The southernmost Baltic state – Lithuania is the largest and the most populous country. The capital of the country is Vilnius – a beautiful and picturesque city that is located on the banks of two rivers – Neris and Vilnia. Lithuania is situated in a strategic location between East and West Europe and has a very complicated history. Lithuania is famous for its culinary export – the cold beet soup. Lithuanian culture is a legacy of its history and has both – a respect for the traditions and a will to innovate and incorporate new things. Lithuania is a member of both NATO and EU.

Lithuania is a country that has a long history of excellent education standards and regal universities. The Vilnius University, which was founded in the year 1579 is a testimony to this. It is a huge Renaissance style complex and houses innumerable inner courtyards – almost like a tiny city within Vilnius city. Lithuanian education standards are very high and a degree from Lithuanian universities will open many new doors for you.

Higher education in Lithuania

Study programs in Lithuania are evaluated according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and are offered in terms of ‘cycles’, which follow the Bologna system. The first cycle is for bachelor’s degrees, the second cycle is for master’s degrees, and the third cycle is for PhDs. Universities in Lithuania also offer integrated study programs, which combine the first and second cycles so that students graduate with a master’s degree and can then study a PhD if they wish. These are most commonly found in regulated professions such as law and medicine.

There are two types of higher education institutions in Lithuania – colleges (kolegija) and universities. Colleges are focused on practical training for particular professions. There are 14 public universities, eight private, and one branch campus of a Polish university.

Lithuanian universities use a 10-point grading system, in which 10 is the highest score and 5 is the minimum needed to pass.

Top universities in Lithuania

Four Lithuanian universities feature in the QS World University Rankings® 2016-2017, with a further three in the QS University Rankings: EECA, a ranking of the top universities in emerging Europe and central Asia. The four highest-ranked universities in Lithuania are:

  •  Vilnius University
  •  Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
  •  Kaunas University of Technology
  •  Vytautas Magnus University 

Three more top universities in Lithuania are featured in the EECA rankings:

  • Klaipeda University (ranked 121-130 in EECA)
  • Siauliai University (151-200)
  • Mykolas Romeris University (151-200)