the certificate on secondary education should correspond to the standards of Latvia,
knowledge tested in ordinary manner should correspond to the admission provisions in the respective institution,
foreigners should know the language of instruction well,
tuition fee is paid according to the contract between the foreigner and the higher education institution.
For
citizens of the European Union member states and their children
acquiring education in Latvia the tuition fee is specified and covered
according to the same procedures as for Latvian citizens,
Admission
to the study programme is regulated through admission provisions issued
by the Cabinet of Ministers and higher education institutions. There,
the procedures of application and competition, entrance examinations
(if prescribed), registration and matriculation are stipulated. The
size of student population is regulated through government procurement
and a maximum number of study places determined by individual
institutions, which, in turn, depends on the supply and demand of
specialists of each study field.
The admission to the study programme is organized according to the principles of competition.
All
higher education institutions and colleges enroll students on the basis
of the results of centralized examinations (at least in two subjects as
determined by each higher education institution) passed at the end of
secondary education. They are organized according to a uniform
methodology, applying identical requirements and held at the same time
in all secondary education institutions. There are, however, categories
of persons who are allowed not to pass centralized examinations – those
having completed secondary education till 2004 or abroad as well as
persons with special educational needs. Admission procedure for such
persons is developed by the higher education institution and approved
by the Council of Higher Education.
Although the main criterion
are the results of centralized examinations, higher education
institutions may still organize one or several additional entrance
examinations, aptitude tests or a competition with an emphasis on
subjects pertinent to the chosen programme. The standards required for
the entrance examinations correspond to secondary education programme.
Although
the main document on completed education entitling to enter a higher
education institution is that of secondary education, required prior
education may differ depending on the level of higher education.
The
access to first-level professional higher education programmes (college
programmes) and Bachelor programmes (academic) is granted to holders of
secondary education certificates.
For the admission to
second-level professional higher education programmes (Professional
higher education Bachelor study programmes, Professional higher
education Master study programmes, Professional higher education study
programmes), there are three possibilities:
a
certificate on general secondary education is required if the
second-level professional higher education programme is offered in one
cycle as an integrated Bachelor programme,
a
diploma on first-level professional higher education is required if the
programme is offered in the second cycle of professional higher
education,
only candidates with
Bachelor degree or at least four-year studies leading to professional
qualification are eligible to second-level professional higher
education programmes offered as Master or Professional (higher level of
studies after an academic degree) programmes.
The
prerequisite for the admission to a Master programme (academic studies)
is a Bachelor degree in the same or related field science.
The access to doctoral studies is granted to holders of Masters’ degree or an equivalent.
Institutions:
Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of latria
Brīvības bulvāris 36, Rīga, LV-1520, Latvia Tel.:(+371) 67082800 Fax:(+371) 67280469 Website: http://www.mk.gov.lv The government of Latria
Council of Higher Education Meistaru iela 21, Rīga LV-1050, Latvia Tel.:(+371) 67223392 Website:http://www.aip.lv
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