Entrant and student number registered in the academic year 2022/2023 the lowest one recorded in the past decade

Latest data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that in the academic year 2022/2023 higher education is acquired by 75.4 thousand students, which is 2.6 % fewer than a year ago.

In the academic year 2022/2023, 26.4 thousand students entered Latvian higher education institutions, which is the smallest number of entrants recorded in the last decade and 8.9 % fewer than in the previous academic year. Half of the students (53.6 %) entered Bachelor level programmes, 23.5 % Master level programmes, 20.2 % college, and 2.7 % Doctoral level programmes. Women still constitute majority of the entrants – 14.9 thousand or 56.3 % of the total entrant number. Tuition fee of more than a half of the entrants (57 %) was a private contribution and that of 43 % was subsidised from state or local government budget. The largest share of students paying for studies was registered in social sciences, business and law programmes (84.2 %), while of state-subsidised students in engineering, manufacturing and construction (74.8 %).

In 2022¹ degree or qualification was acquired by 13.4 thousand students, which is 1 285 or 8.7 % fewer than in 2021 and the lowest number recorded over the past decade. More than a third (34.5 % or 4.6 thousand) obtained degree in social sciences, business and law and 18.8 % or 2.5 thousand in health and welfare. Engineering, manufacturing and construction programmes were graduated by 1.5 thousand students or 11.5 %. Since 2010 the number of Latvian higher education institution graduates has declined almost twice.

Entrant decline registered in almost all fields of education

Compared to the previous academic year, the number of entrants has gone down in almost all fields of education, except for science (life science, physical sciences, mathematics and statistics, computing) where it rose by 5.6 %. The sharpest downturn may be observed in services (15.4 %), social sciences, business and law (14.3 %) as well as engineering, manufacturing and construction (12.2 %). Just like in previous years, more than a third (8.9 thousand) of entrants chose social sciences, business and law, however, the number of entrants in this field is the smallest one registered in the past 20 years. Health and welfare is the second most popular field of education (chosen by 4.5 thousand entrants or 17.1 %), while engineering, manufacturing and construction the third (14.0 %). The smallest number of entrants is registered in education (6.0 % or 1.5 thousand) followed by agriculture (1.6 % or 417 students).

Smallest number of students in the decade

The total number of students in Latvian higher education institutions is reducing year after year. Compared to the previous academic year, the total number of students (75.3 thousand) has declined almost by two thousand, while over the past five year by 6.2 thousand or 7.7 %. The number of students in college level programmes accounts for 12.9 thousand, in Bachelor level 43.1 thousand, in Master's level 16 thousand, and in Doctoral level 3.3 thousand.

* Services includes personal services (hotel and catering, travel and tourism, sports and leisure, hairdressing, beauty treatment, and other personal services: cleaning, laundry, dry-cleaning, cosmetic services, domestic science), transport services, environmental protection services, security services (protection of property and persons: police work and related law enforcement, criminology, fire-protection and fire-fighting, civil security; military).

** Science includes life sciences (biology, biochemistry, excluding clinical and veterinary sciences), physical sciences, mathematics and statistics, computing.

Largest share of women in education of men in engineering, manufacturing and construction

The majority of students, namely 25.1 thousand or one third of all students (women – 61.4 %), still acquire social sciences, business and law programmes, however, these fields indicate the sharpest drop – of 934 students or 46.5 % of all students in all programmes.

Women still account for more than a half of all students (57.6 % or 43.4 thousand). In terms of fields of education, the largest share of women is recorded in education (91.8 % or 4 thousand), which in total is chosen by 6.3 % of all students or 4.7 thousand. Compared to the previous academic year, the number of students in education has fallen by 400 or 7.8 %. The share of women is also high in health and welfare programmes – 80.3 % or 11 thousand out of the total 18.3 % or 13.7 thousand students in this field. Compared to the previous academic year, the number of students has increased by 2.1 % or 292.

The largest proportion of men still may be observed in engineering, manufacturing and construction – 75.5 % or 7.8 thousand. The field was chosen by 13.8 % or 10.4 thousand students in total, which is 699 or 6.3 % fewer than in the previous academic year. Large proportion of men is also registered in science – 71.4 % or 5 thousand. These programmes in total are acquired by 11.1 % of all students or 8.3 thousand, which is an upturn of 534 students or 6.7 %. In the academic year 2022/2023, significant decline in the student number (of 758 students or 12.1 %) is recorded in services, which is acquired by 7.3 % or 5 thousand students, more than a half of whom are men.

There are 10 thousand mobile students in Latvia²

This academic year, 4 thousand mobile students entered Latvian higher education institutions (213 students more than a year before). However, the number still lags behind the pre-pandemic level and is one fifth smaller than that registered at the beginning of the academic year 2019/2020. Currently in Latvia there are 10 thousand mobile students, which is 2.7 % more than a year ago and almost twice as much than in 2014 when the first statistics for the mobile students was compiled.

The majority of mobile students come from non-EU countries and are men

The bulk of mobile students (71.8 %) have acquired their previous education outside the European Union (EU), moreover, men account for almost two thirds of the mobile students. More than a half of mobile students have acquired previous education in India, Uzbekistan, Ukraine or Germany. Women account for more than a half (58.2 %) of those acquired previous education in Germany, while most of the male mobile students completed previous studies in India, Uzbekistan and Ukraine (82.4 %, 83.0 % and 68.6 %, respectively).

Most mobile students (2.6 thousand) study at Rīga Stradiņš University; 80% of them have acquired previous education in EU and almost all of them acquire health and welfare programmes. At the University of Latvia, in comparison, half of the mobile students have acquired previous education in EU, while at Riga Technical University only 1.5 %. In total, 5.6 thousand or 55.3 % of all mobile students study at the three above universities.

Mobile students from EU mainly are acquiring Master's degree programmes

Half (51.7 %) of all mobile students are acquiring Master's and 45.3 % Bachelor's programmes. Out of those who have acquired previous education in EU, 85.3 % study at Master's level. Social sciences, business and law (39.1 %) as well as health and welfare (29.4 %) are the most popular fields of education among mobile students. Majority of the mobile students who acquired previous education in the EU have chosen health and welfare programmes (76.9 %).

Half of all students study at the three largest Latvian universities

This academic year, there are 52 higher education institutions (28 universities and 24 colleges) in Latvia, which is one university fewer than a year ago. State higher education institutions and colleges have been chosen by 77.7 % of all students, while private educational institutions by 22.3 %. A half of all students (50.3 %) study at the three largest Latvian universities – University of Latvia, Riga Technical University and Riga Stradiņš University. Overall, 24 higher education institutions have fewer than thousand students and 12 institutions fewer than 200 students.

In the academic year 2022/2023, Doctoral programmes are implemented by 19 higher education institutions. They are acquired by 3 277 doctoral students (1 999 women and 1 278 men). Slightly less than a half (44.7 %) acquire health and welfare programmes and almost one fifth (18.8 %) social sciences, business and law.

¹ Students who acquired degree or qualification from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022.

² Mobile students – persons who have received their previous education outside Latvia and are studying in Latvia with the aim of obtaining a certain level of higher education (degree or qualification).

Media requests:
Information and Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Kristīne Knipele
Social Statistics Data Compilation and Analysis Section
E-mail: Kristine.Knipele@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366648