Academic year 2025/2026 is marked by higher entrant and student numbers

According to the latest Central Statistical Bureau data, the number of students in tertiary education reached 76.4 thousand in the academic year 2025/26, which is 1 594 students (2.0 %) more than in the previous academic year. The number of new entrants also increased (by 2.0 % or 584 students). The largest rises in new entrant numbers were recorded in social sciences, business and law, followed by engineering, manufacturing and construction as well as science (life sciences, mathematics, computing). 

This academic year, 29.8 thousand students entered Latvian higher education institutions. Women accounted for more than a half of tertiary education entrants, 57.5 %. Compared with the previous academic year, the number of male entrants increased by 5.4 % (645 students), whereas the number of female entrants fell by 0.4 % (61 students).

More than half of new entrants (56.8 %) were enrolled in programmes at bachelor’s level, 22.6 % at master’s level, 17.7 % entered short-cycle tertiary education (college), and 2.8 % doctoral programmes. Over two thirds (76.7 %) of new entrants enrolled in full-time studies and just 23.3 % in part-time studies. Tuition fee of most students (59.3 %) was a private contribution and that of 40.7 % was subsidised from state or local government budget. 

Social sciences, business and law remains the most popular field of study

Among fields of education and training, social sciences, business and law programmes were chosen by 38.5 % of new entrants, followed by health and welfare (15.1 %), as well as engineering, manufacturing and construction (12.6 %). Women accounted for a larger share of students enrolled in education field (87.3 % of all new entrants in the field) as well as in health and welfare (82.8 %), while men predominated in engineering, manufacturing and construction (71.4 %) as well as science programmes such life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and statistics, computing (70.0 %). 

The largest increases in new entrant numbers, compared with the previous academic year, were recorded in social sciences, business and law programmes (up by 15.0 % or 1 498 students). Entrant numbers also rose in science (7.0 % or 229 students) as well as engineering, manufacturing and construction (5.5 % or 196 students). 

At the same time, new entrant numbers fell in services programmes, such as hotel and catering services, travel and tourism services, sports and leisure services, personal services, transport services, environmental protection services, security services, etc. (down by 17.0 %). Declines were also recorded in education (13.1 %) as well as health and welfare (11.3 %).

Half of the 76.4 thousand students study at the three largest Latvian universities

At the beginning of this academic year, there were 45 higher education institutions in Latvia (24 universities and 21 colleges). Most students studied at state higher education institutions and colleges (76.6 %), while 23.4 % studied at private institutions.

More than half of all students (56.1 % or 42.9 thousand) study at the three largest Latvian universities – University of Latvia, Riga Technical University (RTU), and Riga Stradiņš University (RSU). Each has more than 10 thousand students. Most higher education institutions (32) have fewer than 1 000 students, and seven institutions have fewer than 100 students.

All study levels saw growth in student numbers, except college

This academic year, more than half of all students study at bachelor’s level (57.1 % or 43.6 thousand), followed by master’s (22.4 % or 17.1 thousand), short-cycle tertiary education, i.e., college (16.2 % or 12.3 thousand), and doctoral levels (4.3 % or 3.3 thousand). Student numbers declined only at college level (down by 1.5 % or 189 students), while increases were recorded at bachelor’s (up by 2.8 % or 1 185 students), master’s (3.1 % or 505 students) and doctoral levels (4.3 % or 93 students).

At college level, student numbers have shown an overall decline in recent years. Compared with the academic year 2020/21, student numbers at college level are 12.7 % lower (down by 1 789 students). 

Doctoral studies involve the smallest number of students in tertiary education. In the academic year 2025/26, doctoral studies are offered by 13 higher education institutions in Latvia. Half of doctoral students (52.0 %) study health and welfare, while one fifth (18.0 %) study social sciences, business and law.

Women most often study social sciences and health, while men study engineering and science

This academic year, women continued to dominate the student population, accounting for 58.4 % of all students, similar to the previous ten years.

By field of study, the distribution of women and men has remained largely stable in recent years. The highest shares of women are recorded in education (89.7 % of all students) as well as health and welfare (80.7 %). The highest shares of men are observed in engineering, manufacturing and construction (72.0 %) as well as science (70.8 %).

