Academic Centre! These rules apply to all programmes except the Dual Award Programme in Computer Science !
English language proficiency rules for Dual Award programme please see here.
You have to present the results of one of the internationally recognized tests (see below).
If your previous studies have been obtained in English but not in the country listed below, then you have to present an official letter from your previous educational institution (secondary school, etc.) where is stated that all your studies were in English (medium of instruction is English), and you have to pass interview where the University of Latvia will evaluate your language skills.
Applicants who have obtained previous education in English in one of the bellow listed countries do not need to provide separate language proficiency:
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Canada
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
Internationally recognized foreign language certificate does not have to be presented if the foreigner has acquired secondary education in a country of the EU and the EEA or in the Swiss Confederation and in his secondary education certificate is included an assessment of foreign language skills, which are comparable to at least level B2 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 recognized language tests:
English language tests
TOEFL IBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Internet-based: score of at least 72; with the exception of master`s degree programme “English Studies” – 90;
TOEFL Essential - at least 8 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 for programmes Medicine, Dentistry and Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, where is accepted at least 5.5); 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 51 point; with the exception of master`s degree programme “English Studies” – at least 67points;
LanguageCert International ESOL at least Level Communicator B2 (Written and Spoken exams); with the exception of Master 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 tests
TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) - at least level B2;
Latvian language test
Latvian language proficiency test organized by the Applied Linguistics Center of the Faculty of Humanities - at least 4 (almost average) on a 10-point scale. The test result is valid for admission for three years.