Riga Technical University
Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte
The Baltic states' oldest technical university, teaching engineering and IT in English to students from nearly 100 countries.
- Students
- 14,266
- International
- 27%
- of students
- Tuition
- €3,550
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1862
About RTU
Riga Technical University traces its history to Riga Polytechnicum, whose first students enrolled on 14 October 1862, making it the first higher education institution in what is now Latvia and the oldest technical university in the Baltic states. Its early graduates helped build Riga's gas, electricity and tram networks and many of its Art Nouveau buildings. After a period as the University of Latvia's engineering faculties, it became independent again in 1958 as Riga Polytechnic Institute and took its current name in 1990.
RTU had 14,266 students on 1 October 2025, including 3,901 full-time international students, and says it offers more than 50 programmes in English. Teaching is organised into faculties of Civil and Mechanical Engineering; Natural Sciences and Technology; Computer Science, Information Technology and Energy; and Engineering Economics and Management, plus the Institute of Architecture and Design, Riga Business School, the Latvian Maritime Academy and branches in Liepāja and Rēzekne. Most teaching in Riga takes place on the Ķīpsala campus, on an island in the Daugava connected to the city centre by bridge.
Undergraduate fees for English-taught programmes are low, roughly 2,600 to 5,800 euros a year, and admission is based on school grades, a short online maths exam and a recorded video interview rather than national exams. RTU suits practically minded students who want an engineering, IT or business degree in an EU capital, with access to a prototyping Design Factory and Latvia's largest supercomputing resources.
Why students choose RTU
More than 50 programmes are taught in English, and about 3,900 full-time international students from nearly 100 countries study at RTU.
Bachelor's fees for English-taught programmes range from about 3,550 to 5,030 euros a year for non-EU citizens on the programmes checked, with a spring (January) intake as well as September for some programmes.
Students can use the RTU Design Factory prototyping workshops and the High-Performance Computing Centre, which RTU describes as the largest supercomputing resource in Latvia.
RTU belongs to the European University of Technology (EUt+) alliance and lists more than 500 partner universities for study abroad.
Admissions
Entry 2027 (spring intake January 2027; autumn intake September 2027)
Selectivity
RTU does not publish an acceptance rate for international applicants. The general minimum is a score of 60% or higher at the previous study level plus B2-level English; applicants are then assessed through a recorded online video interview and, for bachelor's programmes, a short online maths entrance exam.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate (international applicants) | Final secondary education certificate (high school or 4-year vocational secondary diploma) with an overall score of at least 60%, and good results in mathematics and physics for engineering and IT programmes; online maths exam and video interview; motivation letter, CV and at least one reference |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 72 B2 level: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72 (paper-based 532), TOEIC 780, Cambridge B2 First or PTE Academic 59. A letter confirming that your whole previous level of study was taught in English is accepted instead. RTU's TOEFL code is 8498. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 intake (selected programmes): applicants from India Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days1 November 2026
Studies start 25 January 2027. Shown on apply.rtu.lv for programmes with a spring intake, such as BSc Computer Systems and BSc Engineering Technology, Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering.
- Spring 2027 intake (selected programmes): EU/EEA applicants Non-binding In 56 days1 December 2026
23:59 Eastern European Time; studies start 25 January 2027. Deadlines differ by citizenship; for spring 2026 they ran from 1 October (applicants from a list of countries) to 15 November (other countries) and 1 December (EU/EEA and EU candidate countries).
Autumn 2027 dates had not been published when checked on 30 September 2026. For autumn 2026, applications opened on 1 January 2026, with deadlines of 1 May 2026 (applicants from a listed group of countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Iran and Russia), 15 June 2026 (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal), 15 July 2026 (other countries) and 1 August 2026 (EU, EEA and EU candidate countries); classes started on 1 September 2026. Expect a similar pattern for autumn 2027, and apply early if you need a visa.
How to apply
Create an account at apply.rtu.lv, choose your programmes and upload your secondary certificate and transcript with official English translations, an English certificate (or medium-of-instruction letter), a motivation letter, CV, reference and passport. Pay the non-refundable application fee (165 euros on the application portal), submit, then record the online video interview and take the entrance maths exam. RTU aims to decide within three weeks of the interview. Admitted students pay the full first-year tuition plus a security deposit (500 euros for non-EU citizens, 250 euros for EU citizens on the portal) before receiving immigration documents.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school score of at least 60%, with good results in mathematics and physics for engineering and IT programmes.
- English at B2 level or higher.
- A pass on the short online entrance maths exam taken by all bachelor's applicants.
- Motivation and future plans, shown in the motivation letter and recorded video interview.
- For applicants with a study gap, how the gap was spent, work experience and grades are assessed individually.
Tips for applying to RTU
- 1 Revise secondary-school maths before applying: every bachelor's applicant sits a 10-question online maths test.
- 2 Record your video interview promptly; you have up to 7 days after the invitation.
- 3 Check your citizenship-specific deadline early: for autumn 2026 some countries had to apply by 1 May, three months before EU applicants.
- 4 Consider the January intake if you miss the autumn deadlines; programmes such as Computer Systems admit students in spring.
- 5 Apply for a dormitory place as soon as the window opens (May for autumn, November for spring); rooms cost about 211 to 477 euros a month.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
RTU does not advertise general scholarships for incoming fee-paying international bachelor's students. The Latvian government offers state scholarships to students from partner countries under bilateral agreements (applications usually open around February via the State Education Development Agency). After the first year, which must be paid in full up front, tuition can be paid in instalments.
