Many graduates of Russian schools want to receive a high-quality modern education and an international diploma. As a rule, the main obstacle is the high cost of training and the language barrier - the need to complete the curriculum in English or another foreign language. One of the few universities in the EU with affordable prices and the opportunity to study in Russian is the Baltic International Academy.
What is BMA
Baltic International Academy (BMA) is the largest private university in the Baltic and Northern European countries. The educational institution was founded in 1992 in Riga (Latvia) and until 2006 was called the "Baltic Russian Institute".
Currently, the academy offers college, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies. Here you can get modern specialties in the humanitarian, economic and legal directions, master programming, computer and multimedia design.
The academy has 7,500 students, of which more than 520 are foreigners from 20 countries. There are 3 streams with different teaching languages: Russian, Latvian and English. 75% of educational material is presented in the main language of the stream.
BMA employs 200 teachers, of which about 100 are doctors of sciences and professors. The Academy is a member of the International Association of Universities (IAU) and the European Association for International Education (EAIE).
Student life
The main base of BMA is located in Riga, but the university branches also operate in Daugavpils, Liepaja, Jelgava, Ventspils, Jekabpils, Rezekne and Smiltene. The educational process uses the unique Media-Bridge system, which allows lectures, conferences and seminars by leading professors for students of all branches, regardless of their location.
Foreign students who come to study in Riga are offered places in the Prima, Apalenis and Tomo student dormitories. Apalenis is located opposite the main building of the academy, Prima is a 5-minute walk, Tomo is in a quiet area nearby.
The hostels provide rooms of different levels of comfort for 1-3 people. The cost of living is from 140 to 300 euros per month.
In addition, students can settle in any other student complex or hostel in the city (subject to availability) or rent a private apartment (300-500 euros per month), including for several people.
The academy has all the conditions for teaching students: there are computer labs, a library, reading rooms.
Riga hosts a multidisciplinary research center, a business research laboratory, German and Russian information centers. There is an EU Information Center in Riga, Daugavpils and Jelgava.
The university has created a barrier-free environment that is comfortable for students with disabilities.
The academy has student self-government and a teacher assessment system. The all-round development of students is facilitated by creative classes in the studio of drawing and ceramics, student advertising and PR-agency. BMA has KVN teams (in Riga and Liepaja), sports teams (boxing, football, basketball, freestyle wrestling), show ballet, and an art gallery.
The university takes part in the international student exchange programs Erasmus.
Specialties and admission rules
The Academy offers 32 programs for study.
The college studies:
- Organization of social assistance.
- Interior Design.
- Jurisprudence (legal assistant).
- Small and medium business management.
Professions taught at the bachelor's degree:
- Digital visualization.
- European economics and business.
- European studies.
- Marketing and Public Relations.
- Written and oral translation.
- Jurisprudence.
- Entrepreneurial activity.
- Programming and computer design.
- Psychology.
- Social work.
- Culture management.
- Tourism and hospitality management.
- Financial management.
Master's degree studies are carried out in the following areas:
- Design.
- European studies.
- International finance.
- Psychology.
- Social work.
- Criminal law.
- Communication management in the leisure and entertainment industry.
- Business management and administration.
- Human resource management.
- Private right.
Doctoral programs:
- Regional economy and economic policy.
- Legal science.
For admission, you must submit an application and documents to the university, pass tests, interviews or exams (depending on the type of program), pay for tuition.
The documents
During a personal visit to the admissions office, the applicant brings the originals of the documents, from which copies are made on the spot. If there is no original, then copies with obligatory notarization are accepted.
An applicant entering a college or bachelor's degree for full-time education must submit the following documents to the university:
- Passport or ID-card.
- A copy of the page of the civil passport with the registration of permanent residence.
- Original or notarized copy of documents on existing education (certificate or diploma of complete secondary education and annex with grades).
- Certificates of unified centralized state exams (if passed).
- Other documents (diplomas of participation in olympiads and creative competitions, a certificate of graduation from the Small Academy of BMA and others).
- In the case of a change of surname - documents that confirm this (marriage certificate or other).
- 4 photos, 3x4 cm.
- Receipt of payment for paperwork.
- Foreigners - a copy of a residence permit, permanent residence in Latvia (if any) or other confirmation of legal stay in the country.
- Medical certificate confirming the ability to study at the university.
- If you have completed or incomplete higher education - a diploma and an application with grades or an academic transcript.
- For specialties related to design - the results of a creative competition.
For admission to the master's program, you must additionally submit a diploma of higher education and an application with grades, as well as a motivation letter; a medical certificate is not required.
