Admission Rules
APPROVED BY
NDAL Senate meeting
Minutes No. 5/2024 Resolution No.3,
in force by NDAL Rector Order No. 149
November 27, 2024
NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY OF LATVIA
Admission Rules for Academic Year 2025/2026
Issued in accordance with the Law on Higher Education
Section 46, second paragraph
I. General Rules
1. The National Defence Academy of Latvia (hereinafter - NDAL) is a state higher education and scientific research institution of the Republic of Latvia, which achieves its objectives by implementing professional study programmes and conducting scientific research activities in the fields of military and national security and defence. NDAL professional studies are intended for the acquisition of professional qualification to prepare officers for service in the National Armed Forces (hereinafter - NAF).
2. The Regulations lay down the procedure for the admission of candidates to the NDAL study programmes for academic year 2025/2026.
3. The number of study places is determined in accordance with the Officer Training Plan approved by the NAF Commander.
4. Admission to the NDAL studies is based on a selection procedure, in accordance with the requirements of the Law on Higher Education Institutions, the Law on Military Service and other binding normative acts.
5. Accreditation of the NDAL study field. The study field "Military Defence" is accredited until December 31, 2024, accreditation certificate No. 290.
6. Study programmes implemented at the NDAL. Within the study field "Military Defence" NDAL implements:
6.1. First-cycle professional higher education study programmes:
6.1.1. Bachelor study programme "Air Forces Military Leadership" (programme code: 42863), awarding the Bachelor's degree in the Air Forces Military Leadership and the qualification of a lieutenant;
6.1.2. Bachelor study programme "Naval Forces Military Leadership" (programme code: 42863), awarding the Bachelor’s degree in the Naval Forces Military Leadership and the qualification of a lieutenant;
6.1.3. Bachelor study programme "Land Forces Military Leadership" (programme code: 42863), awarding the Bachelor's degree in the Land Forces Military Leadership and the qualification of a lieutenant;
6.1.4. Professional study programme "Command Staff Officer" (programme code: 46862) with the qualification of a lieutenant;
6.2. Second-cycle professional higher education study programme:
Professional master study programme "Military Leadership and Security" (programme code: 47863), awarding the Master's degree in Military Leadership and Security.
7. Number of credit points and duration of the study programme:
7.1. Professional bachelor study programme "Land Forces Military Leadership" - 242 CP; 4 years;
7.2. Professional bachelor study programme "Air Forces Military Leadership" - 278 CP; 4 years and 6 months;
7.3. Professional bachelor study programme "Naval Forces Military Leadership" - 273 CP; 4 years and 6 months;
7.4. Professional first cycle study programme "Command Staff Officer" - 101 CP; 1 year and 4 months;
7.5. Professional master study programme "Military Leadership and Security" - 113 CP; 1 year and 6 months.
8. Pre-study period. Before enrolment in the first-cycle professional higher education study programmes, all candidates selected by the NDAL must complete a preparatory study course - the Cadet Candidate Course consisting of:
8.1. Soldier's Basic Military Training Course (Level 1 and 2) at the NAF Infantry School from September, 2025 to December, 2025 (10 weeks);
8.2. Junior Leader’s Course from January, 2026 to February, 2026 (6 weeks).
9. Tuition fees. The tuition fees at the NDAL are paid from the state budget. During the period of training, the student shall receive remuneration - soldier's monthly salary and special allowances and social guarantees provided for a soldier - in the manner and to the extent established by the laws and regulations.
10. Admission at the NDAL:
10.1. February 16, 2026 for the first-cycle professional higher education study programmes;
10.2. November, 2025 for the second-cycle professional higher education study programme.
11. At the commencement of studies at the NDAL, the Rector shall conclude a contract for the acquisition of education at the NDAL with each student serviceman. This contract shall form an integral part of the contract "On Professional Military Service".
II. Application for the Studies
12. Candidates applying for studies in the first-cycle professional higher education study programmes of the NDAL shall apply for the studies by electronically filling in the application form on the NDAL website www.naa.mil.lv or www.klustikaravirs.lv. Registration and selection shall be initiated in accordance with the applicable Cabinet of Minister Regulations and the deadline for the start of registration shall be set out therein.
13. Candidates applying for the NDAL second-cycle professional higher education study programme shall apply for studies by filling in the online application form on the NDAL website by September 19, 2025. For students of the Joint Command and General Staff Course (JCGSC) of the Baltic Defence College (hereinafter referred to as BALTDEFCOL), the submission of documents shall be organized separately, either in person or electronically.
