YOUR SCHOLARSHIP IN EUROPE

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Your Scholarship in Europe 2008-2009
Lithuania
BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT LITHUANIA
Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic States. It is bound by the Baltic Sea, Latvia,
Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and Belarus. The capital of the country
is Vilnius. Lithuania has a population of 3.5 million people, 87% of whom are ethnic
Lithuanians, 6.31% ethnic Russians and 6,74% ethnic Poles. The offi cial language is
Lithuanian.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
In Lithuania, higher educational institutions provide study programmes of varying duration
and levels. The institutions are of two types: universities and colleges – non-university
higher educational institutions. Universities offer bachelors, masters and doctoral
programmes, high-level professional creative artistic activities, post-graduate art
studies and research opportunities. A college is a higher educational institution where
non-university studies prevail, applied research is carried out and (or) professional arts
are developed. Non-university consecutive studies are professional studies intended
for training for a professional career. Since 2007, a Professional Bachelors degree has
been introduced.
University level (fi rst cycle): Undergraduate studies (Pagrindinės studijos):
Undergraduate studies leading to a Bachelors degree (Bakalauras) or a professional
qualifi cation normally last four years.
University level (second cycle): Specialized or Masters studies (Magistras), integrated
studies:
Upon completion of an undergraduate study programme, graduates may pursue specialized
professional studies or studies leading to a Masters degree lasting 1½ to 2
years. Specialised professional study programmes lasting 1-2 years lead to professional
qualifi cations. There are also integrated studies (i.e. combined fi rst and second
cycles): the duration of studies is no more than 6 academic years and no less than 5
academic years.
University level (third cycle): Rezidentūra (Residency), Meno aspirantūra (Postgraduate
art studies), Doktorantūra (Doctoral studies):
Doctoral studies last 4 years and can be pursued after completing the second cycle, integrated
studies, or acquiring equivalent qualifi cations. Upon completion of the doctoral