Plan your studies

Most information has been sourced from the website Study in Latvia, a public national body in charge of promoting Latvia’s higher education to international students, managed by the State Education Development Agency in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science. Please consult the website for a more detailed overview of higher education in Latvia.

Higher Education

The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Latvia are divided into two main groups: 16 state established and 8 private institutions. 

The academic institution conducts first-cycle studies (short cycle and bachelor’s degree), second-cycle studies (master’s degree), third cycle studies (Doctor’s degree) and long-cycle studies (medicine, dentistry and veterinary).

According to the QS World Universities Rankings 2026, the 4 Top Latvian Universities are Riga Technical University, The University of Latvia, Riga Stardins University, and Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, with engineering and medicine being the highest ranked subjects.

16% of all students in Latvia are international students (11.542 in total), with students from India, Uzbekistan, Sweden, Ukraine, and Germany being the top 5 countries of origin.

More information: Higher Education in Latvia

Degrees

Latvia conforms to the guidelines from the Bologna Process in European higher education. The Latvian structure of studies has been successfully implemented together with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). Furthermore, certain higher education degrees from Latvia are automatically recognized in Luxembourg and do not require registration in the register of formal higher education qualifications!

1^st cycle

• Professional higher education programmes, also known as college education (2-3 years),
• Bachelor’s degree (3-4 years).

2^nd cycle

• Master’s degree (2 years).

3^rd cycle

• Doctor’s degree (2-3 years).

Long-cycle

• Medicine, dentistry and veterinary (5-6 years).

Find your study programme

Visit the following website to find your study programme:

• Study in Latvia

Application

Entry Requirements

• Find your study programme and choose a university
  • Usually, a secondary leaving certificate is required to enter a bachelor’s degree. All students applying for studies in Latvia need to demonstrate sufficient study language proficiency (equal or higher than B2 according to CEFRL)*.

* The applicants, who have obtained secondary education in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and if the issued diploma includes the assessment of the study language proficiency, which is equivalent to B2 level or higher, are not required to provide an internationally recognized language proficiency certificate and can apply for studies without additional proof of the study language knowledge.

How to apply

Applicants need to contact the International Admissions Office of the university of their choice. To find the contact information and links to the admissions rules of the university, you can use the search engine.

Here are 5 steps to successfully apply at a Latvian university or HEIs:

1) Submit your application

• Collect all the required documents (usually copy of passport or ID, copies of education documents, English proficiency certificate, etc.). Fill in the application form and send application documents to the university's international admissions office. A non-refundable application fee may be charged by the university.

2) Wait for the recognition of your documents

• The university initiates the process of recognition of your education documents which are sent to an independent institution for academic verification.

3) Prepare for the exams and interview

• Some study programmes may require exams or an interview (online or in person) to determine your chance to get a study place or not. An official letter of study place offer will be issued offering you a study place or rejecting it.

4) Receive your study agreement and pay tuition fee

• The university sends a study agreement which should be signed before your arrival in Latvia. You will also be required to pay the tuition fee for the 1^st semester or year.

5) Manage your visa or residence permit

• No visa is needed for EU/EEA students, but it is recommended to register with the local authority where you live to get a residence permit.

Please contact the university for detailed information on the admission procedure as each university's admission procedure may vary.

Dates

The application deadlines depend on the specific intake:

• For the autumn semester the deadline for EU students is usually the beginning of July, and for non-EU students the beginning of June.
• For the spring semester the deadline for EU students is the beginning of December, and for non-EU students the beginning of November or mid-October.

Tuition fees

The cost of studies depends on the institution and the programme being followed.

The range is from less than €1,600 per year in certain bachelor’s degree programmes to €15,000 per year for a degree in Dentistry to €25,600 for Executive MBA degree.

Typical tuition fees per year in popular study areas approximately are:

There is a non-refundable application fee, which is around €150, but it may vary depending on the chosen university. There are HEIs in Latvia, which do not require application fee.

Useful Resources

Bookmark this link to always find useful information about studying and living in Latvia.