Applicant Numbers Rise by 25% for Social Sciences Programmes at RSU

Each year, prospective students show great interest in the medicine and healthcare programmes that Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) offers. However, this year there is a significant increase in the number of applications for the social sciences programmes. Last year RSU received 2,532 applications, while this year it received 3,186 – a 25% increase.

RSU has offered social sciences study programmes for 22 years. Applicant interest in these programmes keeps growing each year, even though there are currently no government-funded study places available for social sciences students. When interviewed, applicants explained that they were willing to pay for these internationally recognised study programmes because of their high quality. The knowledge and skills that can be gained at RSU makes getting a successful job easier.

Among the most popular social sciences study programmes are Psychology, International Marketing and Advertising and Law. 

RSU is especially pleased about the newly established International Business and Start-Up Entrepreneurship bachelor’s programme that is taught in English. The first student group has already been established, with four newly admitted students coming from abroad. Studies in this programme will take place in an international environment with international students and academic staff, as well as study trips abroad.

The summer admissions period for undergraduate programmes in social sciences, medicine and healthcare concluded on 3 August with 8,100 applications submitted by 2,636 people making RSU the second most popular university in Latvia. There is an increase of 9% in the number of students across all Latvian higher education institutions. The coronavirus pandemic made this year special for higher education. The growing number of applications shows that alongside the difficulties, universities also benefited from this emergency – transitioning to electronic application systems facilitated document management processes. Besides, global uncertainty has urged students to explore study opportunities in Latvia rather than abroad.