TASA ASIA - Latvia

Latvia offers a diverse range of higher education courses that are internationally recognized. The higher education in Latvia is based on the fundamental and applied science. Living costs are also lower compared to other EU countries.

Quality

The Latvian education system has a controlled framework. The system is structured in such a way that the students completing their education from Latvia will be having the highest level of competency in their career. The state of art study and research facilities provide students great scope for learning.

Affordable Cost

The students studying in Latvia get high-quality education at affordable costs. The students can apply for scholarships and financial aid. There are many scholarships and fellowships offered by many councils to facilitate students in their study and research in their chosen fields. Students can also work while they study in Latvia.

Student-friendly

Latvia is a land of sound, sights, and experience. The beautiful landscapes, welcoming people and a rich culture make Latvia a student-friendly destination.

The education system in Latvia consists of basic education, secondary education, and higher education. The basic education stage comprises general basic education, and vocational basic education. Secondary education comprises of general secondary education, vocational secondary education and vocational education. Higher education comprises of both academic and professional study programs. Universities offer an academic education leading to Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees as per the Bologna process.
A bachelor’s degree is awarded in three or four years of regular study depending on the stream selection. A master’s degree, on the other hand, can be achieved only after receiving the Bachelor’s and completing further one or two years of study. In Doctoral studies, the students should have a master’s degree or an equivalent diploma. Doctoral studies can take three to four years and involve advanced studies and the preparation of a Doctoral thesis.

Higher education in Latvia

In Latvia, institutions are divided into first-level vocational schools or colleges and higher schools, which cover institutions generally referred to as universities or tertiary colleges. The accrediting body of universities and colleges in Latvia is the “Council of Higher Education”. There are many universities and colleges in Latvia. Latvia is known for its institutions in Engineering and Information Technology.
The top universities in Latvia are the University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, Riga Strandins University, Turiba University, Latvia University of Agriculture, Art Academy of Latvia, University of Daugavpils and so on. Most of the best colleges in the country are situated in Riga and Daugavpils.

The qualifying exams vary between study programs and levels. For each course, Indian students will need to meet a minimum English language requirement. Besides, there will be a minimum academic performance record as stipulated by the universities to qualify for admission.

General Exams

GMAT - The Graduate Management Admission Test is given by those who want to pursue an MBA or business or management-related courses. The aspirants are measured on English, mathematical and reasoning skills.

GRE - The Graduate Record Examination is taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue an MA or MS. Also, many business schools accept GRE scores for granting admission for pursuing MBA or business or management courses.

Students need to check on the qualifying exams as stipulated by the universities and accordingly apply for the same.

Language Exam

TOEFL – It is the most popular English proficiency exam accepted by a majority of the universities. The TOEFL tests the students’ usage and understanding of the English language as it is used in communicating in college and university settings. Students can appear for this exam any number of times. This test is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which conducts the test and sets the test paper.

IELTS – International English Language Testing System is a standardized language test that needs to be cleared for admission in different universities in Latvia.

Students are advised to thoroughly check the entry requirements of the university/college they are applying to and then take up the exams accordingly. Many educational institutes accept some specific exams whereas some institutes allow students to give the exams of their choice. Therefore, before preparing for the exams, students should check the university requirements.

Application Requirements

Apart from the above-mentioned tests, there are other requirements for applying to educational institutes in Latvia.

Letter of recommendation – (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third-party describing the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the prospective student for recommendation to the college in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. The third-party could be a professor, direct manager, etc.

Statement of Purpose – A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is the introduction of the student to the college and admission officers. It is always written in the first person and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should reflect the student’s personality as well.

Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays too. Common topics include career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.

Apart from the above-mentioned requirements, students applying to undergraduate courses should have completed 10+2. Also, those who are applying to graduate courses must have completed 16 years of education. In addition to all these, students also need to show proof of the finances to the universities to secure admission.

Cut-off for Exams

All the major universities and colleges also set cut-off for various exams which students need to obtain for securing admission. Before applying to their preferred universities, aspirants should check the cut off marks for GMAT, GRE, TOEFL and then start preparing for the exams accordingly.

Latvia is an affordable study abroad destination. For international students, the tuition fee varies according to different universities, courses, and the city that the students choose to live in. Living expenses like accommodation, food, travel, etc are as per the choice of the student. The tuition fees apply to full-time students. Costs will vary depending on the lifestyle, place of residence and socializing of the students. But compared to studying in any other European country, Latvia can work out to be a much reasonable study abroad destination with quality education.

Engineering, Information Technology, Medicine, Business Management, Computer Science, Music, Arts, Finance and Accounting, Economics, Communications/Media are popular courses that can be pursued in Latvia.

Student visas are issued to applicants whose primary purpose of visit to a country is to pursue education. Although getting admission in the university is extremely important, these legal documents for obtaining visas are of utmost importance. Every country has its own immigration rules. The documents can range from education-related ones to different proof of funds acceptable and so on to enable the students to study in that country. These are specified on the official website. Students can check on the same and accordingly apply for their visa. There are some common factors in all student visa applications.

The students need to know the entire process of applying and obtaining the student visas to study abroad. Studying abroad requires meticulous planning. Students are advised to plan their admission/ application process as per the university deadlines and should accordingly work backward. Students are required to appear for English eligibility tests as per the university policies and also have required documents in place for the smooth processing of their application. Hence, students are always advised to apply 3-4 months in advance to avoid any last-minute delays. Candidates seeking financial aid, scholarships and education loans should start a couple of months earlier than the regular applicants for the process of application and approval of the same.

Latvia

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