For admission to graduate school, you must provide a master's degree, a supplement to the diploma and the conclusion of the doctoral commission.
Entrance exams
Applicants are admitted to BMA according to the results of centralized state examinations or according to the results of entrance examinations (depending on the specialty and level of education). In addition, they undergo an interview and an IQ test.
Duration and payment of tuition
The duration of study at BMA depends on the chosen program and the format of study. The academy offers full-time, evening and part-time forms of study.
- In college, the duration of study is 2 years in the full-time department and 2.5 years in the evening or part-time.
- At the undergraduate degree, students study 3-4.5 years, depending on the specialty and form of study.
- On the master's program - 1.5-2 years (for most specialties there is also an opportunity to study in the evenings or by correspondence).
- In doctoral studies: 3 years - full-time and 4 years - part-time.
The cost of training for foreign students (Russian stream) in Riga, Jelgava, Ventspils, Jekabpils and Smiltene for college, bachelor's and master's degrees is 2,300 euros per year, if paid by semesters - 1,250 euros per semester.
The branches in Daugavpils, Liepaja and Rezekne pay 1,650 euros per year or 1,000 euros per semester.
Doctoral studies cost 2,700 euros if paid per year or 1,500 euros per semester.
The university has budgetary places: from 1 to 3 places per year for each specialty. Students with outstanding academic achievements can be admitted to them.
Excellent students can get a 25% discount on tuition, orphans and disabled people - 5-15%.
If, before entering BMA, a student graduated from the Small Academy (an annual preparatory course worth 120 euros), then he will receive a 20% discount on tuition and tuition fees at MA will be counted in the amount of the first course fee.
Russian students can also receive a scholarship to study at BMA from the Moscow City Hall.
Online learning
The programs "Entrepreneurship" and "Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations" can be trained remotely.
The Academy provides students with comfortable conditions for remote education. An applicant can apply for distance learning and conclude an agreement in person or online. After that, he gets access to all the necessary training materials.
You can master the curriculum and receive advice at any convenient time. In addition, the student has the opportunity to attend lectures and seminars that are held at the university using an online connection.
For students of the correspondence department, there is a free schedule for passing tests, credits and exams, and students can do this via the Internet connection. To defend the thesis, you can, if you wish, come to Latvia, but not necessarily: it is allowed to do this remotely.
The cost of one semester of study in any specialty is 700 euros. In addition, citizens of non-EU countries pay 150 euros for paperwork, and citizens of EU countries - 20 euros.
For admission to the correspondence department, you can submit a package of documents to the university in person (originals and copies) or remotely (copies that are sent by mail).
Foreign language courses
The Baltic International Academy has a Center for Foreign Languages and ECL Certification. It provides everyone with the opportunity to learn languages, take tests and receive international language certificates. Classes are held as groups (at least 10 people) are recruited two to three times a week for 1.5–2 hours.
At the center, you can study English, German, French, Spanish, Swedish or Russian at a level from elementary to C1.
The center offers courses on improving foreign language skills to prepare for exams and obtain a certificate from the European Consortium for study and work in the countries of the European Union.
The course "Methods of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language" is conducted for teachers.
Pupils of the final grades of schools can take a centralized exam in foreign languages (Russian, German, English) to obtain an ECL certificate, which is recognized in all EU countries.
Useful information
BMA address in Riga: st. Lomonosov, house 4.
The official website of the Baltic International Academy: www.bsa.edu.lv.
Phone for inquiries: (+371) 6 7100610.
Email: [email protected]
Daugavpils: st. Dzelzceliu, building 3, tel .: (+371) 6 5444236.
Rezekne: st. Darzu, building 21/17, tel .: (+371) 6 4624696.
Jekabpils: st. Jauna 44, tel .: (+371) 6 5233030.
Jelgava: Jelgava district, Ozolnieki, st. Skolas, building 4B, tel .: (+371) 6 3050533.
Liepaja: st. Liedaga, building 3, tel .: (+371) 6 3425448.
Ventspils: st. Targales, building 5, tel .: (+371) 6 3624505.
Smiltene: st. Darza, house 17, tel .: (+371) 6 4772851.
Distance Learning Center: tel. +371 26016680 (Svetlana Polovko), email: [email protected].
Conclusion
Studying at the Baltic International Academy is a convenient opportunity for citizens of the Russian Federation to receive European education in their native language in the field of economics, business management, jurisprudence, social sciences and the humanities.
Tuition fees here are much lower than in other universities in the European Union. Students can choose the most suitable training format: daytime, evening, correspondence and distance learning.
