Riga

QS Best Student Cities ranking: 110^th

Riga, the capital city of Latvia is situated on the Gulf of Riga, and occupies both banks of the Duagava River. Riga is new to the QS Best Student Cities ranking this year, placing 110^th. 

This picturesque city is more than 800 years old and if you’re looking for a student city with a blend of modern and medieval, then Riga is the perfect city for you. The city is split into the Old Town, which can be explored on foot, and the New Town, which can be easily reached via bus or tram.

The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 due to the many medieval buildings within its Old Town. These include the 13^th century Riga Dom cathedral, the 14^th century Riga Castle and the merchant’s homes and warehouses. The Old Town even has a canal surrounding it which used to be the fortress moat. These are definitely worth a look when you have some free time to explore the city.

In the winter the Riga’s Christmas markets won’t fail to get you in the festive spirit, with mulled wine, roasted almonds, gingerbread and Christmas gift stalls on offer. In the summer these markets sell unique Latvian food products, with a variety of fresh and natural products from Latvian farms as well as clothes and jewelry.

Whichever time of year you decide to take a visit to these markets, you will not be disappointed. In the evening, you can enjoy one of Riga’s many bars, cafes and restaurants, many of them with outdoor seating areas in the summer - in fact many consider Riga’s nightlife to be among the best in Eastern Europe!

Riga boasts three leading universities, all of which are ranked in the the QS World University Rankings® Riga Technical University, Riga Stradins University, University of Latvia.

Riga Technical University is the highest ranked, achieving a position of 701-750 and it offers an innovative approach to learning, new technologies and advanced teaching methods, which give the university a reputation for research excellence.

This is reflected in the five star ranking it has received from QS Stars for its program strength, facilities, graduate employability, social responsibility and inclusiveness.

In the Best Student Cities ranking, Riga gains its highest score on the ‘student mix’ indicator, a credit to the diversity of the city’s students and its inclusivity.

Is Riga your favorite student city? Let us know why.

Internationally ranked universities in Riga

More about Riga

To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.