Online application:

1. Create an application in DreamApply
   
2. Add you personal details
3. Indicate an email address that you regularly check, as it will be used for all communications related to the application process
4. Upload the scans (not photos)
5. Fill in the application and upload the compulsory attachments including the admission assignment
6. Submit your application

Required Documents

1. Education documents (diploma and official transcript of records) and their official English translations
   
2. Proof of English proficiency
   
3. Resume/CV
4. Letter of Motivation
5. Copy of the biodata page of your passport or ID card (the document needs to be valid during the application process)
6. Admission assignment

Proof of English proficiency

You have to present the results of one of the internationally recognized tests (see below). If your previous studies have been obtained in English but in the country where English is not native language, then you have to present an official letter from your previous educational institution where is stated that all your studies were in English (medium of instruction is English), and you have to pass interview where the SDSI will evaluate your language skills. Applicants who have obtained previous education in English in one of the bellow listed countries do not need to provide separate language proficiency:

1. Australia
   
2. The Bahamas
   
3. Canada (except Quebec) 
4. Ireland
5. New Zealand
6. St Vincent and the Grenadines
7. United Kingdom
8. United States of America
9. South Africa

Internationally recognized foreign language certificate does not have to be presented if the foreigner has acquired secondary education in a country of the EU and the EEA or in the Swiss Confederation and in his secondary education certificate is included an assessment of foreign language skills, which are comparable to at least level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

SDSI accepts the following internationally recognized language tests:

1. Duolingo English Test*: at least 85 points
   
2. TOEFL IBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Internet-based: score of at least 72
   
3. TOEFL Essential - at least 8 points
4. IELTS (International English Language Testing System): score of at least 5.5
5. CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)/C2 Proficiency: any level
6. CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English)/C1 Advanced: any level
7. FCE (Cambridge English First Certificate in English)/B2 First: at least level B
8. PTE (Pearson Test of English) General: at least level B2
9. PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic: at least 51 point
10. LanguageCert International ESOL at least Level Communicator B2 (Written and Spoken exams)
11. Trinity Integrated Skills Test (ISE): ISEII, ISEIII, ISEIV with a pass in each component.

*The Duolingo English Test which is an online English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour for only $49. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample which are shared with the SDSI (Art Academy of Latvia) when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test sessions.

Resume/CV

The applicant should submit a CV containing the following information:

1. Personal and contact information (email and phone no.)
   
2. Overview of education, indicating the higher educational institution, field of study, degree obtained and the theme of the graduation work/project
3. Work experience, including the name of all employers of the past five years, job titles, duration of employment and description of the position and its responsibilities 
4. Language skills
5. Computer and software skills
6. Other activities, hobbies and interests

Motivational Letter

One of the most important parts of your application is the motivation letter, a short essay (in English, 4,600 characters maximum, including spaces).
In short, its goal is to introduce your background, support your application, and answer the question: "Why are you a suitable candidate?"

Some points that may help you answer this question:

1. Why have I chosen to apply to this program?
   
2. What do I expect to gain from my studies?
   
3. Why does my background make me a suitable candidate?
   
4. How will the program help me to achieve my goals? 
   
5. Include an analysis of your strengths when contributing to multicultural and cross-disciplinary team projects and a vision of your future plans in the field.   
   

NB! It is important to properly cite and reference any sources used in your motivation letter (quotations, publications, ideas, etc. that are not your own). Neglecting the rules of referencing and citation is considered plagiarism and will result in the disqualification of your application.

Admission assignment

Candidates must complete a service industry-related admission assignment (detailed instructions will be described in the application on-line portal Dreamapply during the application process). Successful candidates will be invited for interviews.

Interview:

1. The interview will be conducted in real time via Internet (Zoom). The exact interview time for each candidate will be announced via e-mail
   
2. Members of SDSI Admissions and Examination Committee will ask additional questions to the applicant based on presented documents, motivation letter and admission assignment. The questions may also refer to the candidate’s work experience, etc. Applicant’s motivation and knowledge of the general matters of service design will be tested
   

Study offer:

After successfully passing the interview, you will be conditionally accepted to SDSI and will receive an email. Read through the conditional acceptance letter – it includes a list of all the required information, documents, and deadlines!
Please see more information below in the section “Sending documents”.
All education documents will be assessed by the Academic Information Centre (AIC). 

Final acceptance:

The study agreement and the invoice for the tuition fee payment (if applicable) will be sent to candidates by email. The invoice includes money transfer details and a mandatory deadline for the payment to be made.
The final acceptance letter of candidate’s admission to SDSI will be issued after the university has:

1. received all the required documents by post, including the signed study agreement,
   
2. received a positive evaluation for education documents from AIC,
   
3. received the first-year’s tuition fee payment in full (if applicable).
   

