Scholarships and Part-Time Work for Students in Latvia

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Latvia has few scholarships for international students starting a bachelor's degree. The biggest saving is a free state-funded place, and that is open mainly to EU citizens studying in Latvian. Everyone else should plan to pay the full fee and treat any award or job as a bonus.

Free places for EU citizens

Public institutions have state-funded (budget) places with no tuition fee. Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland compete for them on equal terms with Latvians; at the University of Latvia, for example, other foreign citizens can only take paid places. Most budget places are in programmes taught in Latvian. Universities also pay state-funded scholarships each semester; the University of Latvia takes applications in its information system at the start of each semester, so ask your faculty who is eligible. See how much it costs to study in Latvia.

Latvian State Scholarships: not for first-year students

The State Education Development Agency (VIAA) runs the Latvian State Scholarships for foreigners, under Cabinet Regulation No. 68 of 2012. They are open only to citizens of countries with an education agreement with Latvia, or of countries that offer scholarships to Latvians, and the list is published each year.

For bachelor's study the conditions rule out new entrants:

you must already have completed at least one academic year of higher education, at home or in Latvia;
you need a confirmation letter from a Latvian institution, issued by its designated contact person;
the scholarship covers up to 10 months and can be held for no more than two terms within one study cycle;
it cannot be combined with other scholarships, and VIAA warns that it does not cover all living costs.

In 2026 the call ran from 1 February to 1 April, and decisions were sent in June. For a full degree, then, it is at most a short top-up from your second year on.

University scholarships and discounts

Awards come mostly from the institutions themselves. Three examples:

Stockholm School of Economics in Riga awards up to 20 scholarships to outstanding applicants to its BSc in Economics and Business, irrespective of the applicant's home country, and also offers grants.
Rīga Stradiņš University gives tuition discounts in its English-taught Medicine and Dentistry programmes. Up to 25% of the fee goes to the best students from the third year onwards (40 places in Medicine and 4 in Dentistry, with a weighted average of at least 8.000), and 10% to students whose parent or sibling already studies at RSU.
University of Latvia awards a €2,000 Baltic Universities Scholarship each year, together with the universities of Tartu and Vilnius, to a student who shows proficiency in all three Baltic languages. Its foundation runs patron scholarships for outstanding students and students with limited means; information for EU and non-EU citizens is given on request.

Loans and aid from home

The University of Latvia notes that EU citizens with a valid permanent residence permit, as well as Latvian citizens, can take study and student loans from banks with a state guarantee from ALTUM, the state development finance institution. RSU reminds students from Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands that they can apply for their own country's study finance, such as Kela, Lånekassen, CSN, SU or DUO. See also scholarships and financial aid in Europe.

Working while you study

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can work without a permit and without an hours limit.
Students from outside the EU with a long-stay visa or temporary residence permit for full-time studies may work for any employer up to 20 hours a week, and 40 hours a week during breaks, under Section 9 of the Immigration Law.

The national minimum monthly wage is €780 in 2026. It is reviewed every year, so check the figure for 2027 before you plan a budget around it.

Tax and social insurance

Students pay the same taxes on wages as other employees, and the employer withholds them:

Personal income tax on salaries is 25.5%, according to the State Revenue Service (VID).
State social insurance contributions are 34.09% in total, of which 10.50% is paid by the employee.
A non-taxable minimum of €550 a month applies in 2026, but only through the employer who holds your tax booklet, so make sure your main employer has it.

Education costs, medical bills and donations can be claimed in the annual income declaration as eligible expenses, up to €600 a year in total.

Where to find work

University career centres. The University of Latvia's Career Centre offers career counselling, CV and cover-letter help, skills workshops and an annual employers' fair, and runs the E-careers job portal. Other universities have similar services.
The State Employment Agency (NVA) publishes vacancies in its CV and vacancy portal.

Many part-time jobs expect some Latvian, so a language course in your first year pays off. Do not build your budget on work: for a residence permit you must show enough money for your stay in advance. See student visa for Latvia and working while studying in Europe.

Where to look next

Official sources

VIAA: Latvian State Scholarships for studies
University of Latvia: Fees, grants and scholarships
Rīga Stradiņš University: Tuition fee discounts
Immigration Law: Section 9 on students' right to work (likumi.lv, English translation)
State Revenue Service: Personal income tax

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.