Looking at fields of study overall, regardless of sex, every third student studies social sciences, business and law (34.6 % or 26.4 thousand). Compared with the previous academic year, the number of students in these programmes increased the most, by 4.8 % or 1 206 students, and they are more popular among women, who account for 61.6 % of students in this field. Student numbers also increased in science (up by 4.1 % or 348 students) and engineering, manufacturing and construction (2.1 % or 202 students). However, the largest decrease in student numbers was recorded in services (down by 4.2 % or 214 students).

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

** 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).

In a longer-term perspective, compared with the academic year 2015/16, the number of students decreased the most in social sciences, business and law programmes (by 4.4 thousand students), while the largest increase was recorded in health and welfare programmes (by 3.1 thousand students).

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

** 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).

Academic staff: one in four aged 60 and over, women more than half

At the beginning of this academic year, the total number of elected academic staff (in main job) at Latvian higher education institutions was 4 747, slightly fewer than in the academic year 2024/25 (4 884). Senior researchers and researchers accounted for the largest share of academic staff (27.0 % or 1 283 persons), followed by assistant professors (24.0 % or 1 141) and lecturers (21.0 % or 996).

As in the previous academic year, women accounted for a larger share of academic staff, at 55.4 %. In almost all academic positions, the share of women exceeded that of men, with the exception of professors, among whom men accounted for 52.6 %. The highest shares of women were recorded among lecturers (64.5 %), assistant professors (57.4 %) and associate professors (55.2 %). 

One quarter of academic staff (25.8 % or 1 226 persons) were aged 60 and over, while 3.1 % (148 persons) were younger than 30 years.

11.9 thousand mobile students ¹ in Latvia, men in the majority 

This academic year, 4 thousand mobile students were enrolled in Latvian higher education institutions, which is 94 students or 2.4 % more than in the previous academic year. More than two thirds of new entrants were men (68.1 % or 2 725 students).

In total, 11.9 mobile students currently study in Latvia, which is 7.5 % or 831 students more than in the previous academic year.More than half of mobile students (53.3 % or 6 343) study at master’s level, while 42.7 % study at bachelor’s level.

Social sciences, business and law is the most popular field of study among mobile students, with 40.2 % or 4 781 students, followed by health and welfare (27.7 % or 3 292 students) and science (15.6 % or 1 853 students).

Three quarters (75.1 %) of mobile students studying at Latvian higher education institutions obtained their previous education outside the European Union (EU). Two thirds (60.4 %) completed their prior education in one of five countries: nearly one third in India (28.7 %), followed by Uzbekistan (11.1 %), Sweden (8.6 %), Ukraine (6.4 %) and Germany (5.6 %).

Overall, men account for a larger share of mobile students than women (63.0 % and 37.0 % respectively). However, a breakdown by country of previous education reveals clear contrasts. Among students whose previous education was obtained outside the EU, men predominate, with the highest shares recorded among students from Uzbekistan (86.7 % of mobile students whose previous education was completed in Uzbekistan are men), India (74.7 %) and Ukraine (64.1 %). By contrast, among mobile students from EU countries, women form the majority (63.3 %), particularly among students from Sweden (61.6 %), Germany (63.2 %) and Finland (73.5 %). 

Almost half of all mobile students (47.7 %) study at RSU (26.1 % or 3 103 students) and RTU (21.7 % or 2 578 students). At RTU, most mobile students obtained their previous education outside the EU (96.1 %).  One in three students there (34.7 %) study social sciences, business and law, followed by 32.2 % in science. At RSU, only one in ten mobile students (12.5 %) obtained their previous education outside the EU, and almost all of them (97.8 %) study health and welfare.

14.7 thousand graduates obtained a degree or qualification in 2025 ² 

As in the previous year, around one third of graduates (34.5 % or 5.1 thousand) completed programmes in social sciences, business and law, while one fifth (19.4 % or 2.8 thousand) graduated in health and welfare. A total of 11.5 % of all graduates, or 1.7 thousand, completed programmes in science.

Additional tertiary education statistics are available in the official statistics portal Higher education section.

Methodological information

¹ Mobile students – students who have attained previous education outside Latvia and are studying in Latvia with the aim of obtaining a degree or qualification.

² 2025 refers to graduates of the 2024/25 academic year (from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025).

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
Email: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Social Statistics Methodology Section
Annika Gēgermane 
E-mail: Annika.Gegermane@csp.gov.lv
Phone: + 371 67366936