Dentistry

You will need to scan and upload the following document copies on apply.lu.lv:

The language of instruction is English.

English language proficiency.

Your average application grade will be made up by your secondary education Chemistry (40%), Biology (40%) and English (20%) grade OR your Natural sciences (80%) and English (20%) grade if you haven’t studied Chemistry or Biology. The better the average grade, the better your chances for being offered a study place.

Your application will only be considered if the final grade in each of the subjects mentioned (Chemistry, Biology (or Natural sciences) and English) will be equivalent to 60% or more.

Popular alternatives for the grading system used in Latvia:

• At least Cum laude approbatur (Approved with Honors) for Finnish Ylioppilastutkintotodistus;
• At least 9 (3 out of 5) for German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife/Fachhochschulreife or equivalent;
• At least VG for Swedish Slutbetyg Från Gymnasieskola/Slutbetyg Från Komvux
• At least 4 for Norwegian Vitnemål
• At least B for UK Advanced levels (not GCSEs, or O-levels)
• At least 4 in Higher level Chemistry/Biology/English or at least 5 for Standard level Chemistry/Biology/English for International Baccalaureate (IB) students.

The final deadlines for applications are as follows:

• Admission for EU/EEZ citizens will start from the 1st of January, 2023 till the 1st of July, 2023.
• Admission for non-visa country citizens outside of EU/EEZ will start from the 1st of January, 2023 till 16th of June, 2023.
• For all other countries will start the 1st of January, 2023 till 24th of April, 2023

The final results will be available approximately two weeks after the final deadline – in mid-July.

We are not able to provide official results before that because the competition can be influenced by each new application we receive, therefore the preliminary results are not to be considered final.

1.    English language proficiency.
2.    Skype interview which includes questions about profiling subjects and motivation.

The study curriculum is divided in 3 parts: A part (mandatory subjects), B part (mandatory selection) and C part (electives).

During your studies you will have to take A part subjects worth 286,5 ECTS (191 Latvian credit points): Philosophy and cognitive sciences, Professional ethics in dentistry, Inorganic and organic chemistry, Basics of biochemistry, English (for Latvian students) or Latvian (for international students), Establishmend and management of health care, Psychology, Cell biology, Hereditary diseases, Histology, Physiology, Medical embriology, General pathology, Pharmacology, Immunology I, Microbiology, Public health, Epidemiology, Nourishment, Oral anatomy, Oral physiology, Dental biomaterials, Propaedeutics of dentistry, Oral and maxillofacial radiology, Preventive dentistry, Oral health promotion, Orthodontics, Oral pathology, Oral pharmacology, Nourishment and oral health, Diagnostics and treatment planning, Oral surgery/pain control, Oral medicine, Periodontology, Cariology, Endodontology, Prosthetics, Pediatric dentistry, Gerodontology, Stomatognathic function.

Study modules include:

• Musculoskeletal system;
• Respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary and circulatory systems;
• Immunology;
• Hematology;
• Sensory system;
• Endocrinology;
• Neurology;
• B part (mandatory selection) subjects are worth 6 ECTS (4 Latvian credit points) and C part (elective) subjects are worth 7.5 ECTS (5 Latvian credit points).

During your studies you will also have clinical practice in the 7th and 10th semester.

After studies the graduates are entitled to start their own practice and work independently in both public and private health practice centres.

The full length of studies is 10 semesters – 5 years. Classes are mostly from 8.30 am to 6 pm on weekdays. The form of studies will be full-time, and since it will take most of your time (including individual studies and preparation for tests), there will be no time to work part-time.

Tuition fee per year – €16500

The tuition fee covers your studies and the use of resources provided by the university, including the practical Dentistry clinic facilities.

Study books and lab coats are not included in your tuition fee but your professors will advise you on the necessary books and electronic resources, and many of them will also be available online.

