Study procedure and organisation

Academic year in the bachelor’s and master’s programmes consists of 40 weeks divided into autumn and spring semesters. Depending on the study programme, academic year may also include a summer semester up to eight weeks. In these cases, the duration of academic year can be up to 48 weeks. The academic year plan of each academic year is approved by rector (see academic year calendar).

Information will be available soon

Information will be available soon

After registering for the semester, the students register for the elective (Part B and Part C) study courses, using the UL information system LUIS. Registration for the compulsory (Part A) courses takes place automatically, as the registration for the semester is completed. The student can obtain the right to acquire a particular elective course either without restrictions or through a selection process on the basis of their performance during the previous academic year. Registration for the courses which require selection process takes place in two stages – application for courses and approval of course selection. Registration for the semester takes place in accordance with the procedure approved by the University of Latvia Senate, regulating registration for the study semester and the acquisition of courses at the University of Latvia:

for the elective courses (part B) of each study programme – during the registration week and the first week of the semester through LUIS;

• for the elective courses (part C) offered by Student Services and each faculty – during the registration week and the first week of the semester through LUIS; 
• for the available places in the courses of other study programmes – at the 2nd week of the semester students are registered by the secretary of the respective study programme.

Students can obtain the right to acquire a particular elective course either without restrictions or through a selection procedure:

• if the number of available places in the course is unlimited and the faculty has not set additional requirements for registration, the student acquires the right to acquire this course by registering through LUIS;
•  if the number of available places in the study course is limited or the faculty has set additional requirements, registration takes place in two stages: applying for registration and registering after passing the selection procedure.

Students apply for the courses with a limited number of places before the end of the registration week. During this time, students have the right to change the chosen study courses. During the first three days of the first week of the semester, students check the results of the selection procedure at the LUIS and, if selected, register for the course acquisition. The applications of those students, who have not registered for the course acquisition, are automatically cancelled by the end of the third working day of the 1st week. During the last four days of the first week of semester (Thursday to Sunday), students have the right to register for available places in these courses on a first-come first-served basis.

Upon registering for the study course, the student undertakes to fulfil the requirements provided for in the course programme. In the event of failure to do so, the outstanding (uncompleted) academic requirement is recorded with regard to this student. The total amount of courses completed by the student must not exceed the amount planned in the programme. The additional study courses must be paid for according to the pricelist of fee-based services.

The University of Latvia provides its students or potential students with the opportunity to recognize the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in previous studies or education, outside formal education or professional experience, as well as provides the opportunity to equate academic activities with the requirements of the doctoral study program.

The basic requirements for the recognition of study courses or achieved results are specified in the Regulations on the Recognition of Knowledge, Skills, Competences, Study Results Achieved in Previous Education and Equalization of Academic Activity at the University of Latvia.

Information on the forms to be filled in, the documents to be submitted and the submission deadlines, as well as on the evaluation process can be found in the University of Latvia Procedure for Recognition of Competencies Developed Outside Formal Education or through Professional Experience and Learning Outcomes Achieved in Previous Education.

Information on equating academic activities with the requirements of the doctoral study program can be found in Clause 21 of the Regulations on Promotion Councils and Promotion at the University of Latvia.

• Application form for recognition of study courses.
• Application form for recognition of study results achieved outside formal education or professional experience or previous education.

The student can receive individual tutorials of a lecturer according to the schedule approved by the chair of the department, which is available at the faculty's premises or on the faculty's homepage. Before tutorial, the student must make sure whether a prior appointment is required.

A student is entitled to create an individual study plan different from the one offered in the study programme. This must be done in accordance with the Regulations on the individual plan, taking into account the preconditions for the acquisition of study courses specified in the course description. It is allowed to create an individual study plan starting with the second semester of studies. At the UL, an individual study plan is applied when selecting the individual – slower pace of studies or creating individual study modules in the limited elective part (part B) of the study programme in accordance with the UL Study programme regulations. The individual study plan must receive the approval of the director of the study programme. The students who have chosen a slower pace of studies, conclude a supplementary agreement – an appendix to the study agreement, and pay for the acquired study courses in accordance with the amount of the selected study courses and the pricelist of fee-based services approved for the respective academic year. In this case, the total tuition fee exceeds the fee specified for the statutory time limit. Students who create individual study modules are charged the amount stipulated by the study agreement.

A student is entitled to temporarily intermit the studies (to use academic leave), while retaining the status of a student. The procedure for intermission of studies is regulated by the Procedure for intermission approved by the UL Senate.

In order to document the approved intermission of studies, the student must submit a written application to the dean or his/her authorized representative by the end of the registration week of the respective semester. Intermissions due to pregnancy and childbirth, parental leave or illness may also be applied for during the semester. Duration of study intermission is two semesters. The total length of the intermission period in doctoral and residency in medicine programmes must not exceed two years. During the intermission, the tuition fee is not payable and the student does not receive a scholarship.

