Riga Stradiņš University
About
Riga Stradiņš University (RSU), Latvia's flagship public health-sciences university founded in 1950 and QS-ranked 1001–1200 globally, offers English-taught medicine, law, and health programmes from €4,000/year — among the lowest in the EU for English-taught medicine — with an accessible IELTS 6.0 bar. Over 27% of its 12,474 students are international, reflecting established support for foreign students, plus full EU labour-market access.
Riga's medical quarter has teaching hospitals, research clinics, and university buildings integrated into real healthcare infrastructure. Living costs of €800–1,000/month are far below Western European medical capitals, and the student atmosphere mixes study with genuine clinical work.
Application deadlines
- SeptemberMay 01
Non-EU countries. Countries requiring additional assessment: Apr 01. EU/visa-free: Jul 01. Source: rsu.lv/en/admissions.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at Riga Stradiņš University as a non-EU student?
Tuition for non-EU students at Riga Stradiņš University is €4000 per year. Living costs in Riga are separate.
What IELTS score do you need for Riga Stradiņš University?
English-taught programmes at Riga Stradiņš University typically require IELTS 6 or equivalent. Confirm the exact requirement per programme on the official admissions page.
How much money do you need to show for a student visa to Latvia?
For a student residence permit in Latvia you must prove €9,360 per year (2026, PMLP — necessary subsistence: https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/necessary-subsistence-0).
Does Riga Stradiņš University offer scholarships?
Institution-specific options: Tuition discounts for UA; Monthly scholarships for UA. Latvian state scholarship: UA/KZ/UZ eligible; RU/BY not eligible. RSU has dedicated UA support.
Where is Riga Stradiņš University located?
Riga Stradiņš University is in Riga, Latvia. Dzirciema iela 16, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia
What can you study at Riga Stradiņš University?
Fields offered include: Medicine, Law, Social Sciences, Economics, Business.
Accommodation
RSU runs its own halls of residence. Dzirciems rooms fall into three categories, €310–525/month; the same rate applies to RSU and RSU SKMK students. Deposit equals one month's rent, refunded within four weeks of the lease ending.
Source- rsu.lv · apply for a place in halls here
- HousingAnywhere
- Uniplaces
- Spotahome
Scholarships
- 🎓Tuition discounts for UA
- 🎓Monthly scholarships for UA
- 🏛Latvian State Scholarship: €500–700/month (UA/KZ/UZ only)
Latvian state scholarship: UA/KZ/UZ eligible; RU/BY not eligible. RSU has dedicated UA support.
National funding for this destination
Honestly
Why this works
- Latvia is an EU member: a degree from RSU gives access to EU-wide job markets and Schengen freedom of movement.
- RSU is Latvia's flagship public university for health sciences, established 1950, with QS rank 1001–1200 globally.
- Estimated tuition of €4,000/year is among the lowest in the EU for English-taught medicine and health programmes.
- IELTS 6.0 entry threshold is accessible for most CIS applicants without intensive exam preparation.
- Over 27% of RSU's 12,474 students are international, indicating an established support infrastructure for foreign students.
- Students on a Latvian residence permit can work up to 20 h/week during term and 40 h/week in holidays without a separate work permit.
What to check
- Tuition of €4,000/year is an estimate only — the RSU website was inaccessible as of May 2026 and official figures are unverified.
- Application deadlines, specific programme names, and full admissions requirements cannot be confirmed until RSU restores its portal.
- RSU's primary recruitment markets are Germany, Scandinavia, and Finland — CIS-specific visa and admission pathways are not documented.
- Riga has a notably cold, grey climate with long dark winters that can affect wellbeing for students from Central Asia or southern Russia.
- English-medium programmes are concentrated in health sciences; law and social-sciences teaching may be primarily in Latvian, limiting options.
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These fields in the country
Tuition and deadlines change with each academic year — the date beside the figures says when we last confirmed them on the official source. Visa rules are set by governments and can change between our checks.
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