How to become a seafarer in Latvia after school
Official rules for school students and school leavers. Check every requirement with the maritime authority before you apply or pay.
Officer: maritime academy or college
- Officers, radio operators, able seafarers (deck and engine), ship electricians and ship's cooks must be at least 18.
- A master must be at least 20.
- An officer of the watch needs an accredited education programme meeting STCW A-II/1, certified by the Ministry of Transport.
- An officer of the watch also needs a GMDSS operator qualification.
- The RTU Latvian Maritime Academy offers a professional bachelor's degree in navigation lasting 4 years and 3 months.
- The professional bachelor's programmes in navigation and marine engineering require secondary education and last 4.3 years.
Rating: rating course
- A watch rating (deck) needs an accredited seaman programme meeting STCW A-II/4.
- A watch rating needs sea service on ships of 500 GT or more with supervised navigational watch duties, recorded in the training record book.
- An able seafarer deck needs at least 12 months as a watch rating on ships of 500 GT or more.
- Vocational secondary maritime programmes accept students after primary education and last 4 years.
Exams and certification
- For officer of the watch and higher qualifications the candidate takes a computer test and an interview before the assessment commission.
- The computer test is passed with at least 70% correct answers.
- Graduates are asked questions about their onboard practice using the completed training record book.
Documents in order
- Before enrolling, pass the seafarer medical check.
- A trainee's seaman's book needs a certificate from the school and the basic safety course certificate.
- For maritime students the seaman's book is valid for 5 years from the start of studies.
- After training and sea service, the competence assessment leads to the certificate of competency.
Cadet training at sea
- A deck cadet needs 12 months of sea service with a training record book, including 6 months of watchkeeping on ships of 500 GT or more.
- An engine cadet needs at least 12 months of approved combined workshop training and sea practice.
- This includes at least 6 months as a cadet with watchkeeping duties on ships of 750 kW or more, recorded in the training record book.
Approved training institutions
Only institutions from the official list of the maritime authority. The list changes: check that the institution is still approved before you pay.
Institutions from the Latvian Seafarers' Registry list of approved maritime education programmes (updated 18.05.2026).
Riga
- RTU Latvian Maritime Academy (Rīgas Tehniskās universitātes Latvijas Jūras akadēmija), RigaCourses: Professional bachelor in navigation; Professional bachelor in marine engineering; Professional bachelor in marine electrical automation
- RTU Latvian Maritime Academy Maritime School (Jūrskola), RigaCourses: Vocational secondary maritime programmes (deck and engine)
- Novikontas Maritime College (Novikontas Jūras koledža), RigaCourses: Short-cycle higher programme in navigation; Short-cycle higher programme in marine engineering
- Training Centre MaritimeSkills (SIA "Zerko"), RigaCourses: Management-level courses for navigators and marine engineers
Kurzeme
- RTU Liepaja Marine College (Liepājas Jūrniecības koledža), LiepājaCourses: Short-cycle higher maritime programmes; Vocational secondary maritime programmes
First job: starter vacancies
Live vacancies on Krew Guru for starter positions. Vacancies without any sea experience are rare, so we do not promise a job without it.
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Krew Guru numbers
89% of open vacancies on Krew Guru accept citizens of Latvia.
Seafarer profiles from Latvia on Krew Guru: 1,000+.
Checked: 26 Oct 2026. Rules change, so always check with the maritime authority: Latvian Maritime Administration, Seafarers' Registry (Latvijas Jūras administrācija)