All eligible applicants will be evaluated by the SDSI Admissions and Examination Committee taking into account the following elements:

1. The academic quality (qualification) of the applicant, judged primarily by the results of previous university studies.
   
2. The applicant's motivation and rationale for applying in terms of previous studies, work experience (if applicable), and future career plans in relation to SDSI's objectives, as judged by the CV in combination with the letter of motivation.
3. The applicant's admissions assignment, judged on how the materials demonstrate the applicant's service design potential -  the process applied, creativity, visual thinking, social value and sustainability of the proposed solution for the selected service challenge. Example of a previous admissions task from SDSI Admissions 2022.
4. The applicant's English language proficiency as assessed by the submitted certificate (if applicable) and interview.

1. Eligibility check:

1. Academic eligibility, i.e., proof of valid previous education;
   
2. Applicant’s English language proficiency as assessed by the submitted certificate (if applicable));
3. For scholarship candidates - geographical eligibility according to the list of the World’s regions and countries, whose citizens are eligible for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, based on the Grant agreement conditions with the EACEA on the project No. 101082388 “Joint Master's Degree Programme in Service Design Strategies and Innovations”.

2. Round 1 – 30% weight in the final admissions’ grade:

1. The applicant’s motivation and rationale for applying in terms of previous studies, work experience (if applicable), and future career plans in relation to SDSI’s objectives, as judged by the CV in combination with the letter of motivation; 20% weight in the total grade in Round 1;
   
2. The applicant’s admissions’ assignment has to demonstrate the applicant’s service design potential – the process applied, creativity, visual thinking, social value and sustainability of the proposed solution for the selected service challenge; 80% weight in the total grade in Round 1.

3. Round 2 – individual interview; 70% weight in the final admissions’ grade. 100 best applicants from the Round 1 will be invited for interviews. The applicants will have the opportunity to present themselves, and orally once more persuade the Admissions’ Committee of their motivation and the service design potential. Q&A session with representatives of the Admissions’ Committee.

NOTE! SDSI organizes only one student intake a year - for the next autumn semester.

Documents should be sent only upon the request of the SDSI programme coordinator. 

After you receive a study offer and are asked to send documents by post, please ensure the following:

1. Copies of education documents mentioned above are notarized; official translations of education documents in English are included.
   
   • Alternatively, Bachelor level documents can be forwarded electronically to our e-mail info@sdsi.ma directly from the university that awarded the degree. If the university is not able to issue the documents in English or the English version is not included, the candidate has to send official English translations separately to our e-mail.

What documents to include?

1. 2 signed copies of study agreement;
   
2. officially certified copy of Bachelor's diploma in the original language;
3. officially certified copy of academic transcripts in the original language;
4. authorized translation in English of Bachelor's diploma (if the originals are not issued in English);
5. authorized translation in English of academic transcripts (if the originals are not issued in English);
6. simple copy of passport identification pages (created by a photocopier);

All education documents sent to us have to be officially certified. The purpose of certifying/ notarizing is to ensure the authenticity of the original documents.

A notary is a lawyer or person with legal training who is licensed by the government to perform acts in legal affairs. Notarization is the act of officially certifying a legal document by a public notary. The purpose of having a legal document notarized is to ensure the authenticity of the signatures that appear on the document. Notarization is a verification that a document together with the signature attached to it is authentic.
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Please note that all the requested documents need to be prepared correctly and sent to us in one complete set on time. The applicant is responsible for the timely delivery of the required documents.

Documents should be sent to the following address:

Art Academy of Latvia
SDSI programme
Kalpaka boulevard 13
Rīga LV-1050
Latvia

If you are doing your last year of studies 

If the applicant is in the process of completing the last bachelor's semester and has not received a diploma yet, the application can be submitted with provisional results from his/her school. In this case, your degree has to be completed by:

1. 1st of July (for non-EU candidates);
   
2. 1st of August (for EU candidates);

Instead of a degree certificate, you will need to upload your own statement concerning your degree to the DreamApply application's system, including the following information:

1. interim transcript;
   
2. confirmation letter from the school with the expected date of graduation;
3. other relevant information concerning your graduation;

If you are admitted to the SDSI, your final education documents must arrive at the Art Academy of Latvia by post as soon as possible, by the personal deadline indicated in the DreamApply study offer at the latest. Please make sure that it is possible to send documents by the given deadline. If you fail to complete your degree or deliver documents by the deadline, your study offer will be dismissed.