Master's Degrees in Latvia (2025 Guide)

Latvia
23	universities offer Masters in Latvia in English
105	Masters are available

Applying for a Master’s degree in Latvia (2025)

With a population of just under 2 million, Latvia is a small country - and it’s also an exciting one for international students! The quality of teaching and research is high, while the cost of living in this modern EU country is low.

Most Masters in Latvia are 2-year programmes, with some shorter exceptions. Want to get your MA, MBA, LLM, or MSc in Latvia? Then read on:

Find a Master in Latvia

This guide is regularly fact-checked by our university and admissions experts, most recently in February 2025.

Step-by-Step Guide

Find a Master in Latvia 🔍

There are around 100 Masters in Latvia completely taught in English. Find yours today!

Find yours today!
Know your tuition fees 💸

Latvian universities charge tuition fees, but compared to other fee-charging countries they are relatively modest: An English-taught Master in Latvia will cost around €4,000 to €6,000 per year.

Different to most other countries you might be considering for your Master’s degree: The tuition fees are often the same for students from the EU/EEA and students from other countries; and where they vary, the difference is usually small. At some universities with different fee levels, the lower fees also apply for students from CIS countries, Georgia, or Ukraine.
Learn about scholarships and funding options 🤝

Within Latvia, the most relevant scholarship option to know are the . These grants are available to citizens of only around 40 countries. If yours is among the list and you’re interested, note that the deadline is already in April. For European students, this might be before their Master application deadline.

Beyond this, some universities offer their own, smaller scholarship schemes. Inquire with admissions staff to learn about requirements and deadlines.
Prepare your application 📝

In Latvia, you apply directly to each university you are interested in. Some operate a self-built platform, some use an external provider (you may notice that their platforms look similar).

For your Master application, you generally need:
- Undergraduate diploma / Bachelor certificate; or if not yet issued, your most recent transcript of records, usually in English
- If your previous degree was not taught in English, you might need an English proficiency certificate (usually accepted: IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, Duolingo, and some others)
- CV
- Motivation letter
- In some cases: academic reference letters
Online entrance interviews are quite common, so make sure you know what you need for those.
Submit your application before the deadline 📅

There are two intakes to start your Master in Latvia: The more common in September, and then one for a start in late January or early February.

Depending on the university, the September intake can be called the summer or autumn intake, while you’ll find the January/February described as winter or spring intake.

To start your studies in September, you usually have to apply before a deadline between early April and early July. For a start in January/February, you can often apply up until November/December.

The exact deadlines vary between universities and depend on your nationality; and it may be different between universities how they choose to handle these groups:
- Students from outside the EU/EEA usually have to apply the earliest, often by 1 April. At some (but not all!) universities, students from “additional assessment countries” () have to apply earlier than those from other non-EU/EEA countries.
- Some universities then have a separate, slightly later deadline for students from , Georgia, and Ukraine.
- Students from Latvia or other EU/EEA countries can usually apply by the latest available deadline. At some (but again: not all!) universities, this is also the deadline for students from countries where no visa is necessary to enter Latvia ().
To make it more complicated, some universities also have specific separate deadlines for certain origin countries (such as India) regardless of the country groups above. The important takeaway is: If you’re a student from outside the EU/EEA, expect deadlines from ca. April, and check the university rules to know the exact dates that are relevant for you.

Note that Latvian universities charge application fees. Depending on your nationality, they can be relatively high: The range goes from €30 to nearly €300, and this amount is non-refundable.
Find accommodation 🏠

The cost of living in Latvia is generally quite affordable, and that’s the same for student accommodation. Universities usually offer some guidance; and you’ll often find information about “student hotels”, which are effectively what elsewhere would simply be called student residences or dormitories. You can get shared rooms for as little as €150 per month; single rooms (where available) are usually more expensive.
Apply for a student visa 🛂

Students who are not citizens of the EU may need a student visa for Latvia (with some exceptions). You can apply for a visa...
- ...at a Latvian embassy or consulate, if there is one in your country (but there aren’t that many outside of Europe, );
- ...in some countries, at the embassy of another Schengen state - to learn which country’s embassy handles visas for Latvia in your country;
- ...and if neither of the above is available: at the Latvian embassy in another country that is in charge of your region (); for example, Latvia’s embassy in Egypt covers much of Africa.
For the visa application itself, the following documents are usually required:
- Filled in visa application form
- Passport with sufficient validity
- Photo
- Travel medical insurance
- Master’s admission letter
- Proof of accommodation or proof of sufficient funds to cover accommodation expenses
- Proof of sufficient financial means of subsistence for the intended stay
Plan your trip 🧳

All set? Then you’re nearly there! Latvia is most easily reached by plane, and you’ll likely find a connection to Riga, the capital. Alternatively, you could look into flying to Latvia’s neighbouring Baltic countries, Estonia or Lithuania, and then take the train or bus from there. In this case, if you are from outside the EU, make sure your visa allows for this itinerary.

Best of luck with your Master in Latvia!