Cost of Studying in Latvia for International Students, 2026/27

For a non-EU student, a year of an English-taught bachelor's at a Latvian public university costs roughly $3,750–5,710 (€3,300–5,030), a master's mostly $3,630–7,050 (€3,200–6,210) and medicine $13,460–15,330 (€11,850–13,500). On top come one-off fees, migration charges and living costs: the national Study in Latvia portal puts average living costs at $510–790 (€450–700) a month, while RSU advises its students to budget at least $1,360 (€1,200) a month including housing. For the residence permit you must show $890 (€780) for each month of stay.

Put together, a first year including living costs comes to about $13,760–20,580 for a business bachelor's at LU and $27,310–34,120 for medicine at RSU. Below is where those totals come from and what changes with the programme and your passport.

Tuition fees by programme

All amounts are annual fees for non-EU citizens for 2026/27, as published by the universities.

Two details affect the total. On some LU programmes EU citizens pay less: $3,520 (€3,100) instead of $3,750 (€3,300) on Business Administration. At RSU the dentistry fee already includes dental materials for study.

One-off fees before you start

Also budget for the apostille and certified translation of your certificate, an English test and, for LU, the SAT; their cost depends on your country and test centre.

Migration fees and insurance

The procedure and document list are covered in our guide to the student residence permit in Latvia.

Living costs in Riga

Official estimates differ noticeably, and it helps to see both side by side.

University dorms cost more than the portal's lower bound. At RSU's Dzirciems hostel next to the main building, rooms cost $350–600 (€310–525) a month; RSU's Āgenskalns and Mežciems hostels also have cheaper unrenovated rooms. RSU warns that prices in Latvia can rise several times a year.

Proof of funds for the permit: $890 (€780) a month

For a study residence permit, PMLP requires funds equal to the minimum monthly wage for each month of stay; its table in force from 1 April 2026 sets this at $890 (€780). That is $10,630 (€9,360) for a year. Universities round up: RSU asks for a bank statement of at least $10,790 (€9,500), RTU for $10,670 (€9,400).

Statement requirements:

• signed and stamped by the bank, showing your name as in your passport, your passport number or date of birth and the closing balance;
• valid for three months;
• if the account belongs to someone else, RTU requires double the amount and a legalised statement from the account holder allowing you to use the money.

This money is not tuition: you show it in addition to the year or semester you have already paid.

First-year budget: three examples

The calculation includes the annual fee, application fee, residence-permit processing (30 days) and the D visa. If you file the permit application at an embassy, add the $200 (€180) consular fee; RTU's refundable deposit is not included. Living costs are shown in two versions: $790 (€700) a month, the upper end of the Study in Latvia range, and $1,360 (€1,200) a month as RSU recommends.

Over six years of medicine at RSU, tuition plus one-off fees alone come to about $94,130 (€82,900) at the current rate. Your fee for each year is fixed in the study agreement, so read its annex rather than just the fee page.

Paying from Russia and other CIS countries

• Bank transfer only. RSU accepts direct bank transfers, preferably in euros but also in other currencies; allow at least five working days for the payment to register. A parent or sponsor can pay, but the student remains responsible.
• Country surcharges. RTU warns that since 1 June 2025 Swedbank charges an extra $110 (€100) on transfers to the university's account involving a number of countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. One larger transfer is cheaper than several small ones.
• Flywire. RTU offers Flywire for the application fee and tuition.
• Russian bank cards. At the Latvian embassy in Moscow consular fees are payable only with international card schemes; cards issued by Russian banks are not accepted.

Legal ways to pay a European university from Russia are covered in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Discounts and scholarships: what is realistic

There are practically no free places for non-EU students on English-taught programmes, but some costs can be reduced.

RSU discounts for medicine and dentistry:

• up to 25% for academic excellence, from year 3, for 40 medicine and 4 dentistry students with a previous-semester average of at least 8/10; awarded automatically;
• 10% if a parent or sibling is studying at RSU;
• 5% for one semester for active involvement in university life;
• 10% for RSU graduates starting another programme;
• for top athletes, up to 100%; RSU quotes $3,970 (€3,500) a year, or $1,990 (€1,750) per semester, with no more than 30 recipients.

Only one discount applies at a time.

Latvian state scholarships via VIAA. For 2026/27 they were open to citizens of partner countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine; Russia, Belarus and Armenia are not on the list. Bachelor's students can apply only after completing one year of university study. Scholarships cover one academic year (up to 10 months); the last call ran from 1 February to 1 April 2026, and VIAA states plainly that the amount does not cover all expenses. For other options see scholarships abroad in 2026.

Can part-time work cover the costs?

Full-time students with a study permit may work 20 hours a week during term and 40 in holidays for any employer; master's and doctoral students have no hour limit. But the Latvian minimum wage for full-time work is $890 (€780) a month, so part-time earnings cover part of living costs at best, not tuition. RSU also warns that its medical programme is very demanding, which makes combining work and study hardest for medical students.

Common budgeting mistakes

• Counting tuition only. One-off fees, insurance, migration charges and a housing deposit add hundreds of euros to year one, and medicine at RSU another $2,040 (€1,800) registration fee.
• Planning on $510 (€450) a month. That is the national lower bound; in Riga with a university dorm, $790–1,360 (€700–1,200) is more realistic.
• Transferring money at the last minute. The bank statement for the permit is valid for three months, and international transfers from Russia and some CIS countries take longer than usual.
• Skipping the refund rules. Application fees are non-refundable everywhere; tuition refunds follow each university's rules, for example at RTU after the embassy confirms a refusal.
• Counting on part-time work to pay for everything. The hours and wages do not add up.

FAQ

How StudyU can help with your budget

A full budget for a specific programme, a shortlist of options within your means and a check of the agreement's payment and refund terms are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Fees and discounts are set by the university; funding requirements and the permit decision belong to PMLP. If you want to compare several Latvian programmes against your budget, send us a request. For an overview of institutions see universities in Latvia, and for the country, study in Latvia.

Sources

• RSU: tuition fees 2026/27 and one-off fees, payment information, discounts, life in Riga and budget, hostels, immigration procedure
• LU: programmes and fees, Business Administration, Medicine, Dentistry
• RTU: programmes and fees on apply.rtu.lv, refund after visa or permit refusal and Swedbank surcharge, immigration regulations and first-year permit guide
• RISEBA: terms of enrolment, TSI: admission and registration fee
• PMLP: necessary subsistence from 1 April 2026, first residence permit: documents and fee
• Cabinet Regulation No. 731 on migration service fees
• Immigration Law, Section 45 on student employment (likumi.lv)
• Latvian embassy in Russia: D visa, insurance, payment, Cabinet Regulation No. 707: consular fees from 1 May 2026
• Study in Latvia: cost of living
• VIAA: Latvian state scholarships 2026/27, conditions for study scholarships

ECB rate of 29.09.2026: €1 = $1.1355. Rounding step: $1 below $100, otherwise $10. Sources checked on 29.09.2026.

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