As part of the European Union, Lithuania’s universities and institutes are demonstrative of an exceptional standard of higher education. With just over 50 universities and colleges throughout the country, its education tradition is one of the oldest in Eastern Europe, dating back to 1579 with the foundation of Vilnius University in the nation’s capital of Vilnius.

Candidates who choose to study in Lithuania can intensify their education experience by taking advantage of numerous cultural institutions and museums existing within Vilnius, in the country’s former capital Trakai, and throughout the country.

Highlights

• Tuition fees in Lithuania are minimal and supported by taxpayers of Lithuania
• Lithuania is home to many top emerging universities and colleges, well known for their high quality of teaching and education
• Many institutions of higher education in Lithuania are well equipped with exquisite research, literature, computing & technology facilities
• Students who graduate from Lithuanian universities are widely recognized across the world for their knowledge and skills.
• Students carry out their research in a conducive environment under highly distinguished professors.
• Indian Students are exempt from submitting IELTS/TOEFL scores to be admitted into the majority of programmes
• Lithuania is well known for its safe environment, friendly people, historical heritage, and enchanting nature
• The population of Lithuania is one of the most educated in Europe, and the majority of the population speaks English

Education System in Lithuania

The academic year starts in September and ends in mid-June, and is divided into two semesters: spring and autumn. Students have an option to study either full-time or part-time. Each study programme in Lithuania is assessed according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), with each year of study awarded with 60 ECTS credits.

University degrees are offered in three cycles:

• The first cycle is undergraduate (Bachelor)
• The second cycle is graduate (Master or specialised professional studies)
• The third cycle is postgraduate (Doctoral; residency; postgraduate in the arts)

During the first cycle, a candidate can opt to study for a bachelor’s degree and a professional qualification for which you will require 180 – 240 ECTS. When you finish the course, with or without a professional qualification, you get a bachelor’s diploma. If you only wish to study for the professional qualification, then you will get a Higher Educational Diploma.

Bachelor’s degrees along with professional qualifications are offered at universities, whereas professional qualifications without degrees can be taken at colleges.

If you are in the second cycle (or aim to be there) and you wish to study for a Master’s degree or any specialised professional qualification, one of the possibilities open to you are the integrated study programmes. These programmes combine studies of both first and second cycles. Upon successful completion, graduates are awarded a Master’s diploma which testifies their Master’s degree status. You can also achieve a professional qualification. If you are pursuing a master’s diploma (which is only offered at universities), you will have to obtain 90 – 120 ECTS credits.

At this level, if you study for the professional qualification you will be awarded a Higher Education Diploma. The main purpose of the specialised professional studies at this level is to obtain a qualification in a particular field.

In the third cycle, students study at the level of postgraduate qualifications. This could be either a doctorate, a residency, or a postgraduate qualification in the arts. Postgraduate studies are either offered by a university or a university and science institution collectively. The term of the different postgraduate studies is determined by the government of Lithuania.

Some higher education institutions coordinate summer courses in addition to regular courses. These courses offer mostly academic content which usually lasts for a couple of weeks in the summer. In a few higher education institutions, it is likely to gain ECTS credits and scholarships if they are included in the studies for summer courses.

Popular Universities

1. Vilnius University, Vilnius
2. SMK University of Applied Social Sciences, Vilnius

Popular Courses

1. Bachelor’s in management and Business Administration
2. International Business
3. Tourism and Hotels
4. Master’s in finance