14. Applicants willing to study at the NDAL first-cycle professional higher education study programmes "Naval Forces Military Leadership", "Air Forces Military Leadership" and "Land Forces Military Leadership" shall submit:
14.1. Passport or ID card details of a citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
14.2. Copies of the secondary education certificate and copy of the grade sheet, presenting the originals;
14.3. Copies of centralized examination certificates, presenting the original;
14.4. If the person has obtained the education document abroad, he/she shall attach to the application a certificate from the Academic Information Centre on the compliance of the education document obtained abroad with the education document granted in Latvia.
14.5. A copy of the document certifying the highest level of proficiency in the national language, presenting the original, if the candidate has not graduated from a Latvian language school or a dual-language school in the Latvian stream, as well as if the secondary school was completed abroad.
14.6. Medical certificates (valid for one month):
14.6.1. a certificate from a psychiatric institution;
14.6.2. a certificate from a narcological institution;
14.6.3. a certificate from a general practitioner (Form 027u) on past and present illnesses and the following information:
- blood type, Rh factor,
- on preventive vaccinations (Vaccination Passport),
15. Applicants wishing to study at the NDAL in the first-cycle professional higher education programme "Command Staff Officer" shall submit:
15.1. Passport or ID card details of a citizen of the Republic of Latvia;
15.2. If the person has obtained the educational document or degree abroad, he/she shall attach to the application a certificate from the Academic Information Centre on the educational document or degree awarded in Latvia that complies to the educational document or degree obtained abroad.
15.3. A copy of the document certifying higher education and a copy of the transcript of results, on presenting the original;
15.4. A copy of the document certifying the highest level of proficiency in the national language, with the original presented, if the candidate has not graduated from a Latvian language school or a dual-language school in the Latvian stream, as well as if the secondary school was completed abroad.
15.5 Medical certificates (valid for one month):
15.5.1. a certificate from a psychiatric institution;
15.5.2. a certificate from a narcological institution;
15.5.3. a certificate from a general practitioner (Form 027u) on past and present illnesses and the following information:
- blood type, Rh factor,
- on preventive vaccinations (Vaccination Passport),
16. Applicants wishing to study at the NDAL in the second-cycle master studies "Military Management and Security" shall be required to submit to the NDAL or BALTDEFCOL:
16.1. A copy of the identity document (passport or identity card), presenting the original;
16.2. An application to the NDAL for admission to the master study programme (in accordance with the prescribed form available on the NDAL website);
16.3. If the person has obtained the educational document or degree abroad, he/she shall attach to the application a certificate from the Academic Information Centre on the educational document or degree awarded in Latvia that complies to the educational document or degree obtained abroad. If the person has not enclosed the AIC certificate, the Academy sends the educational documents to the AIC, invoicing the referee according to the AIC pricelist.
16.4. A copy of the educational document (diploma and its annex) issued by an accredited higher education institution certifying professional higher education or Bachelor's degree, presenting the originals, and their translations in English or Latvian if the language of the original document is not Latvian or English;
16.5. A diploma with a Diploma Supplement issued by BALTDEFCOL on completion of the Joint Command and General Staff Course (JCGSC), presenting the original, as well as a decision regarding the equivalence of study courses issued by NDAL's Commission for the Assessment and Recognition of Study Results Achieved in Previous Education or Professional Experience;
16.6. Letter of recommendation from an official of the Ministry of the Republic of Latvia (only for civilian employees of the Ministry);
16.7. a copy of the decision of the NAF Recognition Commission on the education acquired abroad, presenting the original (only for Latvian NAF officers who have completed the senior officer course at another foreign educational institution), as well as a decision regarding the equivalence of study courses issued by NDAL's Commission for the Assessment and Recognition of Study Results Achieved in Previous Education or Professional Experience;
16.8. a Master's thesis topic in Latvian or English in accordance with the guidelines available on the NDAL website. The quality of the application is assessed during the evaluation process;
16.9. For foreign nationals, proof of the English language proficiency of at least Level B2 issued by an international testing body within the last 5 years. It is not required if the person's secondary or tertiary education was completed in English, or if the secondary education was completed in a country of the EU and the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and the secondary education document includes English language proficiency assessment equivalent to at least Level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
17. Each document issued in a foreign language must be accompanied by a notarized translation into Latvian. This section does not apply to applicants for the second-cycle of the professional higher education study programme.
III. Selection and Admission to the Studies at the NDAL
18. Selection of candidates for professional service and studies in the first- cycle professional higher education study programmes of the NDAL shall be carried out by the NDAL Recruitment and Selection Board until September 5, 2025 in accordance with the Regulation of the Ministry of Defence No 37-NOT of August 17, 2023 "Regulations on Recruitment, Selection, and Acceptance of Candidates for Professional Service, Conclusion of Contracts and Determination of Eligibility for the National Defence Service":
18.1. The centralized examinations and/or entrance examinations, and/or the marks obtained in the previous education document shall be assessed to enable the candidate to compete for admission to the programme of studies of his/her choice;
18.2. The candidate will receive the decision of the Recruitment and Selection Board within 3 working days by e-mail which contains the decision of the Recruitment and Selection Board and information on the conclusion of the contract and information on the pre-study phase.
