IB Diploma and University Admission in Lithuania: Recognition, Scores and Medicine
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Lithuania accepts the IB Diploma for entry to bachelor's and integrated programmes, but how it is used depends on your citizenship. Lithuanian, EU and EFTA citizens normally go through the national joint admission, where IB grades feed into a competitive score. Most students from outside the EU apply directly to the university, which assesses the diploma itself.
Recognition: the first step
The IB Diploma is not recognised automatically in Lithuania. LAMA BPO, which runs the joint admission, says that IB graduates must apply for academic recognition to SKVC, Lithuania's ENIC-NARIC centre, or to a higher education institution authorised to recognise qualifications. The European Baccalaureate is the contrast: it is recognised automatically, so do not assume the same for the IB.
Recognition is a separate procedure and takes time, so start early. See document recognition for Lithuania.
Route 1: the LAMA BPO joint admission
This is the route for Lithuanian, EU and EFTA citizens and their family members, holders of Lithuanian permanent residence and people of Lithuanian origin living abroad. It is the only way to compete for state-funded (free) places.
How IB grades are used
Most holders of foreign qualifications must have their subjects matched and grades converted by LAMA BPO. IB graduates skip this step. The subject equivalents and grade conversion for the IB are fixed in advance by an order of the Minister of Education, Science and Sport (No. V-932 of 19 June 2020), which sets out how holders of foreign and international qualifications compete for state-funded places and scholarships. The order has separate annexes by year:
| Year you finished the IB Diploma | Annex that applies |
|---|---|
| Up to 2021 | Annex 1 |
| 2022 to 2024 | Annex 2 |
| 2025 or later | Annex 5 |
In this way IB grades are placed on the scale of the Lithuanian state matura exams, from which the competitive score for each programme is calculated. If you need to know how a particular subject will count, ask LAMA BPO.
What to upload
In your LAMA BPO account you upload a copy of the IB Diploma with grades, in the "secondary education" section. If you finish the IB in the same year, you upload the summary of results issued by your school, with a stamp and signature.
Minimum scores and bonus points
Each institution may set a minimum competitive score. For 2026 entry, Vilnius University set a minimum of 4 for applicants who finished school in 2025 or 2026, and stated that it applies to IB graduates too.
Some institutions add bonus points for the IB Diploma on paid places. In the 2026 requirements published by LAMA BPO, Kaunas University of Technology added 0.5 points for completing the IB programme, and ISM University of Management and Economics and LCC International University added 0.3 points.
Timing
In 2026 the main round ran from 1 June to 23 July 12:00, with additional rounds on 4–7 and 14–17 August. IB results for the May session come out in July, inside the main round, which is why LAMA BPO accepts the school's summary of results. The 2027 dates are not approved yet.
Route 2: applying directly to a university
Students from outside the EU apply on the institution's own portal and study on a paid place. Each university decides how to assess the IB. Vilnius University, for example, asks IB applicants for the IB Diploma, the IB results certificate and for the official results to be released to the university through the IB's own system. You also submit a motivation letter. If your IB studies were taught in English, you do not need a separate English test.
Deadlines for non-EU applicants come early because of the residence permit, often before May-session results are out. Vilnius University, for example, lets applicants who are still at school apply with their most recent transcript and a certificate of the expected graduation date. Check each university's rules before you apply.
Medicine
Medicine and dentistry are taught in English at Vilnius University and the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), which also teaches pharmacy and veterinary medicine in English. LSMU's admission for its English-taught programmes is based on school documents and an entrance test: an interview plus a multiple-choice test in biology and chemistry, 30 questions each.
LSMU exempts IB applicants from that test if they have at least 5 at Higher Level in both Biology and Chemistry. LSMU charges a non-refundable application fee of €150 and a registration fee of €250 once an offer is accepted.
Language
Lithuanian-taught programmes require B2 or C1 Lithuanian, depending on the field. For English-taught ones, see bachelor's degrees in English in Lithuania.
Where to look next
- How to get into a university in Lithuania
- Document recognition for Lithuania
- How much it costs to study in Lithuania
- Applying to universities in continental Europe with the IB Diploma
- All programmes in Lithuania
Official sources
- LAMA BPO: Qualifications from abroad and international programmes: IB recognition, uploads and the annexes of order V-932 (in Lithuanian)
- LAMA BPO: 2026 requirements of each institution: minimum scores and bonus points (PDF, in Lithuanian)
- Vilnius University: Required attachments: documents for IB applicants
- LSMU: Admission process: entrance test and exemptions
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.