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How to Get Into a University in Lithuania as an International Student

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Lithuania has two doors into a bachelor's degree, and your citizenship decides which one you use. Lithuanian, EU and EFTA citizens go through a national joint admission and compete for free places. Most students from outside the EU apply straight to the university or college and study on a paid place.

Universities and colleges

Both kinds can be state or non-state. According to LAMA BPO, the 2026 joint admission included 15 universities (11 state and 4 non-state) and 13 colleges (7 state and 6 non-state). Our catalogue lists 698 full-time bachelor's and integrated programmes at 42 institutions and campuses, including 285 programmes taught in English.

Route 1: the LAMA BPO joint admission

LAMA BPO, the Lithuanian Association of Higher Education Institutions for Organising Joint Admission, runs one online system for almost all first-cycle and integrated programmes. It is the route for:

These applicants can compete for state-funded places, which are free, and for paid places. Applicants are ranked by a competitive score on a 10-point scale, built mostly from state matura exam results. The main subject usually counts for 0.4, two more subjects for 0.2 each, and Lithuanian language and literature for 0.2. Architecture and the arts add an entrance exam.

For 2026, school leavers needed at least three state matura exams (Lithuanian language and literature, mathematics and one more) with an average of at least 50 points for universities or 41 for colleges. Each institution can set a higher minimum. A foreign school certificate must first be recognised, and LAMA BPO then converts your grades into the Lithuanian system. See document recognition for Lithuania.

The application itself is free. LAMA BPO sets no fixed limit on how many programmes you list and advises choosing several, in order of preference.

Dates

The dates for the 2027 intake are not approved yet. In 2026 the main round ran from 1 June to 23 July, and two additional rounds followed in August.

Lithuanian-taught programmes

Programmes taught in Lithuanian expect B2 or C1 Lithuanian, depending on the field. If you cannot prove your level with an official document, you take LAMA BPO's Lithuanian language test. In 2026 it was held on 26 June, 17 July and 4 August.

Route 2: applying directly to the institution

If you are not in one of the groups above, LAMA BPO tells you to contact the university or college directly. You will study at your own expense, and the institution also guides you through the residence permit.

Each institution runs its own online application and sets its own rules. Two examples for 2027:

Deadlines for non-EU applicants are often earlier than for EU citizens, because the residence permit takes time. Study in Lithuania notes that most autumn deadlines fall in June and that document checks can take a month or longer, so apply early.

For English-taught programmes you prove your English in a way the institution accepts. Some programmes add an entrance exam or an interview.

Step by step for non-EU applicants

  1. Shortlist programmes on our site or on Study in Lithuania, and read each one's entry requirements and deadline.
  2. Book an English test early if you need one.
  3. Apply on the institution's own portal, pay any application fee and upload your documents.
  4. Accept your offer within the stated time and pay the first tuition instalment if asked.
  5. Use the university's mediation letter to apply for a temporary residence permit at once. See student visa for Lithuania.

There is no national list of recent entry scores, so our Lithuania pages show none.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.