Latvia Tightens Regulations for International Students

Latvia is implementing stricter regulations for international students, increasing university responsibility throughout the admission and study process. The changes, proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), aim to address concerns about vulnerabilities within the system and ensure the quality and integrity of higher education.

New Requirements for Admission and Ongoing Study

Amendments to both the Immigration Law and the Higher Education Law are being considered to strengthen the supervision of foreign students. Key changes include:

• Re-application Restrictions: Students expelled from Latvian higher education institutions will be required to return to their home country before being eligible to reapply.
• Minimum Grade Requirements: A minimum average grade of 60 percent in profiling subjects is being considered as a new admission benchmark.
• Visa Refusal Impact: Universities may face restrictions on future recruitment if more than 30 percent of previously invited students are denied visas.
• Language Proficiency: The Cabinet of Ministers will establish regulations requiring internationally recognized certificates for English language proficiency and a minimum A2 level proficiency in Latvian.

Focus on Quality and Targeted Recruitment

Riga Technical University (RTU) is also adjusting its internationalization policy, prioritizing higher quality, safety, and targeted attraction of foreign students. RTU is gradually reducing the number of students from third-country nations even as increasing enrollment from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and countries with established economic cooperation [1].

RTU is raising entrance examination requirements to select motivated applicants with a strong foundation in science subjects and plans to increase the proportion of Masters and PhD students. The university aims to be among the top 500 universities in international rankings [1].

Increased Oversight and Data-Driven Strategy

The Ministry of Education and Science is developing a strategy for the internationalization of higher education, identifying target countries for attracting students and strengthening a data-driven approach to assessing the quality of education and tracking the labor market progress of foreign graduates [1].

The Ministry of the Interior has also proposed amendments to the Immigration Law, requiring universities to notify the State Border Guard of third-country students who unjustifiably miss lectures for at least three days, a reduction from the current 14-day threshold [2].

Current International Student Population

In the academic year 2025/2026, approximately 4,000 mobility students began their studies at Latvian universities, a 2.4 percent increase from the previous year. A total of 11,900 students currently study in Latvia who received their prior education abroad, with the majority pursuing Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in fields such as social sciences, business, healthcare, and natural sciences [1].

The largest numbers of students come from India, Uzbekistan, Sweden, Ukraine, and Germany, with RTU and Riga Stradins University hosting nearly half of all mobility students [1].

The Ministry of Education and Science is responsible for education, science, sports, youth and state language policies in Latvia [3].