University: Riga Stradins University

City: Riga

Country: Latvia

Continent: Europe

Field of study: medicine

Study type: Other courses

I’ve been studying at Stradins University in Riga for a year now. MicroEdu was a great help in the application process and provided a lot of basic information for new students. The entire application process was made more pleasant and generally easier by Heike and her colleagues, since prospective students in particular are faced with a mountain of ignorance for their first degree and must first be familiarized with the overall concept of a degree. So MicroEdu was a big help. Check toppharmacyschools.org to see Kwantlen Polytechnic University study abroad opportunities.

I received notification of my admission to the course in mid-August and then it was a matter of looking for a new apartment, doing this and that, packing everything and off to the plane. The idea of ​​moving from home in 2 weeks was a bit scary, but the anticipation of finally studying prevailed. Arriving in Riga, a city I’ve never been to, everything became more real. The way from the airport to the city center was a bit of a culture shock. Any stranger could have read from the expression on my mother’s face: “I should leave my daughter here alone?!”. The houses in the suburbs and outskirts of Riga are poorly maintained and the prevailing poverty of the locals is hard to miss.

I was lucky enough to find a room in a shared flat before I started my studies, but at the beginning of the semester there are always many apartments and rooms available for new students. Various English-speaking brokers, most of whom are paid for their work by the landlords, can be found on the Internet. Rent-in-Riga and ss.lv also offer a large selection.
When looking for an apartment, however, you should always be accompanied by a healthy skepticism towards the landlord. Unfortunately, I had a bad experience in my first apartment regarding the return of the deposit, so pay attention to German standards in terms of the contract and a defect report and remember, you won’t get anything for free.
Unfortunately, the rental prices have risen to a German level due to the students from outside, which has largely driven the Latvians out of the old town, so you should plan around €200 to a maximum of €350 for a room in a shared flat (warm).

Food is also at Rewe level in the Rimi, so it is worth visiting the market halls regularly, a little tip for this, the further back and the earlier you shop, the cheaper it will be, as all the tourist stands are in front. A certain knowledge of Latvian will also help you over time for the market, the older saleswomen are always happy when you throw Latvian sentence building blocks at them in which you try to order your food in the right quantity.
The University of Riga has been largely modernized, reducing the Eastern Bloc feel to a minimum. The lecturers and professors are very nice and helpful when it comes to their students.
Our semesters are divided into groups of a maximum of 10 students, which makes learning very pleasant, which is more reminiscent of school. You will be taught and tested in these groups in addition to the lectures.

You should get a tablet for your studies, a cheap one is enough, because you basically only have to be able to read with it. You will quickly be grateful for the invention of e-books because it saves you a lot of lugging around.
Apart from the material, your student life in Riga will probably not be comparable to that in Germany, since the motivation in Riga is completely different. The students who go abroad to study have mostly failed the NC hurdle and are willing to pay big bucks for an education they have chosen for themselves, mostly with longer histories than perhaps those who have chosen such studies, because the cut fits.
All students in Riga have a similar foundation and motivation to become a doctor. The decision to go abroad without friends and family connects the students and brings new friendships and lots of fun.

In addition to studying, Riga offers many opportunities to distract yourself, be it sports, various courses to learn other things or the evening activities.
In the old town there is a large cinema where most films are shown in English.
There are also many clubs and bars in the city where you can almost always meet fellow students.
You can also eat out well and in all price categories, although chic does not always have to be unaffordable if you choose the right restaurant outside the old town. So variety is definitely guaranteed.

Overall, studying in Riga is an opportunity you should take to become a doctor. During your studies you will meet many new people, have a lot of fun on the way to the doctor and your studies in English will bring many advantages over German students in the future.