Riga

Easy admission, courses taught in English and a campus right by the sea – Stradiņš University in Riga is attractive to German students. Since Latvia joined the EU in 2004, more and more young people are flocking to the country to study.

Studying is different in Latvia and Germany. You won’t find a cloakroom with female attendants – like at the theatre – at German colleges. Admittedly, the attendants at Stradiņš University create quite a muddle among the assorted down jackets, tokens and coats this February day. “No biggie,” says Lukas Herrmann, “it usually works out alright.” A verdict the German student readily extends to studying in Latvia in general. So does Julia Fritz, who has been studying medicine in Riga for a year now. “Everything is a little more like German high school here, but the people are easy-going and friendly.”
Julia and Lukas are two out of a total of 465 Germans studying at Stradiņš University, making up just about half of all international students; most of them are studying medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutics and the like. “Three years ago, we had about 200 Germans matriculated,” says Dean Smuidra Zermanos. “The increase began with EU membership in 2004. Today, international students make up 13 percent of our student body. We want to hit 20 percent by 2017.”

“We need young people here”

One of the reasons German students opt for studying abroad is the German system of waiting semesters. If their high school grades aren’t up to scratch, all they can do is either hope for one of the few places at university given out at random or wait for years until they begin their studies. In Latvia, the opposite is the case. “We need young people,” Zermanos explains. “The population is shrinking, many young Latvians are leaving the country and universities have capacities to spare.” Zermanos describes Stradiņš as a leading university in the Baltic region for foreign students due to the fact that courses in English have been offered since 1990. The hardships of the recent economic crisis, which also entailed budget cuts for public universities, have now been mostly overcome, she says.
“Most students come here for their first four semesters and then try to switch to a German college for the clinical section of their studies,” the dean explains. This is exactly the case for Julia and Lukas. “If I can’t get a transfer, though, I wouldn’t mind staying here, either,” says Lukas, reclining on a cafeteria chair. Julia seconds this with a nod. Everything in the cafeteria seems pleasantly familiar. There are even “homemade” rissoles on the menu for today. Guests are offered much in Riga, not just in terms of studies proper – but studying here doesn’t come cheap for German students. Tuition for the first two years is 16,000 euros – staying on until graduation costs 50,000. In comparison, studying in Germany is nearly free of charge.
Julia’s parents are doctors and pay her college fees. “If they didn’t, I’d have had to wait too long. But the fees are also a motivation to finish my degree as quickly as possible,” she says. The 19-year-old hails from the small town of Halberstadt, where she completed an internship at a hospital before going to Riga. “Some of my friends are nonplussed and ask: how can you do such a thing? But many think going abroad is a courageous step.” She appreciates the fact that classes are taught in English. “It’s a foreign language for us as well as the professors. That’s a fair deal.” She’s learning Latvian just the same, but it’s no easy task. “Whenever I say a sentence in Latvian and am met with a storm of words in return, I often don’t understand a thing.”

Cramming, parties and trips to the beach

Lukas is working on his Latvian as well. “My practice grounds are the Central Market. If the vocabulary gets too technical, I try using animal impressions to get my meaning across to my regular meat vendor.” Life abroad doesn’t make Lukas lose his cool. After graduating from high school, the 23-year-old from Cologne spent a year on a work and travel programme in South America, a semester studying economics in Berlin and became a trained paramedic. With all this under his belt, he can pay a portion of his tuition fees himself; his family helps out with the remaining costs. Lukas doesn’t spend all his time at Stradiņš University studying; together with other undergraduates, he organised a student association in the German tradition, hosting movie nights, parties and cultural events. “It’s all about getting students of different nationalities to interact,” says Lukas.
Both of the young people live in a dorm not far off campus and enjoy frequenting the old town in the evenings. In summer, Lukas likes going to the harbour or to the lake in the Mezaparks district, which once carried the pleasant name “Kaiserwald.” Julia likes spending time by the water as well: once the weather clears up, she often takes trips to Jurmala, a seaside resort on the Gulf of Riga. Both are of like mind concerning the country and its inhabitants: “We felt very welcome here. Latvians take a little longer than Germans to warm to strangers, but once the ice breaks, we have a great time.” At this rate, the two may soon become part of a group still waiting to emerge: young people from Germany who get their medical degrees in Riga – and then perhaps even stay around.