Want to study in Lithuania?
Lithuanians are one of the ethnic groups in the Baltic region. While Lithuania has a population of about 3 million people, at least another million are living in other countries, with Lithuanians generally located in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Lithuania is a member of the EU and NATO.
The native language is Lithuanian, one of two living Baltic languages. An interesting fact about the language is that as far back as the beginning of the 19th-century people noticed that Lithuanian was very similar to Sanskrit. Linguists around the world are still fascinated that the Lithuanian language has retained features of this ancient language and it hasn’t really simplified much.
Many Lithuanians are multilingual; two-thirds of the population declare that they are able to speak at least two foreign languages. This exceeds the average of the European Union several times. According to the data from Eurostat, 66.1 percent of the population of Lithuania, aged 25 – 64, can speak two or more foreign languages, 31.5 percent can speak one foreign language, and a mere 2.5 percent of the population cannot speak any foreign languages. The most common foreign languages spoken are English, Russian, and German.
83.45 percent of the population of Lithuania consider themselves to be Lithuanians, 6.74 percent are Polish, 6.31 percent are Russians, 1.23 percent are Belarusians and 2.27 percent represent other nations. In terms of religion, most Lithuanians are Roman Catholic.
Another reason why Lithuania is amongst the top destinations for quality studies in Europe is that our population is amongst the top educated in Europe. We were among the best-educated nations in Europe once more by the European Commission’s Eurostat website, which compared all European countries against the same criteria. 93.3% of 25-64-year-olds in Lithuania have upper secondary education (followed by 92.5% in the Czech Republic, 91.7% in Slovakia, and 89.8% in Estonia). Every third Lithuanian has a BA or higher degree.
Study in Lithuania
Lithuania is a crossroad between west and east Europe, and despite its complicated history, has developed a unique culture, which encompasses both deep respect for traditions and a robust wish to learn and innovate. We are members of the EU and NATO and are among the most bilingual and educated nations in Europe, however, the costs of living here are lower than in western countries, which makes Lithuania ideal for aspiring students.
All of the 350+ English-taught study programs in Lithuania are evaluated according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), with each year of study being awarded 60 ECTS credits. You can find all of them on http://www.studyinlithuania.lt. University degrees are offered in three cycles: the first cycle is an undergraduate (Bachelor), the second cycle is graduate (Master, and/or specialized professional studies), and the third one is postgraduate (Doctoral; residency; postgraduate in the Arts). Bachelor degrees and professional qualifications are offered at universities; professional qualifications, but not degrees, can be taken at colleges. The academic year starts in September and ends in mid-June and is divided into two semesters – spring and autumn. Students can opt to study full-time or part-time.
If you are at the second cycle stage (or aim to be there) and you want to study for a Master’s degree and/or a specialized professional qualification one of the options open to you is the Integrated study programs. These programs combine university studies in the first and second cycles. The successful graduates are awarded a Master’s Diploma which testifies to their Master’s degree status.
Admission process
The admission process is a piece of cake after you decide which program you wish to study. Most Universities have deadlines in June for the start in September, but international students are advised to apply as early as possible in order to leave more time to work out the details. The following three steps are required to enroll with Lithuanian university :
First, you must have your education documents recognized in the Republic of Lithuania. The evaluation and recognition of foreign school-leaving certificates and higher education qualifications is carried out accordingly by the Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (CQAHE): www.skvc.lt/en/
After the recognition of your qualifications, you can apply to a University (most of the time it can be done online, and you can find all the contact details on http://www.studyinlithuania.lt);
Requirements
If you want to study in the first-cycle (Bachelor’s) program at a higher education institution in Lithuania you need to have a Maturity Certificate (school leaving certificate) or an equivalent qualification. To be admitted to the second-cycle university program you should hold a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification (usually in the respective field). In order to enter the third-cycle university studies (Doctoral, as well as residency, postgraduate Arts studies), you should have either a Master’s or a corresponding degree in the respective study field.
Tuition fees
“Knowledge is priceless; however, studies have to be paid for”.
At Higher Education institutions in Lithuania, tuition fees differ from institution to institution, depending on which study program has been chosen and which stage the student is at. Educational institutions announce their tuition fees annually.