In order to continue studies after intermission, the student registers during the registration week according to the studies of the semester and acquisition of courses, and concludes a supplementary agreement to the Agreement on studies at the University of Latvia stipulating the changes in the tuition fee and payment schedule, if the studies are financed by legal or natural persons. After the intermission, the student retains the previous source of funding. If the studies are financed by legal or natural persons, after the intermission, the tuition fee, which is set for students in the corresponding semester, must be paid. If during the intermission the study programme has changed, the student continues the studies according to the requirements of the updated study programme. The recognition of the study courses acquired before the intermission takes place in accordance with the procedure approved by the UL.

A student is entitled to change the study programme, if he has mastered the part of the current programme corresponding to at least 40 credit points and the chosen study programme has available places. In order to change the study programme, the student must submit an application to the directors of the current and the new study programme until the first day of the current semester’s registration week. Upon obtaining the consent of the directors of both study programmes, the student concludes a study agreement for the new study programme. The change of the study programme takes place in accordance with the procedure established by the UL for the subsequent stages of studies. A student must acquire the courses provided for in the new study programme and pass the examinations (additional requirements), if she/he has not acquired them in the current study programme or has acquired these courses to a lesser extent than required by the new study programme. The courses, which have not been mastered in the previous study period, can be acquired as a course attendee at the UL.

Studies at UL are organized in full-time and part-time form. Full-time studies are a form of study in which a student must collect 40 credit points in academic year and must dedicate no less than 40 academic hours a week to studies. Part-time studies correspond to less than 40 credit points per year and less than 40 academic hours per week. A student has the right to change the full-time study form to a part-time study form and vice versa, without changing the study programme, if she/he has mastered a part of the programme that corresponds to at least 40 credit points, and if there are study places available. In order to change the form of studies, the student writes an application to the dean of the faculty and concludes a new study agreement with the University of Latvia.

Doctoral studies are the postgraduate studies in doctoral programme with the aim of obtaining a doctor's degree. Studies in the doctoral programme are carried out in accordance with the regulations approved by the Senate "Doctoral studies at the UL". Doctoral study programme is open to students with a previously acquired master's degree. The duration of doctoral studies is six semesters. To obtain a doctor's degree, a doctoral thesis must be developed and defended at the end of the studies.

Students of doctoral and master's study programmes can participate in the UL doctoral schools. Doctoral schools are formed by at least two doctoral programmes, thus providing the involved students with extensive scientific cooperation opportunities.

The residency in medicine is offered in the second level professional higher education study programme "Medicine" for obtaining the qualification of a doctor of medicine. The programme is open to those who have completed the six-year second-level professional higher education study programme "Medicine" and have received the degree of a doctor of medicine. The duration of studies in residency study programme is two to six years depending on the selected specialisation.

To assess and improve the quality of studies, there has been established a survey system in the University of Latvia – it envisages regular clarification of students' views and satisfaction levels, as well as its use in the improvement of the internal quality management system of studies. Within the framework of the survey system, a regular survey on the quality of the content of study courses and the work of the teaching staff is held every semester. In the first year of college, bachelor's and master's studies, students fill in a survey on the beginning of studies, while at the end of all levels of studies - a survey about their study experience. Other surveys are also conducted to evaluate the study process.

Centrally organized, regular surveys of students are conducted in the Information System of the University of Latvia (LUIS). To obtain representative results in the surveys, participation in regular surveys is mandatory for students.

Read more about the survey system for the evaluation of the study process in your My LUIS - in the sub-section “Surveys” of the section “Studies” (select a tab “About surveys”).

Exmatriculation is student’s exclusion from the register of current students. Exmatriculation is regulated by the Law on Institutions of Higher Education, Section 49. The student can be excluded from the list of current students, if:

• the student wishes so him/herself;

• the student has completed the requirements of the study programme and has obtained a degree or qualification;

• the student has completed the requirements of the theoretical part of the study programme, but has not passed the final examinations (Regulation of the final examinations at the UL, 5.17., 5.18);

• it has been ascertained that admission of the student has been influenced by deception, corrupt practices or other behaviour with which the principle of the equality of applicants has been violated;

• student has not complied with the requirements set out in the Study agreement.

(2) In an institution of higher education exclusion of a person from the list of students shall be performed by the rector or dean of the institution of higher education, in a college - the college director. The decision on exclusion of a person from the list of students may be contested in accordance with the procedures specified in Section 26, Paragraph eight of this Law.

The student is exmatriculated with rector’s order, following the proposal of the dean representing the respective faculty. The student who wishes to be exmatriculated submits an application to the rector. The student can contest the exmatriculation decision within one month from the day when the decision has entered into force, by submitting an application to the UL Senate.