Photo: AFP / Scanpix / LETA
This is the fourth year in a row that much more people are applying to study at domestic universities than before.
Data in the unified university admission system, which unites the 12 largest state higher education institutions, except for Riga Stradiņš University (RSU), show that in 2017/2018. During the study year, 8412 students applied for the system, a year later – already 8691, last year the interest in studies increased even more and even 9578 people wanted to study.
This year, 10,296 high school graduates and another 2,636 students have applied for studies at RSU, where it is estimated that the number of potential students has increased by nine percent during the year.
It should be noted that the number of students wants to grow over the years similar to the number of high school graduates. This year, 14,000 general and vocational high school graduates took centralized exams. Latvijas Avīze does not have comparable data for previous years. However, it is known that in 2018/2019. In 2006, 9,162 graduates completed general day high schools, compared to 8,942 a year earlier.
Apply more than you admit
However, not all students have met the requirements of higher education institutions. No more than 10 percent of applications are approved in the common admission system each year.
This is due to the fact that the students want to mix the chosen study program, for example, they want to study for a master’s degree, but by mistake apply for basic studies, and because they do not meet the requirements to study in the respective study program: they have not passed any too low.
According to Jānis Saulītis, Director of the Student Service Department of the University of Latvia (UL), UL cannot enter if the grade in any of the compulsory centralized examinations is lower than 10 percent. In the past, a poor math exam result could get stuck in one of the humanitarian programs because the math exam result was not taken into account.
However, from this year, according to government regulations, the results of all compulsory exams are important for admission. J. Saulītis adds: there are also cases when the student has not filled in the application completely or has not approved it. Therefore, the application is, but not significant.
Of course, some students are not admitted because they do not pass the competition for the most requested study programs.
Top: medicine, law, computers
It is the University of Latvia that has received the most applications in the unified admission system – 18,044. Riga Technical University (RTU) follows with 11,355 applications and RSU with 8110 applications. In other higher education institutions, the number of potential applicants is much smaller – in the fourth place is Daugavpils University with 1627 students. The situation has been similar in previous years.
It should be reminded that one student can submit several applications both in several universities and in different study programs of one university, therefore the number of actual students is much smaller. For example, the mentioned 8110 applications were submitted to RSU by 2636 interested parties.
Just like last year, the most popular study program this year turned out to be “Medicine” at Riga Stradins University, followed by the study programs “Law Science” and “Medicine” of the University of Latvia.
It is interesting that this year the LU study program “Preschool Teacher” has joined the top of the most demanded study programs, which has pushed out “Construction” offered by RTU from the most demanded study programs.
Other universities have had various demanded study programs. For example, at the Banking Institution of Higher Education, 35 students have indicated a study program in which it is possible to obtain a double diploma with the Swiss Business School – the program “International Finance”.
There are only two so-called budget places for this study program. At the University of Liepaja, most applications have been received for the study program “Cultural Management”.
What not to choose
On the other hand, some natural sciences and also technical study programs in various universities look unsolicited again. Thus, at the Latvia University of Agriculture, only 53 students have shown interest in agricultural engineering, although there are 70 state – paid places.
At the University of Liepaja, the state is ready to pay for studies for 12 future mechatronics, but only 10 have applied. There may also be vacancies in some pedagogy study programs in Liepaja.
At Ventspils University College, the state has allocated 42 study places in the program “Electronics Engineering”, but only 20 potential students have applied. All state-paid study places have not been filled in the study program “Computer Science” and “Ship Navigation Electronics”, as well as in some translation programs.
At Daugavpils University, only six applications have been received for nine state-paid study places in the study program “Physics (nanotechnologies or materials processing technologies)”. There could also be vacancies here in some philology study programs. In Daugavpils, budget places have not yet been filled in the RTU Daugavpils Study and Science Center, for example, in the study program “Railway Transport”.
At Vidzeme University College, nine applications have been received for 20 budget places in the study program “Information Technologies” so far.
Of course, there are even more free places in paid studios. For example, in the regional branches of the University of Latvia they are still available in a wide range.
The final admission results will be known only today, when the application for undergraduate studies will end.
–
–