On average, the cost of studies at higher education institutions is approximately between 1.000 – 5.300 EUR per year for Bachelor studies, from 2.200-6.500 EUR per year for Master studies and from 7.100 to 8.500 EUR per year for postgraduate studies. You can find more detailed information on tuition fees for specific programs on http://www.studyinlithuania.lt
Students at Higher Education institutions in Lithuania may be awarded scholarships and may also participate in international exchange programs (e.g. Erasmus). Those who participate in students’ exchange programs do not have to pay any extra tuition fees for the exchange program.
Scholarships
Students of all fields, lecturers, and researchers of higher education or research institutions of foreign countries are eligible to apply for Lithuanian state scholarships. Usually (but not in all cases), scholarships cover both tuition-fee for studies/summer courses and living expenses. Financial provisions depend on the country you are applying to. There are three scholarships offered:
- For Lithuanian language and culture summer courses;
- For short term Lithuanian (Baltic) studies;
- For full-time Master’s degree studies in all fields.
1st of April is the deadline for the document submission for both spring and autumn semesters (for summer courses, short-term studies and research scholarships), while the deadline for applications for the full-time master’s degree studies is usually set for mid-July. Learn more about the exact deadlines this year and which scholarships you are eligible for at http://www.smpf.lt/en/statescholarships.
In addition to state scholarships, Universities sometimes grant individual scholarships, which you can enquire about when applying!
Practice
Higher Education institutions in Lithuania focus on giving students the skills they need in order to apply their knowledge in a practical way. Therefore, students are able to undertake educational, professional, or scientific practices both locally and internationally.
Opportunities for practical involvement include the following:
- EU programs, such as Erasmus (Higher Education) and Comenius (intended for future teachers).
- IAESTE, an international, non-profit association which implements an exchange program for students at technical universities, involving students from 86 countries and more than six thousand companies worldwide. In Lithuania, the Kaunas University of Technology acts as a representative (http://karjera.ktu.lt/?lan=en).
- Student organizations such as AIESEC (http://www.aiesec.lt/en), among others.
- It’s quite common to directly approach companies and ask for opportunities for unpaid work experience. This will greatly improve your CV and also give you practical knowledge, which will come in handy when you are considered for a permanent position.
English language courses in Lithuania
Meet language requirements for university admission in Lithuania by choosing an English language preparation course offered by English language schools worldwide, including Lithuania. By taking the right English exam training course you will advance your language skills in order to get the needed scores for IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, or other English exams.
Why Study in Lithuania?
Welcoming nation. Lithuanians are one of the most educated and bilingual nations in Europe. After your studies, you are sure to leave with many new acquaintances and life-long friends. So much, that you just might decide to stay 🙂
Good value for money. With higher education being notoriously expensive in most parts of the world, more than ¾ of international students in Lithuania agree they are getting a bang for their buck – with tuition fees starting from 1000EUR and generous scholarship schemes for top-quality education. Not considering Lithuania would be a big mistake!
Cost of Studying and Living in Lithuania
Lithuania uses the Euro (€) as its currency.
The tuition fees you will pay at a Lithuanian institution will depend on where you are from, as well as where you study and at what level. Students from EU countries tend to have lower fees. On average, you should expect to pay between €1,000 and €5,500 per year for a bachelor’s degree. For a masters degree, you should expect to pay between €2,200 and €6,500, and for a doctoral degree between €7,000 and €10,000 per year. There are some state scholarships available to help students who wish to study in Lithuania. Contact your institution to find out about eligibility and the application process.
Costs of living will depend on where you choose to live. Bigger cities will be more expensive than smaller cities and towns. On average, you should budget for between €400 and €1,000 per month. This accounts for your accommodation, groceries, travel, and any other necessities. Another cost that students need to consider is health insurance. If you are an EHIC cardholder, you will be able to access state healthcare services for free, but this does not cover any healthcare provided by the private sector. If you are from an EU country, you may be eligible for state-provided insurance, giving you access to free healthcare. For more information about this, contact your institution. If you are not an EHIC cardholder and do not come from an EU/EEA country, you will need to have valid health insurance cover for the duration of your studies.
