Living in Lithuania

Sukurta: 31 January 2023

Welcome! Take a look at the information that might be relevant right after your arrival to studies.

Accomodation

There are many accommodation options for international students in Lithuania. We strongly suggest you to choose Vilnius University dormitories because they are situated as close to the academic campuses as possible, charge modest fees and give you a better opportunity to interact with other students.Accommodation in Vilnius University dormitories is available only for Vilnius University students during the academic year (i.e. from 1 September until 30 June). Application for Accommodation must be submitted via online enrolment procedure (for exchange students), or via online admission procedure (for degree students).

Apartment Rentals

Transport

Public Transportation

Lithuanian cities have well-developed public transportation systems. There is a choice of buses, trolleybuses (in the largest cities of the country) and minibuses. Students are offered large discounts on public transportation tickets (daily, monthly and yearly), and are encouraged to use this form of transportation.

Information on the routes and schedules (available in English for all major cities) is available on the TRAFI website and mobile app.

Other Transport

Taxi services provide a fast, comfortable and relatively inexpensive way to travel around the city. However, in Lithuania it is not a common practice to stop taxis in the street. It is always better (and cheaper!) to use one of the popular mobile apps, such as “Bolt“, “Uber” and “e-Transport“, or to rent a car via “CityBee” and “Spark”.

Rentable scooters and bikes are currently also a popular choice of transportation!

Intercity Transport

Living Cost

The likely monthly living costs are provided below. These costs are based on a student who lives in Vilnius or Kaunas, and has no dependents. Tuition fees, residence permit expenses and trips to your home country are not included.

Accommodation in a VU dormitory: €55-174.00

Food: €230

Materials for your studies (stationery, textbooks, printing and photocopying, and other materials): €53

Social/leisure (~7 € for a movie ticket + 25 € for other activities like the theatre): €32

Public transport (with the student discount): €5.80

Personal care (hygiene, medicine and haircuts): €35

Others: €80

TOTAL: € ~535.80

It may seem that living in Lithuania is quite expensive, but there are few ways to ensure you enjoy a good lifestyle (although please keep in mind that you must be able to maintain your financial stability during the whole study period, even without these options):

1. get a student loan (if you are an EU student) or to apply for a scholarship.
2. To get a part-time job.

Work in Lithuania

Work during studies

International students have the right to work while studying in Lithuania, as long as they are enrolled in a university. EU students can work full-time, meaning up to 40 hours per week. International students from non-EU countries can also work up to 40 hours per week after obtaining a temporary residence permit. There is useful information and practical advice available for students, carefully selected by career counsellors that will help on their career path.

Work after completing studies

International students have the possibility to stay in the country for 15 months after their studies, in order to look for a job:
• During the last year of studying, if you apply for a temporary residence permit renewal for an 3 additional months from the day when your studies are finished.
• After graduating, students also have the possibility to apply for a temporary residence permit for 12 months for job search and self-employment purposes.

Financial&Bank Accounts

EUR (€) is the national currency of Lithuania.

Banking cards such as Mastercard, Visa and American Express are accepted in most shops and places providing services. You can also easily exchange foreign currency at banks, bureaux de change, airports and railway stations. The Bank of Lithuania acts as the central monetary authority in Lithuania. Currently, six commercial banks hold a licence from the Bank of Lithuania and operate in the country:

• SEB
• Swedbank
• Luminor
• Šiaulių Bankas
• Citadele
• Medicinos Bankas

You can easily open an account at one of these banks by visiting a branch.

Entertainment

According to “Lonely Planet”, a well-known publisher of travel guide books, Lithuania is “a land of crumbling castles, soaring dunes, enchanting forests and magical lakes”. Yes, Lithuania is all that and much more! From the Curonian Spit to the Hill of Crosses, to the Old Town of Vilnius (a UNESCO heritage site) – the country is full of surprises, wherever you look.

For more adventures check here.

Vilnius University is located in 3 cities

Find out more details about living in each city.

Pay attention

Visa&Residence permit

Student Life&Services

Useful Links

ihVilnius

International House Vilnius could be a useful platform if you are looking for more information about arrival matters, job opportunities, communities in Vilnius and integration.

These are some useful links for you to check out:

Services of International House Vilnius - https://ihvilnius.lt/services
Emplyment of International Students - https://ihvilnius.lt/employment-of-international-students
International Communities in Vilnius - https://ihvilnius.lt/foreigners-in-vilnius
More useful information and integration tips are available on the International House Vilnius Website - https://ihvilnius.lt/about-us

Telephone

For those who want to use a mobile phone in Lithuania, you may choose between three service providers: Telia, Tele2 or Bite. It is much cheaper to use a pre-paid card from one of these companies than to use services from your home country.

You can find the pre-paid cards in most grocery stores or in the specialist company shops. There, you’ll also find information on the best ways to use your card. Please find the addresses of the subdivisions of these companies by following the provided links.

Student Discounts

Students in Lithuania receive discounts in various places ranging from restaurants to museums, and from public transportation to certain shops.

In order to use ALL available discounts, you will need to have:

• Lithuanian Student Identity Card (LSIC)
• International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

The LSIC is issued and administered by the Lithuanian National Union of Students (LSS) and is only valid in Lithuania. The card is mandatory for ALL students in Lithuania, including students attending exchange programmes. The ISIC is an international student identity card. It is not mandatory, but it is recognised all around the world and it is a must if you are planning to travel abroad.

If you want to access as many student discounts as possible, we would recommend that you have BOTH.