Riga Stradiņš University

Why this works

• Latvia is an EU member: a degree from RSU gives access to EU-wide job markets and Schengen freedom of movement.
• RSU is Latvia's flagship public university for health sciences, established 1950, with QS rank 1001–1200 globally.
• Estimated tuition of €4,000/year is among the lowest in the EU for English-taught medicine and health programmes.
• IELTS 6.0 entry threshold is accessible for most CIS applicants without intensive exam preparation.
• Over 27% of RSU's 12,474 students are international, indicating an established support infrastructure for foreign students.
• Students on a Latvian residence permit can work up to 20 h/week during term and 40 h/week in holidays without a separate work permit.

What to check

• Tuition of €4,000/year is an estimate only — the RSU website was inaccessible as of May 2026 and official figures are unverified.
• Application deadlines, specific programme names, and full admissions requirements cannot be confirmed until RSU restores its portal.
• RSU's primary recruitment markets are Germany, Scandinavia, and Finland — CIS-specific visa and admission pathways are not documented.
• Riga has a notably cold, grey climate with long dark winters that can affect wellbeing for students from Central Asia or southern Russia.
• English-medium programmes are concentrated in health sciences; law and social-sciences teaching may be primarily in Latvian, limiting options.

Accommodation

€350-600/mo private — No on-campus accommodation listed on rsu.lv for degree students. Erasmus dorm exists but not for self-funded applicants.

Scholarships

• • Tuition discounts for UA
• • Monthly scholarships for UA

Latvian state scholarship: UA/KZ/UZ eligible; RU/BY not eligible. RSU has dedicated UA support.