Latvia

• International students can be admitted to higher education institutions provided that their accomplished secondary education meets the Latvian standard.
• Academic degrees, qualifications and certificates acquired in another country are subject to evaluation by the Academic Information Centre.
• The student’s chosen university/higher education institution will then decide on the recognition of the student’s submitted documents based on the statement of comparability issued by the AIC.
• The evaluation of partial studies in higher education acquired abroad is done by the student’s chosen academic institution.
• The university will assess which study program is the closest equivalent of the partial studies, how the applicant can continue their studies, or if necessary, what additional requirements must be met before the applicant can continue to pursue their studies in the program.

With regards to the selection procedure, there are no specific requirements for international students.

• All students are asked to apply to studies which are relevant to the marks they obtained in secondary school (Ex. To study medicine, one must have marks in biology, chemistry, and other sciences)
• The international student’s competencies are evaluated according to general regulations applicable to all students, regardless of background.

It goes without saying that international applicants must have sufficient competence in the language of instruction of their chosen course. Most study programs are taught in Latvian, English or Russian, or a combination of the three.

Unlike other countries, most of the higher education institutions in Latvia do not strictly require internationally recognized language tests. Skills in a certain language are generally checked during interviews with the foreign student, or with the institution’s own formal language test.