Universities urge Ministry to reconsider amendments to foreign student admission rules

The Association of Higher Education Export (AIEA), which unites 13 Latvian higher education institutions including research universities, is calling on the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) to reconsider the proposed amendments to foreign student admission regulations. The association warns that the stricter requirements could significantly reduce the number of international students.

According to AIEA calculations, if the amendments come into force, the number of foreign students in Latvia could drop from the current approximately 12,000 to 3,000 over several years. This would result in economic losses of up to 280 million euros for Latvia. The association emphasizes that such a move would negatively impact not only university funding but also the overall economy, including student-related expenses on housing, food, and other services.