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Language proficiency

!These rules apply to all programmes except the Dual Award Programme in Computer Science!
English language proficiency rules for Dual Award programme.

English Language Proficiency Requirements:
All candidates must provide confirmation of their English language proficiency. The following forms of confirmation are accepted:

  1. Internationally recognised language tests taken within the last five years (see the list of accepted internationally recognised language tests below)
  2. If previous studies were completed in English in one of the countries listed below, candidates do not need to provide separate language proficiency confirmation.
    Australia
    The Bahamas
    Canada
    Ireland
    New Zealand
    St Vincent and the Grenadines
    United Kingdom
    United States of America
  3. For bachelor's level studies, an internationally recognised foreign language certificate is not required if the applicant has obtained secondary education in an European Union or European Economic Area country, or in the Swiss Confederation, and if their secondary education certificate includes an assessment of foreign language skills comparable to at least level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
  4. For master's level studies, foreign nationals who are citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the Swiss Confederation may also demonstrate their language proficiency through a language assessment included in their secondary or prior higher education certificate, provided it is recognised as equivalent to at least a B2 level (C1 level for the Master’s degree programme in “English Studies”) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

NOTE! If a grade in English in bachelor's programs is required for the admission competition, then it is also required in cases where the previous education was obtained in English.

The University of Latvia accepts the following internationally recognised language tests:

English language tests

TOEFL IBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Internet-based: score of at least 80; with the exception of Master's degree programme “English Studies” – 90; 

TOEFL Essential - at least 9 points (with the exception of Master's degree programme “English Studies” – at least 10 points)

IELTS (International English Language Testing System): score of at least 6.0; with the exception of Master's degree programme “English Studies”– 7

CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)/C2 Proficiency: any level

CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English)/C1 Advanced: any level

FCE (First Certificate in English)/B2 First: at least level B; does not apply to Master's degree programme “English Studies”;

PTE (Pearson Test of English) General: at least level B2; with the exception of Master's degree programme “English Studies” – C1

PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic: at least 55 point; with the exception of Master's degree programme “English Studies”– at least 67 points)

LanguageCert International ESOL at least Level Communicator B2 (Written and Spoken exams); with the exception of Master's study programme „English Studies” – Expert C1 minimum.

German language tests

DSD (Das Deutsche Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz): level 2

DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang): at least level 2

TestDaF (Der Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache): at least level 4 in all test sections

Goethe – Zertifikat: at least level B2

French language tests

DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française): level B2

DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française): at least level C1

TCF (Test de connaissance du français): at least 400 points

TEF (Test d’Evaluation du Français): at least 541 points

Spanish language tests

DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera) – at least level B2

Italian language tests

CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera dell’Universita per Stranieri di Siena) – at least level B2

CELI (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana (Perugia)) – at least level B2

PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) - at least level B2

Russian language test

TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) - at least level B2;

Latvian language test

Latvian language proficiency test organised by the Faculty of Humanities - at least 4 (almost average) on a 10-point scale. The test result is valid for admission for three years.