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 costs of living here
are lower than in western countries, which makes Lithuania ideal for
aspiring students.
All of the 350+ English-taught study programmes
in Lithuania are evaluated according to the European Credit Transfer
System (ECTS), with each year of study being awarded with 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
undergraduate (Bachelor), the second cycle is graduate (Master, and/or
specialised 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 specialised
professional qualification one of the options open to you is the
Integrated study programmes. These programmes combine
university studies at 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 programme
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 recognised 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);
- Once accepted, it is only a matter of getting a visa (and that is only if you are not from the EU). See http://www.migracija.lt for details;
Requirements
If
you want to study in the first-cycle (Bachelor’s) programme 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 programme 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 programme 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 programmes on http://www.studyinlithuania.lt
Students
at Higher Education institutions in Lithuania may be awarded
scholarships and may also participate in international exchange
programmes (e.g. Erasmus). Those who participate in students’ exchange
programmes do not have to pay any extra tuition fees for the exchange
programme.
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 from. There are three scholarships
offered:
- For Lithuanian language and culture summer courses;
- For short term Lithuanian (Baltic) studies;
- For full-time Master 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 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 programmes, such as Erasmus (Higher Education) and Comenius (intended for future teachers).
- IAESTE, an international, non-profit association which implements an exchange programme for students at technical universities, involving students from 86 countries and more than six thousand companies worldwide. In Lithuania, Kaunas University of Technology act as a representative (http://karjera.ktu.lt/?lan=en).
- Student organisations such as AIESEC (http://www.aiesec.lt/en), among others.
- It's quite common to directly approach companies and ask for opportunities for un-paid 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.
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!
Practical Information
Housing
All
universities offer the opportunity of living in a hall of residence.
Some of the halls of residence are situated near the universities,
others in the city centre. Some are further away so you will have to use
public transport to get to university. These halls have been renovated
and equipped with modern appliances; they all have internet access.
However, not all residences have the same conditions.
Monthly expenses
Most
foreign students say, that 350-400 EUR is enough to live off for a
month (minus the tuition fees). It really depends on how much you want
to travel and go out, but our night clubs, pubs, museums and other
attractions are less expensive than the ones found elsewhere in Europe. A
pint of beer will set you back anywhere from 2.50 to 3.50 EUR,
two-course lunch deal at most restaurants – from 3 to 5 EUR, cinema
ticket – up to 5-6 EUR, ten minutes at the local carting track – 10-12
EUR.
Insurance
If
you’ve come from one of the 27 Member States of the European Union,
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and have a European card
of health insurance, you are guaranteed state health care services in
case of an accident. You need to be aware that the card does not cover
the expenses of health care services provided by the private sector.Students from EU above the age of 18 could be considered for insurance and get free medical care. To do so, they must present a document, proving their status as a student, to the territorial health insurance fund. Then, if you want to get registered at a health centre, you will have to fill in an application on a special form at the reception desk and present a document proving personal identity (with the photo and a National Identification Number).
Geography
In size, Lithuania is
bigger than the other two Baltic neighbors and has roughly the size of
Ireland: 62 302km². Lithuania’s territory extends 373 km from East to
West and 276 km from North to South, which means you can cross it easily
in few hours by car. Lithuania shares borders with Latvia, Belarus,
Poland and Russian Federation.
Students from outside of EU, have
to get insurance before coming to Lithuania – either from a company
based at home or within Lithuania.
Lithuania is also very flat –
our highest hill rises 293.8 m above sea level, and we don‘t have any
mountains (so we built the biggest indoor skiing center in the region!).
About one third of our land area is occupied by forests, and 4% - by
rivers and lakes (which we have 830 of). We also have a 100km long
coastline.
Photos provided by Kaunas University of Technology,
LCC International University, Lithuanian State Department of Tourism
and Vilnius University
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