Scholarships and finances

Scholarships and finances

SCHOLARSHIPS

The following types of financial support are provided to students by the University: incentive scholarship, one-time social grant, one-time target scholarship, nominal scholarship, foreign student scholarship, PhD student scholarship, and resident doctor scholarship. Procedures for granting these scholarships are established in Vilnius University Scholarship Regulations.

Incentive scholarships are granted to the best students of the first cycle, second cycle and integrated studies for their excellent learning outcomes. There are two sizes of incentive scholarships: 1,5 BSB and 2,5 BSB (BSB - Basic Social Benefit which is currently 38 EUR per month).

One-off social grants are granted to students of the first cycle, second cycle, third cycle and integrated studies in the event of death of family members, natural or other disasters, illness or other similar cases. The size of a one-time social grant is from 2 to 12 BSB.

One-off earmarked scholarships are granted to students of the first cycle, second cycle, third cycle and integrated studies with relevant achievements in sports, cultural and scientific/social activities. Applications for the autumn semester must be submitted until October 25, for the spring semester – until March 25. Scholarships are granted by a commission which is formed by the Rector. The size of a one-time target scholarship is from 1 to 15 BSB. The form for application could be found on the eStudent information system at is.vu.lt. To your application, you must attach:

>  A recommendation;

>  An activity table (example form);

>  Diplomas, articles and other proofs of activity. 

Nominal scholarships are granted to the best students of the first cycle, second cycle, third cycle and integrated studies based on certain fields of activity for their achievements or contributions in these fields. The grounds and principles of granting nominal scholarships are established in the regulations of a specific nominal scholarship and/or support agreement: https://www.vu.lt/studijos/studentams/finansai/stipendijos. Please contact the Academic Core Unit that you study to find out your options.

Foreign student scholarships are granted to foreign university students who came to study according to bilateral cooperation agreements. Scholarship sizes are the same as the sizes of incentive scholarships granted to University students of an appropriate cycle, excluding cases when another scholarship size is agreed and provided in order to maintain the partnership.

PhD student scholarships are granted to state-funded PhD students, and resident doctor scholarship are granted to state-funded residents. PhD student and resident doctor scholarships are granted according to the procedures established by the Government. Read more in the information for PhD students and residents section.
Information on grants for foreigners of Lithuanian origin is published in English on http://vsf.lrv.lt/en/activities-1/fields-of-activity.

Financial support for students with special needs. 

TUITION FEE PAYMENTS, LOANS

Tuition fees must be paid by students taking study places not funded by the state. Students admitted to studies via the Online System of Joint Admission of the Association of Higher Education Institutions (LAMA BPO) or the University's Onile System for Servicing of Applicants for Admission to the Second-Cycle of Studies (VU ISAS) shall pay the tuition fee for each semester before the end of the first month of the current semester. 

Students admitted to study places not funded by state via the University's Online System of Admission Dream Apply shall pay the tuition fee for the first year of studies within 15 calendar days from the submission date of an invitation to study. The subsequent payments must be done before the end of the first month of the corresponding semester. 

The Dean of the Faculty (Head of Academic Unit) may allow to pay tuition fees in instalments or postpone the payment of a tuition fee. Applications must be submitted in the faculty (unit) where the studies are carried out or via the Vilnius University Information System eStudent. 

If a student (unclassified student) terminates his/her study agreement, the paid tuition fees which are equal to the annual price of studies (price of studied course units) are refunded based on the Procedure of Payment, Reimbursement and Recovery of Tuition Fees at Vilnius University.

Payment methods

Tuition fees can be paid via electronic banking services provided by Swedbank or SEB bank or via bank transfers at any other bank. Please pay your tuition fees in the bank where you have opened your account. When paying via bank transfer, it is necessary to specify all the information provided in the payment order formed in VU Study Information System eStudent or VU Admission System Dream Apply correspondingly.  

If you have any questions, please contact the administrator of studies of your Faculty (Academic Unit). 

State Supported Loans

All students enrolled in the first, second and third cycle, integrated and non-degree studies at higher education institutions in Lithuania can apply for a State-Supported Loan. For more information follow the link: http://vsf.lrv.lt/en/activities-1/fields-of-activity.

TUITION FEE COMPENSATION

Students who studied in a study place not funded by the state during the entire or part (semester) of the study period, and who achieved the best learning outcomes, can expect to receive a tuition fee compensation. Tuition fee compensation from the state budget is organized by the State Studies Foundation (hereinafter - Foundation) with the participation of the University; compensation procedures are regulated by the Description of the Procedure of Payment, Reimbursement and Recovery of Tuition Fees at Vilnius University. 

