Applying to Latvian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines and Steps

There is no central admissions system for international students in Latvia. You apply online to each university separately, and selection rests on school grades, an English certificate and an interview. LU adds an SAT requirement of 1200+ for school-leavers educated outside the EU, and RTU a short maths test. Once admitted, the university sends a study agreement and requests an invitation, on the basis of which the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) decides on your residence permit.

The timing trap most applicants miss: citizens of Russia apply earlier than everyone else — by 1 April at RSU and by 1 May at LU and RTU (the 2026 pattern). A Russian school-leaver does not yet have a final certificate on those dates, so the realistic start is RSU's February intake for medicine and dentistry, RTU's January intake for selected programmes, or September of the following year.

Who decides what

Is an 11-year school certificate enough?

Yes. Latvian universities accept certificates from 11-year school systems directly; no foundation year is required for that. What they check is your grades in the key subjects and the AIC recognition of the document.

RSU publishes minimum grades by country. For bachelor's programmes and medicine they apply to compulsory subjects; other grades simply need to be passes.

For medicine RSU also requires at least 70% in English, mathematics and biology or chemistry, and 80% in biology and chemistry for dentistry, where having both biology and chemistry counts in your favour.

LU converts grades to its 10-point scale. Non-EU citizens need an overall average of at least 6/10 and at least 8/10 in the key subjects (mathematics for Computer Science and Business Administration, biology and chemistry for medicine). If you finished school outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, LU also requires an SAT total of at least 1200 and holds an online interview; see our guide to SAT or ACT.

RTU sets a general bar of 60% of the maximum grade at the previous level, with an emphasis on mathematics and physics for technical programmes.

RISEBA also sets a 60% threshold for non-EU applicants.

English: which results are accepted

If your whole previous education was in English, RSU and RTU accept a medium-of-instruction letter instead of a test.

Interviews and entrance tests

• RSU: a motivational interview on Zoom is compulsory for applicants from outside the EU unless they live in the EU. Expect questions about why this programme and RSU, how it fits your plans, and what you know about Riga and Latvia. You are invited only once your file is complete.
• RTU: you record a video interview online at a time that suits you, within 7 days of the invitation. Bachelor's applicants also take a 10-question online maths test.
• LU: an online interview for bachelor's applicants; the MBA International Business adds a written exam in international economics and requires at least two years of work experience.

Deadlines by citizenship

Deadlines differ by university and by passport. Citizens of the countries on Latvia's additional-check list, which includes Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan, apply first.

LU and RTU publish their September 2027 dates closer to opening. In the last cycle LU opened applications on 1 December or 1 January depending on the programme, and RTU on 1 January.

When can a school-leaver realistically start?

LU does not accept applications with provisional results, and RTU asks for a final secondary certificate. RSU lets only certain systems send certificates after the deadline: German Abitur, IB and school-leavers from Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands. A Russian school-leaver receives the certificate at the end of June, after the deadlines for that passport have closed.

Applicants who left school earlier can apply for September in the usual way.

Application documents

The core bachelor's file:

• passport (for Russian citizens, biometric only);
• school certificate and transcript in the original language plus a certified English translation;
• an apostille on the certificate (Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Hague Convention members issue it domestically; other countries require consular legalisation);
• an English certificate or medium-of-instruction letter;
• a motivation letter (at RSU, on the official form and no older than two years);
• references: two at RSU from teachers or employers, not relatives; one at RTU;
• an SAT score for LU;
• proof of the application fee: $110 (€100) at RSU, $190 (€165) at RTU, $190 (€170) at LU, none of which is refundable.

For a master's, replace the school certificate with a bachelor's diploma and supplement and add a CV. Some programmes ask for more, for example a 1,000-word essay for RSU's International Relations and Diplomacy.

Recognition and legalisation

After you pay the fee, the university sends your certificate to the AIC, Latvia's ENIC-NARIC centre, which decides which Latvian qualification and European Qualifications Framework level it corresponds to. RSU says this usually takes up to a month, or up to four months if more information is needed; LU quotes 4–6 weeks.

Legalisation and recognition are different things: the apostille proves the document is genuine, recognition establishes its level. RSU insists on original stamps and signatures from the authority that legalised the document, and LU asks you to complete legalisation before applying for a visa or residence permit.

After you are admitted

1. Agreement and payment. RSU expects the tuition fee and other payments within two weeks of the offer, then payment each semester. LU requires the full first year before you apply for a visa or permit. RTU takes a deposit, $570 (€500) on its portal for Russian and CIS citizens, and refunds unused amounts if a visa or permit is refused, once the embassy confirms it.
2. Invitation. The university's immigration officer files an invitation that PMLP approves; this is standard for all non-EU students.
3. Residence permit and visa. Some students apply for the permit at an embassy before travelling; others enter on a D visa and apply in Latvia. For Russian citizens the order is fixed: PMLP decision first, then the visa. Details in our guide to the student residence permit in Latvia.
4. Arrival. Orientation week, the university's residence-permit briefing, an X-ray, health insurance and registering your address.

Sample timeline: a Russian school-leaver aiming for September 2028

For citizens of Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan the same plan moves one year earlier: you can apply in June–July of your final school year if the certificate is already issued.

If your English is not there yet

RTU runs a General English Foundation course: a full year costs $3,970 (€3,500) and one semester $2,840 (€2,500). It raises your English level but does not replace programme requirements; you still go through normal selection afterwards. At RSU and LU the English certificate is needed at the point of application, so start preparing early.

Common mistakes

• Planning September straight after a Russian school. The early deadlines for Russian citizens close before school finals; start with the February or January intakes.
• Forgetting LU's SAT. Without it, a non-EU school-leaver's application to Computer Science, Business Administration or Medicine will not be considered.
• Sending documents without an apostille or with copies instead of original stamps. The university will not enrol you until the document is legalised.
• Paying the fee before checking your passport. Latvia does not accept non-biometric Russian passports for visas or residence permits.
• Putting everything on one university. Fees are small compared with losing a year; two or three applications give you a fallback.

FAQ

How StudyU can help

Choosing programmes, checking your grades and English against each university's requirements, preparing letters and the document file and supporting your application are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission rests with the university, the residence permit with PMLP and the visa with the Latvian embassy. If you want to know which intake is realistic for your graduation year and passport, send us a request. For a country overview see study in Latvia, and for a comparison of universities, universities in Latvia.

Sources

• RSU: September and February deadlines, general requirements, English requirements, interview, recognition, legalisation, application documents, Admissions Procedure 2026/27, Annexes 11–12 (PDF), fees and payment terms
• LU: international admissions, 2026 deadlines and post-admission steps; programme requirements Computer Science, Business Administration, Medicine, MBA International Business
• RTU: admission and deadlines, apply.rtu.lv, BSc Computer Systems: requirements and January intake, General English Foundation Year, refund after visa refusal
• RISEBA: terms of enrolment
• Academic Information Centre (AIC): recognition of foreign diplomas
• Cabinet Regulation No. 554: additional-check countries
• PMLP: restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens, biometric passports

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

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.