Rapid increase in VAD student numbers; universities warn of budget place shortage
Latvian universities report a sharp rise in students who, after completing voluntary national defense service (VAD), take up guaranteed state-funded study places. Institutions caution that without a long-term solution, this may limit opportunities for other applicants.
Major Latvian universities are seeing a rapid increase in the number of students who, after voluntarily completing the National Defense Service (VAD), begin studies in state-funded budget places. According to Latvian Television, universities warn that this trend could lead to a shortage of budget places for other applicants in the future.
One of the key benefits for voluntary VAD participants is a guaranteed state-funded place at a public university. Of the 770 volunteers from the first three drafts, 159 started state-funded studies last academic year.
The trend is becoming more pronounced at individual universities. At the University of Latvia (LU), the number of VAD graduates has grown from 15 to 57 in two years; at Riga Technical University (RTU) from 18 to 44; and at Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) from five to 16.
Although VAD graduates have priority for budget places, they must still meet all admission requirements for their chosen study program.
Concerns for the future
Currently, RSU and RTU have enough budget places, but the universities acknowledge that if the growth continues, problems may arise in the coming years. RTU is already discussing possible solutions if VAD graduates occupy all state-funded places in a particular study program.
LU has already faced this situation. To keep budget places available for other high-achieving applicants, the university funds an additional 20 to 30 study places from its own budget, costing several tens of thousands of euros.
Need for a long-term solution
Universities emphasize that a long-term solution is necessary. The Ministry of Defense states that additional funding for budget places should be provided by the Ministry of Education and Science, while the ministry promises that a new higher education funding model starting next academic year will allow for more flexible provision of study places for VAD graduates.
