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Latvia
Latvian higher education in brief
| 1) Organization In Latvia there are university type and non-university type higher education institutions (augstskola/universitate/instituts/akademija/koleda). While non-university type institutions run professional programmes, universities often offer both academic and professional programmes.Academic education programmes last three or four years for Bachelor degree, one or two years – for Master degree; scientific activities last three or four years for Doctoral degree. Professional higher education is divided in first level professional higher education (college programmes) and second level professional higher education. First level professional higher education programmes allow gaining Level IV professional qualifications; these college programmes are mainly established to train specialists for the labour market. College programmes last two or three years. Second level professional higher education programmes are aimed at Level V professional qualifications (the highest professional qualification of a specialist, that provides planning and research possibilities in the respective branch). These programmes last at least four years. 2) Access All higher education institutions require a secondary education diploma. Higher education institutions may organize one or several entrance examinations, aptitude tests or a competition based on secondary school certificates with an emphasis on subjects pertinent to the chosen programme. The standards required for the entrance examinations correspond to secondary education standards. The government sets the number of places in public sector institutions financed from the state budget. Students themselves or other legal entities or physical persons pay tuition fees if the place is not financed from the state budget. Students may receive loans to cover tuition fees. 3) Qualifications In conformity with a state-accredited study programme in higher education institutions it is possible to gain: I) Academic education resulting in the following degrees: a) Bachelor (academic degree), b) Master (academic degree), c) Doctor (scientific degree); II) Fourth and fifth level professional qualification and the following professional degrees: a) Bachelor, b) Master.
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