You should expect to pay the first half (€8250) of your first tuition fee installment in August before the start of studies to be registered and have access to all resources and studies. Students from outside the EU/EEA are expected to pay a €500 deposit along with the first semester payment upon arrival. The deposit is intendend to cover possible immigration expenses and payed back upon request after graduation.

There also is an application fee of €170,00, which includes the recognition of education documents by the Academic Information centre of Latvia.

No, the studies in the English language programme have no state financed places or scholarships for students irrelevant of the citizenship. You are advised to inquire about financial support (grants and scholarships) from your home country – you’ll be able to provide them the certificate of enrollment and your transcript of records for proof every semester.

Some state financed scholarship competitions by the Latvian government for gifted students may be announced along the way but you should rely on your own resources at all times.

To be able to transfer from another university:

1. You have to be a student of Dentistry in your current university;
2. You have to have acquired at least 60 ECTS and a whole year in your current studies;
3. Your current subjects must coincide (overlap) with the LU subjects in contents at least 70%. Meaning – most of the subjects you have already done or are studying need to be similar and containing the same or larger amount of credit points than the ones envisioned by the LU study plan. 1 Latvian credit point = 1.5 ECTS.
4. You can only transfer up to the 3rd year of studies.

The application for transfer students can be found on https://apply.lu.lv/. The application deadlines are the same for full-time first year and transfer students. Students from other universities in Latvia can apply for transfer until the registration week of the following semester (until the last week of August usually). The documents needed to apply for transferring are the same as for full-time first year students + the following documents from your current university:

1. Statement that proves your status as a student;
2. Your study transcript containing all subjects taken up to this point, the grades and credit points acquired;
3. Course descriptions for the subjects taken up to this point.

Your application will only be rewieved if all the necessary documents are submitted.

Please ask about transferring options by sending your inquiry and current grade transcripts and course descriptions to ivars.pekainis@lu.lv.

Senior Expert of Study Development
Ivars Pēkainis 
E-mail: ivars.pekainis@lu.lv
Phone: +371 67033823, +371 25980910
Faculty of Medicine
Jelgavas Street 3 - 330, LV–1004

The dental curriculum leads to the dentist degree, and forms the basis for specialist education or scientific (PhD) studies. The aim of the study programme is to prepare qualified specialists with theoretical and practical skills appropriate to commence independently practicing general dentistry. The study program has been developed according to EU Directive 2005/36/EC of mutual recognition of qualifications of health care professionals, directly related to the guidelines of Association of Dental Education in Europe. The study programme comprises several components like biomedical subjects, common to medicine and dentistry- progressing from cell biology and biochemistry to anatomy and physiology of the human body, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, epidemiology and related sciences like psychology, ethics and practice management. Appreciation of human development, structure, function, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases will be taught in modular form based on the systems of human body. Oral and dental aspects of the biological sciences will ensure detailed knowledge of the structure and function of the oral and dental tissues and the related structures of the head and neck. These should lead to a progressive understanding of the diagnosis, causes, prevention and treatment of oral and dental diseases and disorders, and the effects of systemic disease on oral and dental tissues. In order to obtain instruction and experience of the practice of dentistry, development of the clinical/manual skills of the students, clinical part of the study plan has significant role. Pre- clinical training will take place in phantom laboratories and clinics. Clinical training includes the treatment of patients under the supervision of clinical instructor. The field-clinical practice will take place in seventh and tenth semester.

The aim of a study program is to produce a caring, knowledgeable, competent and skilful dentist who is able, on graduation, to accept professional responsibility for the effective and safe care of patients, who appreciates the need for continuing professional development, who is able to utilise advances in relevant knowledge and techniques and who understands the role of patients in decision making. On successful completion of the undergraduate programme graduate is entitled to practise without supervision.

ERASMUS+ exchange possibilities

UL full-time students, regardless of their citizenship, have the opportunity to apply for the ERASMUS + exchange program for studies or/and traineeship.  

More information:

ERASMUS + study mobility 
ERASMUS + traineeship moblity