Foto: BB.LV / Студенты
The Ministry of Education and Science (MES) has presented new proposals for amendments to the Law on Higher Education Institutions to the Saeima. The bill has already passed its first reading, and now the deputies must consider additional changes. The main goal is to strengthen control over foreign students and prevent situations where studying at a Latvian university becomes merely a formal basis for residing in the country. **Three Days of Absences — and You Could Lose Your Place at the University** One of the most notable proposals concerns students from third countries who have obtained temporary residence permits for studying in Latvia. Initially, the bill stipulated that a university must expel a foreign student if they do not attend classes for five consecutive days without a valid reason and cannot be contacted. Now, the ministry proposes to shorten this period to three days. At the same time, another requirement remains: grounds for expulsion can arise from attending less than 80% of the scheduled classes within a month. Thus, foreigners who have come to Latvia on a student residence permit will have to pay much closer attention to their attendance. It is important to note that this specifically concerns students who have obtained temporary residence permits for the purpose of study, not all foreign citizens studying at Latvian universities. **Over 9,000 Students — from Non-EU Countries** According to data provided in the annotation to the bill, in 2025, more than 12,000 foreign students were studying at Latvian universities. Of these, over 9,000 were citizens of third countries. In recent years, authorities have recorded an increasing number of cases where foreigners have their residence permits revoked after ceasing their studies or being expelled from university. The Ministry of Education and Science believes that existing control mechanisms need to be strengthened. It is expected that universities will bear stricter responsibility for accounting for foreign students and timely identifying those who are not actively participating in the educational process. **Not Only Students, but Also Universities Will Be Checked** The proposed changes also affect the higher education institutions themselves. The ministry wants to expand the possibilities for assessing the compliance of universities with the types established by legislation. According to the proposal, the Academic Information Centre, at the initiative of the ministry, will be able not only to check whether an educational institution complies with its type but also to initiate changes if necessary. This means that the state intends to monitor more closely how the actual activities of universities align with the requirements imposed on them.
