Latvian universities teach a reasonable number of master's programmes in English, especially in business, IT and engineering, at fees below Western Europe. State scholarships are administered by the State Education Development Agency.
Applications go directly to the universities, with decisions usually inside a month.
At a glance
| Language | English for selected master's programmes |
|---|---|
| Tuition | Roughly €2,500–€6,000 a year |
| Living costs for the permit | About €500 a month evidenced |
| Main intake | September |
| Where you apply | Directly to the university |
| After graduation | 9 months to seek work |
What they require
- Bachelor's in a related field with academic recognition
- IELTS 6.0–6.5
- Motivation letter and CV
How admission actually works
Direct university admission, with recognition of the foreign degree by the Academic Information Centre.
How much does a supervisor matter?
Not needed for master's. Required for doctorate.
Doctoral candidates work with a supervisor and are usually funded through university or project money.
When applications open and close
The pattern below is what these systems normally do. Every programme sets its own dates, so treat this as the planning shape and confirm on the official portal linked at the end.
Funding that genuinely exists here
For students, researchers and summer schools, through the State Education Development Agency.
Partial fee reductions.
Documents this country asks for
- Recognition statement from the Academic Information Centre
- Apostilled transcripts
- Proof of funds and insurance
Visa and permit
A long-stay visa then a temporary residence permit; the university guides the process.
After you graduate
9 months to seek work
Graduates may apply for a nine-month residence permit to look for employment.
What they favour
- Applicants with clear professional goals
- Early recognition applications
- Realistic funding plans
Where applications fail
- Leaving recognition late
- Assuming broad English-taught coverage
- Missing the non-EU deadline
Official sources
- Study in Latvia
- State Education Development Agency
- Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs
Rules and dates change, sometimes mid-cycle. These are the pages that carry the authoritative version; if anything here disagrees with them, they are right. Reviewed September 2026.