Russian Courses in Riga, Latvia
Riga, the historic capital of Latvia, is the largest city in the Baltic republics and home to one third of the Latvian population. The city lies on the mouth of the Daugava river on the Gulf of Riga. Riga was founded in 1201 and was part of the Hansa League, uniting a series of merchant towns along the North and Baltic Sea. Riga and Latvia later came under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden and then – after a siege by Tsar Peter the Great – under Russian rule, while keeping many of its former privileges. At the beginning of the 20th century, Riga was the third biggest city in the Russian Empire after St. Petersburg and Moscow.
The country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but the high population of ethnic Russians in the capital means that Riga today has majority of Russian speakers, making it an excellent place for studying the Russian language. Latvia joined the European Union in 2004 and since then Riga has become a vibrant hub for businesses operating between Russia and the EU.
Riga’s historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the finest Art Nouveau architecture anywhere in Europe. The Vecriga, the medieval heart of the city, is home to the Town Hall Square with the iconic House of the Blackheads. On the outskirts of the city lies Jurmala, a wonderful beach resort with beautiful parkland – a great place to escape the busy city center.
Latvia’s location, in the middle of the Baltic region makes Riga an excellent base for further travels to the other Baltic States, Russia, Belarus or other countries or cities surrounding the Baltic Sea.
Liden & Denz – Center for Russian as a Foreign Language
Liden & Denz has been offering Russian courses in Russia since it was founded in 1992 as a private school teaching Russian to foreigners. The combination of a Russian company and Swiss ownership means they offer the very best quality Russian courses within an efficient international organization.
Liden & Denz’s only center outside of Russia is wonderfully located on one of the inner city boulevards of Riga, right between the main railway station and the National Opera. To reach the historic cente of Riga, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, you just need to cross the small canal on the other side of the boulevard. The whole inner city can easily be discovered walking. There are plenty of bars, coffee-shops and restaurants within easy reach of our Russian language school.
The Liden & Denz Intercultural Institute of Languages Riga is located on the second floor of a historical building, featuring ten spacious classrooms, all with natural light and equipped with state of the art technology. There is a nice lounge area with vending machines and a computer lab. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the school. Adjacent to the classrooms, on the same floor, there is a small but very popular student apartment (shared flat). The inner courtyard provides another cozy place to hang out and is frequently used for barbecues.
Note: The Liden & Denz Russian Language center also offers Russian Courses in Moscow and Russian Courses St Petersburg, Russia.
Please click on the following tabs for more information on the Russian Courses in Riga, Latvia:
Liden & Denz – Russian courses in Riga, Latvia
(All programs: Please add USD 100.00 Lingua Service Worldwide Application fee. See Application Procedures.)
Group Russian Courses in Riga:
Course prices include: number of language lessons as indicated, teaching materials, placement test, course certificate, guided city tour on arrival, and visa Invitation Letter (if needed).
Standard Russian Language Group Course: Maximum of 12 students per class, 20 Russian language lessons (1 lesson = 50 minutes) per week, minimum 2 weeks. All levels except for very advanced students. Beginners must at least have knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet. The course syllabus is dynamic and follows a modular pattern of two week units. These are intense Russian courses designed for those who are dedicated to learning the Russian language. Standard Russian Courses – Long Term: 12 weeks** also offered.
Please see important notes regarding visas at the bottom of this page!
Intensive Russian Language Group Course: Maximum of 12 students per class, 25 Russian language lessons (1 lesson = 50 minutes) per week, minimum 2 weeks. All levels except for very advanced students. Beginners must at least have knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet. The course syllabus is dynamic and follows a modular pattern of two week units. These are intense and demanding Russian courses designed for those who are dedicated to learning the Russian language. Intensive Russian Courses Long Term: 12 weeks** also offered.
Russian Courses in Riga – Prices 2018:
| Course | Two weeks | Three weeks | Four weeks | Six Weeks | Eight Weeks | Twelve weeks | Twenty-four weeks** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Russian Language Group Course: | |||||||
| 21 MAY - 23 SEPT.: | $991 | $1,429 | $1,867 | $2,781 | $3,346 | $4,712 | $5,717 |
| REST OF THE YEAR: | $837 | $1,197 | $1,558 | $2,318 | $2,728 | $3,785 | $5,717 |
| Intensive Russian Language Group Course: | |||||||
| 21 MAY - 23 SEPT.: | $1,197 | $1,738 | $2,279 | $3,398 | $4,120 | $5,717 | $7,571 |
| REST OF THE YEAR: | $1,043 | $1,506 | $1,970 | $2,936 | $3,502 | $4,790 | $7,571 |
**Notes for 12 week long term courses: for any weeks of the long term course that fall between 21 May and 23 Sept. please add USD 78 per week to tuition prices. Surcharge does not apply to 24 week courses.
2018 Starting dates for all group Russian courses: Beginners must start on the following dates only, all other levels may start on any Monday of their choice: 8 January / 5 February / 12 March / 9 April / 7 and 21 May / 4 and 18 June / 2, 16 and 30 July / 13 and 27 August / 10 and 24 September / 8 October / 5 November / 3 December.