- 165 euros, non-refundable (apply.rtu.lv)
- Application fee
- 500 euros for non-EU citizens, 250 euros for EU citizens
- Security deposit
- About 211 to 477 euros a month, utilities included
- Dormitory rent
- 50% discount on monthly Riga tickets
- Student public transport
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters; autumn intake in September and, for some programmes, spring intake in late January
Computer Systems (BSc)
Three-year software engineering degree that RTU calls its largest and most diverse programme, running for over 20 years with local and international students; 4,570 euros a year for EU and 5,030 for non-EU citizens.
Civil Engineering (BSc)
Three-year, 180-ECTS English-taught degree; 3,720 euros a year.
Engineering Technology, Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering (BSc)
Three-year degree with both autumn and spring intakes; 4,030 euros a year.
Medical Engineering and Physics (BSc)
A 4.5-year, 271.5-ECTS professional degree linking engineering and medicine.
Environmental Engineering (BSc)
Three-year degree tied to RTU's green-campus and climate-neutrality research; 3,930 euros a year.
Bachelor of Business Administration
Taught at Riga Business School, founded in 1991 as the first Baltic school to offer English-language MBAs.
Research
- RTU has 794 research staff and 416 doctoral students (1 October 2025), and runs Latvia's largest supercomputing resources at its High-Performance Computing Centre.
- The RTU Design Factory is one of the best-equipped prototyping workshops in the Baltic states, according to the university.
- Chemist Wilhelm Ostwald, the only Nobel laureate from the Baltic states according to RTU, taught at the Riga Polytechnic Institute, and alumnus Friedrich Zander did early work on spaceflight trajectories there.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology
- Faculty of Computer Science, Information Technology and Energy
- Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management
- Institute of Architecture and Design
- Riga Business School
- Latvian Maritime Academy of Riga Technical University
- RTU Liepāja
- RTU Rēzekne
Student life
Most RTU students in Riga study on the Ķīpsala campus, an island in the Daugava river where RTU began building in 1965. International students make up a large share of the student body, and an International Students Council organises events alongside the Student Parliament, founded in 1992 and the oldest student self-government in Latvia. The Culture Centre runs folk dance ensembles, choirs, a brass band and a student theatre, the Sports Centre offers everything from basketball to rock climbing and swimming, and a Robotics Club competes in Latvia, Europe, Japan and the USA.
- Student Parliament, founded in 1992, is the oldest student self-government in Latvia.
- Robotics Club teams compete in championships in Latvia, Europe, Japan and the USA.
- Sports include basketball, boxing, football, rock climbing, swimming, volleyball and yoga.
- Foreign students complete at least six months (20 credit points) of Latvian language study, as required by Latvian law.
Housing. RTU dormitories on Ķīpsala and at Laimdotas and Olaines streets cost about 211 to 477 euros a month with utilities included; you pay a 200-euro deposit plus three months' rent up front, and the minimum booking is five months.
Location
Riga, Latvia's capital, sits on the Baltic Sea coast, and its Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the world's largest collections of Art Nouveau buildings, many designed by the Polytechnicum's own graduates. Winters range from about -15°C to +5°C. RTU students get 50% off monthly public transport tickets, and Gauja National Park and Sigulda are a train ride away.
Nearest airport: Riga International Airport (RIX)
Notable alumni
- IM Ignacy MościckiPresident of Poland 1926-1939 and chemist; studied chemistry at Riga Polytechnicum
- FZ Friedrich ZanderRocketry and spaceflight pioneer; studied engineering at Riga Polytechnic Institute
- PW Paul WaldenChemist known for the Walden inversion and the first ionic liquid; studied and later taught at the Polytechnicum
- ZA Zigfrīds Anna MeierovicsLatvia's first Foreign Minister and second Prime Minister; studied at Riga Polytechnicum
- AB Andris BērziņšPresident of Latvia 2011-2015; Riga Polytechnic Institute graduate (1971)
- VD Valdis DombrovskisFormer Prime Minister of Latvia and European Commissioner; bachelor's in economics for engineers (1995)
- MD Mikhail Dolivo-DobrovolskyEngineer who created three-phase AC power transmission; studied at Riga Polytechnic (1878-1881, did not graduate)
- EL El LissitzkyAvant-garde artist and architect; studied at Riga Polytechnic Institute from 1915 while it was evacuated to Moscow
Frequently asked questions
How much does Riga Technical University cost for international students?
On the programmes checked, English-taught bachelor's fees are 3,550 to 5,030 euros a year for non-EU citizens (e.g. 5,030 euros for Computer Systems) and 2,600 to 5,800 euros for EU citizens, plus a 165-euro application fee and a security deposit.
Does RTU require an entrance exam?
Yes. All bachelor's applicants take a short online maths exam (10 questions on secondary-school maths) and record an online video interview.
What IELTS score does RTU require?
IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, PTE Academic 59, TOEIC 780 or Cambridge B2 First, or a letter showing your previous education was fully in English.
When are RTU's application deadlines?
For the January 2027 intake, the portal shows 1 November 2026 for Indian applicants and 1 December 2026 for EU applicants. For autumn 2026, deadlines ran from 1 May to 1 August depending on citizenship; autumn 2027 dates were not yet published on 30 September 2026.
Does RTU have a spring intake?
Yes, for some programmes such as Computer Systems and Mechanical Engineering, with studies starting on 25 January 2027.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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