State Education Development Agency - Latvian Scholarships for studies

Latvian State Scholarship for studies

You will receive a monthly scholarship to study at a university in Latvia. It amounts to 700 EUR per month for up to 11 months for a PhD programme and 500 EUR per month for up to 10 months for a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme. The scholarship is awarded for a maximum of two semesters within a study cycle. If you wish to study for a further year, you must reapply. The scholarships do not cover tuition fees (approximately 2,800 to 15,000 EUR per year), travel to and from Latvia, accommodation costs or health insurance. You may use the scholarship to pay your tuition fees. The scholarships are provided by the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science. The State Agency for Educational Development (VIAA) administers them on the basis of agreements with partner countries.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a national of one of the approximately 39 partner countries. These include many European countries (for example, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and Lithuania) as well as countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Ukraine, Mexico and the USA.
• Study level: You are planning to start a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree at a Latvian higher education institution.
• For Bachelor's applicants: You have already completed at least one full academic year at a higher education institution, either in your home country or in Latvia.
• For Master's and PhD applicants: Any previous university degree you have completed qualifies you for this role.
• Field of study: All compartments are open.
• Study place first: You have decided to study a degree programme at a Latvian higher education institution and have received an official letter of confirmation from your contact person there prior to submitting your application.
• No double funding: You are not currently receiving any other scholarship.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the VIAA application system between 1 February and 1 April each year. First, obtain the letter of confirmation from your chosen Latvian higher education institution. A VIAA committee will review all applications, and you will be notified of the decision by email in June.

How realistic are your chances?

As only nationals of the partner countries are eligible to participate, the pool of applicants is limited from the outset. No single country may account for more than 10% of the total budget, which limits the presence of any single national group. The biggest hurdle is the preparatory work: you need a place on a course and a letter of confirmation from a Latvian university before you can even apply. This filters out casual applicants. If you have this letter, meet the requirements and apply in good time before the April deadline, your prospects are good.