Welcome Week 2026: New international students get to know RSU, Riga and each other

This autumn, 464 new international students from 39 countries are beginning their studies at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU). To make their first days at a new university and in a new country a little easier, RSU held Welcome Week from 25 to 28 August. Over four days, students got to know the university and its study environment, learned more about life in Latvia and, of course, met their new classmates. 

The Welcome Week programme covered everything from practical information about getting started at RSU and using university services to opportunities beyond everyday studies. Student feedback shows that practical guidance was particularly valuable: 89% of respondents rated the session on MyRSU, the e-ticket and Student Services as useful or very useful. 

Taking the first steps into research

One new addition to this year’s programme looked beyond the first days of university life. For the first time, Welcome Week featured ‘How to Start Research’, a session introducing students to ways of taking their first steps into research while still studying. RSU International Student Ambassadors with research experience of their own shared their personal journeys – how they found research opportunities, where to begin and what getting involved in research can offer students. 

The student-to-student perspective proved particularly valuable. The new students listened with great interest, asked questions and engaged with the experiences shared by their peers. In the feedback survey, personal insights from current students were also repeatedly highlighted as one of the most valuable parts of Welcome Week. 

Learning from students who have been there before

RSU International Student Ambassadors played an important role throughout the programme. They shared their experiences of their first months at university, studying at RSU and living in Riga, as well as practical advice they themselves would have appreciated when they first arrived in Latvia. Alongside the academic content, students also valued learning more about Riga and Latvia, student organisations and the many ways to get involved in university life.

Feeling ready for life at RSU and in Riga

The Welcome Week survey confirms that information alone is not what matters when starting university in a new country – meeting people and becoming familiar with the new environment are just as important. A total of 259 students shared their feedback, with 87% saying they were satisfied or very satisfied with Welcome Week overall.

Among respondents, 86% said Welcome Week gave them opportunities to meet other students, while 84% felt more confident about starting their life in Riga after the four days. Another 88% said they now knew more about the opportunities available to them at RSU.

The open comments tell a similar story. Students frequently highlighted meeting their classmates, getting to know people from other countries, hearing from current students and gaining a practical sense of what to expect. One respondent summed up their Welcome Week experience particularly simply: ‘The fact that I actually felt welcome.’

Getting to know RSU before Welcome Week

For some of the new international students, getting to know RSU and their future classmates began well before they arrived in Latvia. During the summer, RSU International Student Ambassadors hosted online Pre-arrival MeetUps, where future students could ask questions about moving to Latvia, starting their studies and everyday life in Riga, while also getting to know one another.

During Welcome Week, those conversations continued face to face – in lecture halls and university corridors, during activities and in informal conversations.

Ready for the academic year ahead

With Welcome Week now over, the introduction is complete and the most important part is about to begin – the studies themselves. This year, 464 new students from 39 countries are joining RSU’s international student community, bringing with them their own experiences, languages and cultures and helping shape the RSU community for the academic year ahead.

We wish all our new students a successful start to their studies at RSU!