If you are looking for an affordable way to pursue a medical degree, studying medicine in Latvia is a great option. The country offers world-class education and hospitals.
Latvia is fastly growing to be one of the most preferred destinations for students who wish to study medicine abroad. This Baltic country has much to offer in terms of educational quality, cultural attractiveness, and environmental beauty. Students should pay attention to the University of Latvia and Riga Stradins University. Both of them teach medicine in English in the Latvian capital Riga.
More and more international medical students choose Latvian medical universities to graduate with M.D. and D.M.D. every year. With its well-developed higher education system and infrastructure, it’s not surprising that this country is one of the best places to study medicine in Europe. Joining the European Union in 2004 and the Schengen area in 2007 gave unlimited horizons to the applicants wishing to study medicine in English in Europe.
The two medical universities in Riga welcome hundreds of new international students every year, providing them with well-organised and balanced courses. The future of medicine looks bright for Latvian graduates.
Check out our price breakdown of medical schools in Latvia
Riga Stradins University is located in Riga, Latvia - the biggest city in the country, and its cultural center. The university itself is one of the most esteemed medical institutions in the country, and among the best in the world. International students who wish to study medicine in Europe can enrol in medical and dentistry programmes in English.
1. Riga Stradins University (RSU) was founded in 1950 in the capital Riga. Currently, the university has 5 medical sciences faculties offering courses in English. The university ranks among the top 500 European universities and the top 1000 universities in the world. The high-quality education provided by this university attracts international students, mostly from Germany, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
At Riga Stradins University, you can study medicine, dentistry and pharmacy in English. The medicine course lasts 6 years and costs per year. The dentistry course costs and lasts 5 years.
Applying for this university shouldn’t worry you at all. The entry requirements include a high school diploma with at least two semesters studying Chemistry, Biology and Maths. Also, if you are not coming from an English-speaking country, you be required to present an English language certificate.
The Latvian Medical University offers 2 hostels. The hostel Agenskalns is with a capacity of 200 rooms for 600 people. The accommodation is located 5 minutes away from the university. Depending on your preferences, whether to live alone or with roommates, your monthly rent can vary between up to .
The Dzirciems hostel is newly built directly to the main RSU building. It consists of 135 rooms, including 4 rooms for disabled students. The price here varies between per month.
The admission requirements in Latvia’s English-speaking medical programmes are very straightforward. The University of Latvia needs good high school grades in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Riga Stradins University also requires good grades in Biology and Chemistry, but the third module is in Mathematics. Both universities require a certificate for English proficiency for students who are not native speakers.
From a financial perspective, Latvia falls right in the middle regarding living costs and tuition fees. The country is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, thus the local population enjoys a higher living standard. However, Latvia has significantly lower living costs than Western European countries.
Tuition fees in Latvia are , dentistry is around €14,000 and pharmacy and medicine programmes are less expensive. The medicine course costs between €9,000 and €12,000, depending on the university. The pharmacy course is only offered at RSU at the price of €8,000 for the first two years and €9,000 for the last three years.
| Rent | Utilities | Transport | Food | Leisure |
| ~€450 | ~€200 | ~€50 | ~€250 | ~€150 |
The average living expenses in Riga, Latvia, are estimated at €1100 per month without rent. The rent for a single-bedroom apartment is between €300 to €450, depending on the location. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs around €9, and a monthly pass for public transportation is €50.
Students could opt in for a hostel room to save money. The difference in prices comes mainly from the number of occupants per room. Naturally, privacy costs more. RSU rooms cost between €80 to €400.
At present, RSU offers a graduate-entry route only in the Latvian language. Medlink Students is in constant touch with the university and will update any new information regarding the English graduate entry route.
Meanwhile, you may consider Poland for graduate entry into medicine or dentistry.
Latvians are friendly, hospitable, enterprising, and tolerant. The population shows near-equal splits between Lutheranism, Catholicism, and Russian Orthodox. Therefore, international students would find themselves welcome in Latvia.
Still, if you wonder whether Latvia is a good place to study, there are additional practical and lifestyle reasons to consider.
Here are the main objective reasons why you might consider studying in Slovakia:
Latvia is quite a diverse place in a cultural sense. Latvians were among the last people to convert to Christianity in Europe, and they have kept many of their “pagan” customs and practices in their folk songs, legends and festivals. Speaking of songs and festivals, international students should prepare themselves to live among a nation of singers. Most Latvians have been a part of a singing choir at some point in their life.
While keeping their authenticity, the Baltic people have also borrowed much in language and customs from their neighbours and former rulers (namely Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Poland). Thus, while living in Latvia, one can see the log houses characteristic of Russia just a few miles away from a Gothic castle left from Medieval times. Expect to be surprised in Latvia, or better yet, leave most expectations behind.
As far as geography is concerned, the country is a hotspot for avid nature lovers. More than half of the country is covered in forests, and over 12,500 rivers are carving the countryside before emptying into the Baltic Sea. These great outdoors have been environmentally protected since the 17th century. Thus visitors can enjoy nature in its authentic form in the many parks and reserves throughout the country.
International students can enjoy forest hikes, river kayaking, and beach walks. In addition, adventurers can participate in husky dog sledding in the Winter. There would be no shortage of recreational activities for those thirsty to experience them.
There is one final unmentioned reason why you might consider studying medicine in Latvia. It’s fishing. With 12,500 rivers and the Baltic shore, you better believe there is a lot of fishing to do there. Float angling, spin-fishing, fly-fishing, ice fishing, boat fishing, and shore fishing are distinct possibilities in Latvia. You can catch salmon, sea trout, pike, vimba, and elusive Baltic monsters that dwell in the depths of your imagination.
One can associate a certain Northern cosiness with Latvia and its medical programme. While it might seem distant at first glance, Latvian medicine is known for its pioneer work on peripheral nerve injury, blood transfusion, and cancer treatment.
The universities in Riga teach in the same spirit that produced Pauls Stradins' groundbreaking research on obliterating endarteritis over a century ago. Moreover, their diplomas earn worldwide recognition among medical councils and are as good as many other universities you can study medicine in Europe.
Add the singing people and the lovely nature, and you have plenty of reasons not only to visit but to stay for a while in Latvia and study Medicine.
Do you feel like packing yet?
Since there are no entrance exams, you will be ranked based on the science grades in your high-school diploma. There are also some universities which only require you to attend an interview. Your personal advisor will be able to answer your specific questions.
Generally, the degrees are recognised worldwide. However, we advise you to check with your local medical council so you feel secure.
No, the living costs in Latvia are between €800 and €1100 per month.
The price of medical education in Latvia is €12000 per year.
It takes six years of education to become a doctor when studying medicine in Latvia. Two years are theoretical/pre-clinical, another three involve clinical practice, and finally, there’s an internship.
Yes. Its tuition costs are lower than they are in many Western countries, such as the UK and US. At the same time, Latvian medical universities provide the same high level of education as their contemporaries in the West.
Yes, working while being a medical student in Latvia is permitted. However, there are some restrictions, such as the number of hours you can work (20 during work weeks, 40 during summer and holidays).
No. The graduate entry option is not available at Latvian medical universities.
