Study systems in Europe

There are several types of degree, including professional ones:

• Bachelor (bakalaurs) – 3–4 years; a professional bachelor's takes at least 4 years,
• Master (maģistrs) – 1–2 years, also as a professional master's,
• Doctorate (PhD) – usually 3–4 years,
• long professional programmes – 5–6 years, single-cycle degrees leading straight to a master's-level qualification (e.g. dentistry – 5 years),
• short-cycle programmes (first-level professional higher education) – 2–3 years.

Latvia counts credits its own way: 1 Latvian credit point equals 1.5 ECTS, and one year of study is 40 Latvian credit points, i.e. 60 ECTS.

The main intake is for the academic year starting in September. Some universities also have a spring intake, with classes starting in February.

Latvia – bachelor's programmes
Latvia – integrated (single-cycle) programmes
Latvia – master's programmes