Vilnius is the capital and largest city in Lithuania, a country in eastern Europe which has recently become a hub of world-class university education for international students. With a population of 500,000 residents and rich cultural history, Vilnius offers international students the convenience of excellent living and university standards as well as relatively low tuition and living costs.
Named as one of the ‘25 Global Cities of the Future’ by fDi magazine in 2021, Vilnius represents an excellent location for you to pursue your academic and professional goals. But what are the best universities for international students in Vilnius, and what are the facts you need to know about top-ranked Vilnius universities before applying?
Despite being a small city in size and population, Vilnius offers 5 top-ranked universities for international students, alongside other universities offering work-oriented programs and specialisations in many subjects.
Have you ever wondered what studying at a 500-year old university will be like? You can find out at Vilnius University, founded in 1579! With an international student population of over 1,200 out of the total university strength of 20,000 students, you will always feel welcomed by the friendly atmosphere in Vilnius University.
Vilnius University’s primary campus, located in the Old Town area of Vilnius, offers especially beautiful scenery and historical buildings as your classrooms. Vilnius University also offers international students the chance to spend a year abroad, because the university is a member of the worldwide Erasmus Exchange Programme.
Courses are offered at Vilnius University in 11 departments:
Established over a century ago in 1920, the Kaunas University of Technology is Lithuania’s first independent higher education institution. Out of its total student population of 9,000 students, about 720 pupils are international students.
Kaunas University of Technology is located about an hour away from downtown Vilnius, in the nearby town of Kaunas. Courses for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are offered to international students at the Kaunas University of Technology in the following departments:
The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences is the largest university with a specialised focus on biomedical sciences in Lithuania. Established in 2010 after a merger between two top-ranked institutions, the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences offers 17 courses taught in English for international students.
The welcoming atmosphere in the university for international students is shown by the fact that nearly 18% of the total University enrollment of 7,000 students are international students. The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences also offers high-quality exchange programs for international students with nearly 170 universities in over 40 countries.
Courses at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences are taught in one of two departments:
The Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is a research-focused and top-ranked public university with an excellent student-teacher ratio of 10:1. This will allow you to easily access world-class faculty and research facilities as you progress with your degree.
The Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is home to 13 institutes, 3 research centres and over 20 research laboratories, each for specialised research in multiple scientific fields. The primary campus of the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is located in the Saulėtekis neighbourhood of Vilnius. Of the 9,100 students enrolled at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, over 1,080 are international students.
Alongside courses in Business, Economics and other subjects for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University is famous for its world-class aviation and architecture programs for international students. The Vilnius Gediminas Technical University’s quality is proven by the fact that QS World Rankings awarded the university a full 5 stars for faculty and research facilities.
Founded in 1922 and originally named the University of Lithuania, the Vytautas Magnus University is also located an hour away from Vilnius in nearby Kaunas. The Vytautas Magnus Technology is the only top-ranked Vilnius university with a focus on liberal arts programs.
International students will feel especially at home in Vytautas Magnus University, because every fifth student enrolled at the university is an international student. The Vytautas Magnus University offers high-quality liberal arts programs for international students in a variety of departments such as:
Below are the top-ranked Vilnius universities for international students, with their ranks in two of the world’s most well-respected international university rankings, the QS 2024 University World rankings and the Times Higher Education 2024 Rankings.
For more information about rankings systems and methodologies see our University rankings explained guide.
| University | QS World Ranking 2024 | Times Higher Education Ranking 2024 | QS Ranking in Lithuania | THE Ranking in Lithuania |
| Vilnius University | =473 | 801-1,000 | 1 | =1 |
| Vilnius Gediminas Technical University | 801-850 | 1,201+ | =2 | =2 |
| Kaunas University of Technology | 801-850 | 1,201+ | =2 | =2 |
| Vytautas Magnus University | 801-850 | 1,201+ | =2 | =2 |
| Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | – | 801-1,000 | – | =1 |
It must be noted that although the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences is the top-ranked Vilnius university for international students according to the Times Higher Education Rankings for 2023, the university does not feature on the QS World Rankings list.
Vilnius University, according to QS World Rankings, is the best university in Lithuania for international students, and the only Vilnius-based university in the top 500 worldwide.
Meanwhile, the similarly high rankings of the Kaunas University of Technology, Vytautas Magnus University and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University shows that all three institutes will be great choices for international students interested in studying in Lithuania.
In addition to the top-ranked Vilnius universities for international students, the city also offers many institutes which provide work-study certificate programs and specialised degrees in certain areas of expertise. Some of them are:
The extremely low tuition costs for international students in Vilnius are a major attraction and the reason why so many students choose Vilnius as their university destination. The average annual tuition costs for Vilnius universities is about 3,000-5,000 US Dollars for Bachelor’s degrees, and only slightly higher for Master’s degrees at 4,000-6,500 US Dollars.
These figures show the amazing value for money offered by top-ranked Vilnius universities for international students; comparable universities in the USA, UK and Australia, for example, will be far more expensive with average annual tuition costs being close to at least 18,000-25,000 US Dollars every year.
Similarly for living costs, you can comfortably enjoy university and off-campus life in Vilnius with a small budget of between 600-1,000 US Dollars every month, about half of what international students would be spending in Australia and the UK.
This figure includes approximately 250-350 US Dollars every month for shared accommodation, 200-325 US Dollars for food expenses, 50 US Dollars for monthly transport and utilities, and between 150 and 250 US Dollars for emergency expenses and spending on entertainment.
This budget represents immense value for money and the chance to explore historic and immigrant-friendly Vilnius in a very affordable way.
International students should note that programs in top-ranked Vilnius universities follow the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and are offered in three ‘cycles’ – Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, and PhDs. This will make it easier to transfer to another European university if you wish, as well as have your credits recognised across the region.
Away from the classroom, Vilnius offers international students multiple entertainment venues and outdoor areas to enjoy the beautiful Lithuanian countryside. Remember to get your ‘Vilnius Pass’ and other related student discounts so you can enjoy Vilnius’ historical and museum venues at the best prices! The city offers an endless amount of tourist attractions which international students can enjoy while taking a break from their world-class academics. These include:
The list of attractions in Vilnius shows that the city offers international students an action-packed academic, cultural, and historical experience which is comparable to university life for international students in the world’s top cities such as London and Paris. But unlike the high living and tuition costs in those cities, you can enjoy the best of Vilnius and Lithuania with a much more affordable budget.
Study in LithuaniaBrowse our list of higher education providers in Lithuania.
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