History
The University of Latvia has been founded in 1919 and currently, with its more than 14 000 students, 13 faculties and over 20 research institutes and independent study centres, is one of the largest comprehensive and leading research universities in the Baltics. The University offers more than 130 state accredited academic and professional study programmes.
Education
At UL, you can obtain an academic bachelor’s or master’s degree in humanities (philology, philosophy, history, theology a.o.), pedagogy, social sciences (economics, communication studies, political science, psychology, sociology, law, management a.o.), natural sciences (biology, physics, geography, geology, chemistry, mathematics, environmental science a.o.), and health sciences (pharmacy, nursing). The UL also offers professional qualifications or bachelor’s or master’s degree, including MD, qualifications of doctor, teacher, social worker, economist, translator/interpreter etc.
Research
At University of Latvia, research is conducted in over 50 research fields which represent four main areas of inquiry: the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences. The University of Latvia pays great attention to the development of international collaboration.
Career
- Career center:
Information on career and open vacancies in UL portal.
Consultations on best suitable study and/or work field for scholars, students and graduates offered by competent career consultants and psychologistsCareer related activities like Career Day, Organization presentations, Curriculum Vitae workshops, Recruiting procedure simulation and Career planning seminars
Student services
Students' Council of the University of Latvia is an independent collegial institution, which represents the rights and interests of the students of the University of Latvia.
Housing services
University of Latvia (UL) offers two student hotels for International students “Prima hostel” and ”Reznas student hotel”. Both of them are located in Riga, Reznas street. There is a well-developed public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes to reach city centre, main building of the University of Latvia as well as Old town and Central Railway station.
Library services
- UL Academic Library (founded in 1524) is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. The total stock of the UL Academic Library comprises 3.3 million units of information resources. Its collection of manuscripts spans the period from the 13th century to the present day.
- UL Library is an accredited library of national significance, affiliated to the largest Latvian university.
Campus life
University of Latvia (UL) offers two student hotels for International students “Prima hostel” and ”Reznas student hotel”. Both of them are located in Riga, Reznas street. There is a well-developed public transportation, it takes about 20 minutes to reach city centre, main building of the University of Latvia as well as Old town and Central Railway station.
Sports facilities
UL Sports Center (SC) offers up to 40 different lessons in 12 sports where practices are run by professional coaches.Everyone can choose the most suitable course, for the intensity of the load and for the individual interests.
- basketball
- wrestling
- fitness group classes
- floorball
- football
- table teniss
- crosscountry skiing
- athletics
- self defence
- volleyball
- Kendo
- UL Football League
- UL Basketball League
Student clubs
The creation of NABAKLAB is not an accidental event originating from external historical circumstances; it is the result of the spiritual maturity accumulated and shaped by an intellectual human.
The idea of the necessity of NABAKLAB is connected with a call of cultural and educated people at the beginning of the XXI century to strive for knowledge and high-quality sound by creating a compelling, high standard club. This call materialized in 2009 when café “Gauja” and "Radio Naba” of the University of Latvia decided to establish a new club.
University of Latvia Overview
University of Latvia Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 14.8% Latvia
Top 4.8% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
801
By TopUniversities
Dropped 20 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 801 | 781 | 801 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
1212
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 48 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1022 | 1164 | 1212 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
1001
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | - | 1001 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of Latvia Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
Latvia Country
Riga City
University of Latvia Student Reviews & Awards
4.4
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 79 Reviews
- 4 Star 17 Reviews
- 3 Star 3 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Admission Process 4.2
Combined programme in biotechnology
This study programme is a joint programme between University of Latvia and Riga Technical University. The programme offers both theoretical knowledge base and practical skillset for future biotech professionals. Courses are led by researchers and industry experts. Some courses may be improved in terms of coursework and overlaping content.
Improved practical lab experience.
There were a lot of lab practicals throughout the coursework, some semesters were really packed.
Solid foundation in chemistry
Bachelor's is solid, gives a good view on organic, physical and analytical chemistry.
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Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?