Public Holidays Year 2018: 1 January // 30 March // 2 and 30 April // 1 and 4 May // 23 and 24 June // 19 November. The school is closed on public holidays. Classes are made up only for One-to-One courses!. Group classes will not be made up. The school will be closed for group courses between 21 December 2018 and 7 January 2019.
One-to-One Professional Russian Courses in Riga:
One-to-One Professional Russian Courses: Private Russian Courses consisting of 15, 20, 30 or 40 (crash course) Russian lessons per week, minimum enrollment: 1 week. The One-to-One Russian Courses are designed primarily for corporate clients, executives, government officials, interpreters and future Russia/CIS representatives. The individual approach speeds up the learning process and focuses on the needs of the particular student. The exact content of the course will be determined by the student and teacher. The student is asked to specify prior to arrival whether s/he has any particular topics/fields of interest that should be covered during the course. This provides the teacher with an idea of the participant’s goals and allows her/him to pre-select materials and establish a study plan. One-to-One participants may attend the lectures for Group Course students if their time table permits. (See Standard Course for what is included in the program cost.) One-to-One courses may start any Monday of the year.
One-to-One Russian Courses in Riga – Prices 2018:
| Course | One week | Extra weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 21 MAY - 23 SEPT.: | ||
| 15 Lessons per week: | $1,043 | $927 |
| 20 Lessons per week: | $1,275 | $1,159 |
| 30 Lessons per week: | $1,764 | $1,648 |
| 40 Lessons per week: | $2,144 | $2,028 |
| REST OF THE YEAR | ||
| 15 Lessons per week: | $888 | $773 |
| 20 Lessons per week: | $1,120 | $1,064 |
| 30 Lessons per week: | $1,609 | $1,494 |
| 40 Lessons per week: | $1,989 | $1,873 |
Liden & Denz Riga Accommodations
Accommodations are priced separately from the course. Prices include airport transfer upon arrival for students staying in host families or shared apartments (only on Sundays!) . Most participants choose the homestay option. All of the families are carefully selected and regularly monitored by the school. Our accommodation officer puts every effort to match each particular student’s needs and interests as closely as possible. The various options available are easily accessible from Liden & Denz campus and Riga Old Town.
The school offers host family placements and apartment shares:
Host Families:
Living with a host family ensures total immersion in the Russian language and local culture. Host families are handpicked to ensure that students will immediately feel right at home. The families come from all kinds of different backgrounds but all are sociable, genuinely interested in meeting new people, and patient and understanding when students are not yet confident when practicing their Russian language skills. Students have their own bedroom with all necessary amenities and can choose between breakfast only and a half-board (breakfast and dinner) option. Any dietary requirements will be taken into consideration at the time of booking at no extra charge.
Executive host families are also available. These families are located closer to the Liden & Denz campus and the rooms are generally more spacious. In our host families, bathrooms are usually shared with the family. Private bathrooms are available upon request at a surcharge (subject to availability!).
Accommodation in host families is offered from Sunday to Sunday and arrival day in Riga must be Sunday. For students arriving earlier than Sunday, additional fees will apply. Five or more additional days are equivalent to one week.
Shared apartments:
Students who prefer more independence may stay in an apartment shared with other Liden & Denz students. In Riga there are several apartments available located within walking distance from the Liden & Denz campus and a slightly more premium option right in the school building! Liden & Denz provides single bedrooms (maximum 4 per apartment), a shared bathroom and a kitchen. Standard check-in/check-out is around midday on Sundays. If you wish to arrive earlier or depart later, it is a matter of availability and extra charges will apply.
Accommodation Prices 2018:
| Housing Description | Per week |
|---|---|
| Host Family Accommodations: Single room, half-board (breakfast and dinner) | $309 |
| Host Family Accommodations: Single room, breakfast only | $232 |
| Executive Host Family Accommodations**: Single room, half-board (breakfast and dinner) | $399 |
| Executive Host Family Accommodations**: Single room, breakfast only | $322 |
| Apartment Share: Single room, no meals, sharing common areas with other students: | $283 |
| On-Site Apartment Share: Single room, no meals, sharing common areas with other students: | $373 |
Executive host families are located closer to school and offer larger rooms.
**Private bathroom available upon request with Executive Host families at additional charge (add USD 26.00 per week). Limited availability!
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- Stitched Panorama
Hotels and Studio Apartments are available upon request. Please contact us details.
Liden & Denz Riga – Activities:
To ensure students have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the local culture, in addition to their Russian Courses in Riga, Liden & Denz organizes at least two outings a week. Activities vary every month and include: museum visits, tours of Jugendstil and Riga’s parks, Riga’s Art Nouveau quarter, the Riga central Market, the Riga Zoo and more. Most activities are offered free of charge, but participants will be responsible for transportation costs and entrance fees when applicable. A walking tour of Riga is offered on arrival.
Airport Transfer: from Riga Airport is available at an additional charge for those students that choose to book accommodations on their own: USD 80 each way.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Prices are subject to change due to fluctuating foreign currency rates.
Visas
