The main application period for the Latvian State Scholarship for the 2026/2027 school year closed on April 25, 2026. The deadline was April 1, 2026. But if you’ve already sent in your application, the results will be out in June 2026.
If you’re planning for the 2027 cycle or looking for other ways to pay for school, here’s what the scholarship situation is like in Latvia.
1. Latvian State Scholarships (Paid for by the Government)
The State Education Development Agency (VIAA) runs these grants, which are the most popular among international students from more than 40 partner countries.
- • Monthly Payments (2026 Rates):
- Students in a bachelor’s program receive €500 per month.
- • Master’s students: €600 a month.
- • For PhD students, €700 a month.
- Length: Usually given for 10 months (Bachelor’s/Master’s) or 11 months (PhD) each school year.
- Important Note: These scholarships are mostly for living expenses. Some universities may offer tuition waivers along with the state grant, but you need to verify with your host school to be sure.
- • The next cycle will start on February 1, 2027, when applications for 2027/2028 will be accepted.
2. Scholarships for the Latvian State Summer School
The state also pays for short-term summer programs at major Latvian universities if you miss a degree scholarship.
- The Award: A €1,000 grant for each person, which goes straight to the summer school organiser to pay for your tuition and housing.
- The University of Latvia, Riga Technical University (RTU), and Daugavpils University were all part of the 2026 programs.
- Timeline: The call for summer programmes in 2027 will start in February of that year.
3. Scholarships for merit at specific universities
In addition to government funding, individual Latvian universities offer their own money to attract top international students.
- Riga Technical University (RTU):
- Provides a range of partial scholarships and tuition discounts for international students studying STEM and Business.
- RTU “Early Bird” Discount: Students who finish their application and pay their fees by early spring can often get 10% off their first-year tuition.
- The University of Latvia (UL):
- Offers specific scholarships funded by the foundation (like the University of Latvia Foundation grants) to international students who are currently enrolled and do exceptionally well in school or research.
- Riga Stradiņš University (RSU):
- Mostly focuses on merit-based discounts for international medical and social science students who keep their GPAs high.
4. Scholarships from the Vītolu Foundation
This organization is one of the most well-known private foundations in Latvia. They mostly help local students, but they sometimes work with groups to help certain international categories or students of Latvian descent who are coming back to Latvia.
5. How to make your 2027 application successful
To get a Latvian scholarship, you have to do two things in a specific order:
- Get accepted first: You can’t apply for the state scholarship without a Formal Letter of Confirmation from a Latvian Higher Education Institution (HEI). To make sure you get your letter by February, apply to college in November or December 2026.
- Bachelor’s Degree Requirement: Latvia only gives state scholarships to Bachelor’s students who have already finished at least one year of university study, either in their home country or in Latvia.
- The Motivation Letter: In 2026, reviewers will be more interested in “Regional Relevance”. Describe how your studies in Latvia will help your home country work better with the Baltic region.
6. A summary of costs and funding for 2026/27
Latvia is still one of the cheapest places to visit in the EU. Even without a full scholarship, the cost of living and tuition in many English-taught programs is between €2,500 and €5,000 per year.