By considering the number of students in each study programme, the State Studies Foundation shall establish the highest number of persons in each field of study whose paid tuition fees may be compensated. Students of each field of study are ranked according to the weighted average of the compensated period, and the paid fees are compensated for the established number of students with the best learning outcomes in that field.

Persons who a granted a tuition fee compensation shall receive a notification in November via e-mails provided to the Foundation by the higher education institution, therefore it is important that students regularly check their e-mails specified in VU eStudent platform. Upon receiving a notification, students must, within the specified deadline, submit an application to the Foundation for the compensation of paid tuition fees.

For students who were admitted to study in the first cycle and integrated studies prior to 31 December 2016, the actually paid tuition fee or part of it which does not exceed the standard tuition fee may be compensated 2 times during the study period:

  • for the first two years of studies (in the case of part-time studies - during the first half of the study programme) and/or
  • from the third year of studies until the end of the first cycle or integrated studies (in the case of part-time studies - after finishing the second half of the study programme).

For students who were admitted to study in the first cycle, second cycle and integrated studies from 1 January 2017, the paid tuition fee or part of it which does not exceed the standard tuition fee may be compensated at the end of each year of studies.

  • The following shall not have the right to receive tuition fee compensation:
  • persons who are re-enrolling in the programme of the same or lower study cycle, if more than half of the previous study programme credits were acquired with state budget funds;
  • persons who are studying in two or more degree study programmes or non-degree study programmes of the same cycle at the same time, if their studies are funded with state budget funds according to at least one of these study programmes (they pay for the second and other study programmes);
  • foreigners, excluding emigrants and foreigners of Lithuanian descent, as well as citizens of the Member States of the European Union and other countries in the European Economic Area, if the international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania or other legal acts do not provide otherwise;
  • in other cases established by the Government.

STUDENT'S BASKET REFUND

State budget funds intended for covering tuition fees of state-funded places, or part of them are returned to the state budget, if persons choose to terminate their studies, excluding cases when first cycle or integrated studies are terminated during the first semester of the first year of these studies, and when students are expelled from a higher education institution according to the established procedures. 
Persons who were admitted to second-cycle studies in 2015 or later, and who terminated these studies during the first semester of the first year will have to pay back the tuition fee for the first semester by returning it to the state budget.

A person shall be exempt from tuition fee refunds in the following cases:

  • if he completed the study semester within the time period established by the higher education institution, he has no academic debts and he informed the higher education institution in writing about the termination of studies prior to the beginning of the new study semester, or the person fulfilled all the requirements of the study programme (submitted his final thesis, but did not or failed to defend it);
  • the person was recognized to be disabled according to the procedures established by legal acts, and provides an appropriate certificate to prove this;
  • the person lost his student's basket during rotation, has no academic debts and informed the higher education institution in writing about the termination of studies no later than within 10 working days after comparison of learning outcomes is published in the higher education institution;
  • an examination session was extended and the person completed the semester within the time period established by the higher education institution, he has no academic debts and has informed the higher education institution in writing about the termination of studies no later than within 10 working days after the end of the extended session deadline;
  • the person leaves for partial studies abroad according to international (interdepartmental) agreements, he has no academic debts and has informed the higher education institution in writing about the termination of studies no later than within 10 working days after the end of the study semester in a foreign higher education institution;
  • the person was granted academic leave of absence due to illness under the recommendation of the Consultative Commission of Doctors, or due to pregnancy and childbirth, or maternity leave, and has informed the higher education institution in writing about the termination of studies prior to the end of the academic leave of absence;
  • in case of death.

The following shall not be obliged to refund their student's basket:

  • students who have no academic debts (i.e. who did not fail their examinations (pass/fail evaluations)), and who apply to their academic unit prior to the beginning of the semester (autumn semester - until September 1, spring semester - until February 4) in order to be removed from the student list;
  • students who are granted an academic leave of absence due to illness or pregnancy and childbirth, or maternity leave, and who apply to be removed from the student list prior to the end of their leave;
  • final year students who submitted their final theses to the academic unit prior to the date established in the unit.

Persons must return to the state budget 50 per cent of the study programme's annual fee for the current year of studies, which does not exceed the standard tuition fee approved by the Minister of Education and Science.