Education in Latvia: kindergartens, schools, universities

Latvia provides all the opportunities for non-residents to receive a quality education with international certification. Latvia provides all the opportunities to receive quality education with international certification. In the country, the education system is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 18. The system includes kindergartens, comprehensive schools, vocational schools and universities. Kindergartens are for children aged 1 to 6 years. In most cases, they are open from 8:00 to 18:00 and offer parents the opportunity to leave their children for the whole day or half a day. School education begins in the first grade, when children reach the age of 6. Schools are compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. Basic general education in Latvia lasts 9 years and ends with a final exam. 

Secondary education in Latvia is free, there are private schools with education in English. Prices for higher education are among the lowest among European countries. Education takes place in Latvian, but there are also many English-language programs - the required level of English proficiency is relatively low - from 5.5 IELTS. Write to us at info@mercuryestate.com and we will advise you in detail about the possibility of getting an education in Latvia, including in private schools with soft language adaptation.​ Our team will help you choose an apartment or house for rent or purchase, taking into account the proximity to the educational institution, infrastructure and logistics, as well as accompany and help you choose the place of study that suits your wishes.

There are many kindergartens in Latvia, both public and private. Public kindergartens are usually located in urban and suburban areas, while private kindergartens can be located both in cities and outside them. Kindergartens in Latvia are intended for children aged 1 to 6 years. In Latvian kindergartens, children are usually taken care of from 8:00 to 18:00. During the day, children spend time in classrooms where they learn, play and engage in various developmental activities, as well as receive food and time for recreation. 

In addition, there are so-called "family kindergartens" in Latvia, where children are at home with a small group of other children who are cared for by licensed caregivers. These kindergartens usually offer a more flexible schedule that can fit the needs of the family. It is worth noting that Latvia offers many activities for children, such as sports - ice centers, figure skating, hockey, tennis courts and strong coaches, football, music and art schools, as well as many circles and sections of interest for every taste.

International schools are popular among expats, as they provide students with licensed international programs that are listed all over the world. There are several international schools in Riga:

• International School of Riga,
• The British school of Latvia (King's College),
• Exupery Boarding School in Latvia,
• ISMA - a private school and kindergarten with a stream of instruction in English.

Separately, it is worth noting that King's College is the first school in the Baltics that provides a curriculum at the level of prestigious UK schools. Students at King's College are prepared to enter the most prestigious universities.

Exupery International School is a fully licensed International Baccalaureate (IB) school currently offering the Preschool and Early Years Program (IB PYP) for preschoolers and elementary students and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) for high school students. However, quality education is also available in Riga in public schools, where education in foreign languages is also available. For example: Riga State German Gymnasium, Riga Ukrainian Secondary School, Riga Jewish School.

• The University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte) is one of the largest and oldest universities in Latvia. It was founded in 1919 and is located in the capital of Latvia, Riga. The University of Latvia offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in various fields, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, medicine, law and economics.
• Riga Technical University (Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte) is one of the leading universities in the field of technical sciences in Latvia. It was founded in 1862 and is located in Riga. Riga Technical University offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in various fields, including information technology, engineering, architecture and economics.
• ISMA - Private Graduate School of Information Systems Management. Offers Latvian and foreign students education at all levels: first-level professional higher education, professional bachelor's and master's programs, doctoral studies. The university offers unique educational programs in the areas of "Entrepreneurship in the restaurant business", "Applied Information Technologies", "Business Management" and many other advanced programs.
• Stockholm School of Economics in Riga - teaching at the school is conducted in English, the main part of the teaching staff are English-speaking teachers. The university offers Bachelor's and Executive MBA programs.
• The BA School of Business and Finance is one of the leading business schools in Latvia. A great opportunity to get a higher business education in Europe in English, including MBA programs.
• Daugavpils University (Daugavpils Universitāte) is a university located in the city of Daugavpils, which is located in the east of Latvia. It was founded in 1921 and offers tank graduate, master's and doctoral programs in various fields, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and pedagogy.
• The Latvian Academy of Arts (Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija) is a university specializing in art education. It was founded in 1919 and is located in Riga. The Latvian Academy of Arts offers programs in various fields.

• Riga Medical School (Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte) is one of the leading medical universities in Latvia, which has a rich history and a high level of education. The university was founded in 1950 as the Faculty of General Medicine of the University of Latvia. Currently, the Riga Medical School offers study programs in medicine, health care, dentistry, medical psychology and other fields related to medicine.

Riga Medical School is an accredited university offering bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies in various fields of medicine. The university also has various scientific research projects, cooperating with medical institutions in Latvia and abroad. The Riga Medical School pays special attention to the practical training of students, which is carried out in clinics and hospitals in Latvia and abroad.

The university also has exchange programs with other medical universities in Europe and other parts of the world. Riga Medical School has a good reputation and attracts students from all over the world. The university employs a qualified teaching staff who closely monitors the quality of student learning and maintains a high level of academic ethics.

• The Latvian Sports University (Latvijas Sporta universitāte) is an institution of higher education specializing in sports and physical education. It was founded in 1921 as the Latvian Higher School of Physical Education and has had university status since 2011. Latvian Sports University offers educational programs in various fields related to sports and physical culture, including physical training, sports medicine, physical therapy, sports management and others.

The university also offers master's and doctoral programs in these fields. The Latvian Sports University has a modern infrastructure, including sports halls, a swimming pool, sports grounds and other facilities. The university is also actively engaged in scientific activities and conducts a lot of scientific research in the field of sports and physical education. Latvian Sports University has a good reputation in the sports world and attracts students from all over the world. The university has exchange programs with other universities around the world, which allows students to gain international experience and expand their knowledge in the field of sports and physical education.

• Latvian University of Economics and Culture
• Turaida Business School (Turība University)