Free university places draw more State Defence Service graduates

The number of University of Latvia students who have voluntarily completed the State Defence Service and received free tuition is rising, LSM reported. Most of these students perform well, and their results do not differ significantly from those of other students, University of Latvia Rector Gundars Bērziņš said in an interview with Latvian Television.

The university admitted 15 State Defence Service graduates in the first year after free tuition was introduced for volunteers, followed by 55 last year and 135 this year.

Bērziņš said allowing graduates to study free of charge was a valuable opportunity because it linked participation in the service to higher education.

At the same time, the redistribution of state-funded study places means some students may find it more difficult to obtain one. Bērziņš said additional funding was needed so that the number of state-funded places available to other members of society did not fall.

He estimated that free studies for the 200 State Defence Service graduates currently covered by the scheme cost about 400,000 euros. If their numbers continue to grow, the cost could approach 1 million euros. He added that the students were also choosing relatively expensive study programmes.

Bērziņš said the university had not observed State Defence Service graduates with free study places performing worse than other students. The convincing majority were studying well, and their average grades were similar to those of other students.

He said the option of free tuition could increasingly become a strategic family decision for young people considering the State Defence Service, while their motivation to study had not disappeared.