19. Admission of candidates to the NDAL
19.1. The admission to the first-cycle professional higher education study programmes shall be made by the Admission Board by February 13, 2026 on the basis of the completed pre-study phase or, for soldiers in professional service, the previously completed Soldier's Basic Military Training Course and the Junior Leader Course or equivalent courses;
19.2. Admission to the second-cycle professional higher education programme shall be conducted by the Admission Board, chaired by the master programme director, by November 3, 2025, assessing the documents submitted and, if necessary, interviewing the candidates.
19.3. The candidate will be informed of the decision of the Admission Board and the results will be communicated individually.
20. A candidate may appeal against the decisions of the Recruitment and Selection Board and the Admission Board within one month from the date of receipt of the decision by submitting a motivated application to the Rector. The decision of the Rector may be appealed against in court in accordance with the procedure established by the Administrative Procedure Law.
21. The Professional Service Contract and the Study Contract will be concluded by individual agreement.
IV. NDAL Admission Requirements
IV1. Requirements for the Applicant
22. NDAL admits:
22.1. In the first-cycle of professional higher education bachelor study programmes - citizens of the Republic of Latvia with secondary or higher education up to the age of 32 on the date of the admission at the NDAL, i.e., February 16, 2026;
22.2. In the first-cycle professional higher education study programme - citizens of the Republic of Latvia with higher education (Bachelor's degree or professional higher education) aged up to the age of 35 years as of the date of admission at the NDAL, i.e., February 16, 2026;
22.3. Second-cycle professional higher education study programme:
22.3.1. Citizens of the Republic of Latvia and foreign nationals who are students or graduates of BALTDEFCOL JCGSC and who have acquired a professional higher education or a Bachelor's degree;
22.3.2. Citizens of the Republic of Latvia and foreign nationals who are students or graduates of BALTDEFCOL JCGSC and who have acquired a professional higher education or a Bachelor's degree; as well as a decision regarding the equivalence of study courses issued by NDAL's Commission for the Assessment and Recognition of Study Results Achieved in Previous Education or Professional Experience;
22.3.3. Citizens of the Republic of Latvia and foreign nationals from NATO and EU countries who are not BALTDEFCOL students or BALTDEFCOL graduates may be admitted to the master programme on basing a decision regarding the equivalence of study courses issued by NDAL's Commission for the Assessment and Recognition of Study Results Achieved in Previous Education or Professional Experience.
23. If an applicant does not fall within the age limits set out in paragraphs 22.1 or 22.2, his/her admission to the NDAL may be assessed on an individual basis.
IV2. Achievement Requirements for Candidates of the First-cycle Professional Higher Education Bachelor Study Programme
24. The following requirements shall be set out for a candidate to study in the first-cycle professional higher education bachelor programmes:
24.1. the general upper-secondary certificate or the diploma of upper-secondary vocational education must contain pass grades in all subjects;
24.2. the scores in the centralized state examination in Latvian, mathematics and a foreign language are taken into account. If the education was obtained abroad, the grades in mathematics and a foreign language in the secondary education document are taken into account;
24.3. prior to the admission, candidates shall be given an English proficiency test (ALCPT or ECL test) to ascertain their level of proficiency in English.
IV3. Additional Requirements for Applicants of the Second-cycle Professional Higher Education Study Programme
25. Pass the English language test STANAG 3232 or equivalent, or pass the English language entrance test– The Oxford Placement Test– with a minimum score of 61 points (B2 level).
V. Mutual Rights and Obligations of the Candidate and the NDAL in the Admission Process
26. Candidate's rights and obligations:
26.1. The candidate has the right to receive information about the study programmes implemented by the NDAL (accreditation, content and duration, etc.), timetable of classes, examination schedule and other matters directly related to the person's potential studies;
26.2. it is the candidate's responsibility to comply with the general ethical standards and the requirements of the Admission Rules during the admission process.
27. Rights and obligations of the NDAL:
27.1. The NDAL has the right to provide information about the study programmes implemented by the NDAL (accreditation, content and duration, etc.), timetable, sessions and other matters directly related to the person's potential studies;
27.2. The NDAL is responsible for assessing candidates' documents and deciding on their suitability for professional service and studies at the NDAL.
VI. Contacts
28. Information about studies at the Latvian National Defence Academy, Riga, Ezermalas street 8b, LV-1014; tel.: 1835; e-mail: studijas@mil.lv; websites: www.naa.mil.lv; www.klustikaravirs.lv