Vilnius

Sukurta: 07 February 2023

Vilnius is the capital and the largest city in Lithuania. The city is packed with action, art, inspiration and history, and you’ll have more than a few unexpected adventures along the way. Develop your career, from startups to big names, by being a part of a close-knit community of enthusiastic professionals and entrepreneurs.

Soak up the art in Vilnius’ theatres, galleries and street art spaces. Catch the beat at Vilnius’ festivals, open-air events and concerts. Enjoy a breath of fresh air in Vilnius’ cosy courtyards, parks and terraces.

Vilnius University is considered to be one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe. According to many people at the time, the university of the early 19th century was equal to the most advanced universities in Europe. A new era in the history of the university began in 1990, as Lithuania regained its independence and the university regained its autonomy. However, the things that symbolises today’s Vilnius University the most are the two most important threads of its identity, which are twisted together like a DNA spiral: its passionate efforts to adapt to the needs and trends of the rapidly changing world; and at the same time, the traditions that have survived since its establishment.

Population/Size of the city

Living Expenses

Accommodation

There are many accommodation options for international students in Lithuania. Vilnius University dormitories 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 29th of August until 30 June).

Application for Accommodation must be submitted via online enrolment procedure (for exchange students), or via online admission procedure (for degree students).

We would like to inform you that due to the limited capacity at the dormitories, the places won't be assigned to all the interested students. Please note that the places are assigned on a first come, first served basis. We will inform everyone about obtaining a place in the dormitory in a separate message no later than the 10th of June.

Move in the dormitory dates:

from the 29th of August for the Autumn semester
from the 30th of January for the Spring semester
Note: Arrival date must be coordinated with Accommodation Officer:

E-mail:
Contact telephone number +370 618 62281
Dormitories in Vilnius are situated in Saulėtekio, Olandų or Didlaukio streets. They are close enough to the faculties. The time that is necessary to reach a faculty or any other object depends on their geographical location and the traffic causes.

	Dormitory at Saulėtekio av.	Dormitory at Olandų st.	Dormitory at Didlaukio st.
Location	Saulėtekio av. 39, 37, 35 (1st floor), 33 (1st floor), 4 (2nd and 3rd floor), 10266 Vilnius	Olandų st. 51, 01207 Vilnius	Didlaukio st. 59, 08302 Vilnius
Location	In a walking distance to the faculties of Economics and Business Administration, Physics, Communication, Law and Business School	Close to the Old Campus (Philology, Philosophy, History faculties, Orentalistic Centre, Institute of International Relations and Political Science)	Close to the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
Room type	Double rooms (Saulėtekio av. 33 and 35) and double or triple rooms (Saulėtekio av. 37, 39, 4)	Double and triple rooms	Double and triple rooms
Common room with internet access	No	Yes	No
Common kitchen	Yes. One for each corridor have to be shared up to 23 people	Yes. One for each corridor have to shared up to 18 people	Yes. One for each corridor have to be shared up to 23 people
Bathroom facilities	Yes. Have to be shared up to 5-10 people	Yes. Have to be shared up to 5 people	Yes. Have to be shared up to 5 people
Wireless internet	Yes	Yes	No. Access to cable internet in each room
Bedding	Yes	Yes	Yes
Laundry facilities	Yes	Yes	Yes

Prices

Arrival deposit: at least 60 Eur. Deposit must cover monthly price. Prices for one person.

Room type	Per month if stay more than 2 months	Per day if stay less than 2 months
Double room	87 Eur	9 Eur (up to 10 days)
	87 Eur	7 Eur (up to 20 days)
	87 Eur	6 Eur (21 days and more)
	87 Eur	6 Eur (up to 10 days)
Triple room	58 Eur	7 Eur (up to 10 days)
	58 Eur	5 Eur (up to 20 days)
	58 Eur	4,5 Eur (21 days and more)
Additional services: internet (5 Eur monthly (Olandų 51 - eduroam ))

Transport

Vilnius public transport:
– Express bus (green bus symbol with the letter G)
– Bus (blue bus symbol)
– Night bus (grey bus symbol with the letter N)
– Trolleybus (red bus symbol)

Travelling in the city by public transport is a great and convenient way to reach your destination, as well as places of interest in the city centre or suburbs. You can travel in Vilnius by bus, express and night buses, and by trolleybuses.

Tickets can be purchased and topped up on a “Vilniečio or JUDU kortelė” card (the one-time fee is EUR 1.5), or on your phone using the m.Ticket app. Tickets are valid on all buses and trolleybuses throughout the specified time.

You can purchase public transport tickets at:

Customer Service Centres.
Tickets distribution
sites.
You can also purchase public transport tickets via apps:

Download the Trafi app. or the m.Ticket app. The m.Ticket app is only available with a Lithuanian phone number.

Tickets prices*(without a student discount):

30 min. ticket – € 0.65
60 min. ticket – € 0.90
1-day ticket – € 5.00
3-day ticket – € 8.00
5-day ticket – € 12.00
10-day ticket – € 15.00

Culture & Entertainment

Gediminas Castle Tower

Gediminas Castle Tower marks the place where the great Grand Dukes of Old Lithuania once lived. Once upon a time, this castle was the crowning glory of the vast Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which dominated Europe. The castle was built by Grand Duke Gediminas who, according to legend, had a dream about an iron wolf whose call was so loud, it seemed like a thousand wolfs were howling. Mage Lizdeika explained to the Duke the meaning of this dream: he must build a city in this place, which would be famous around the world. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, Duke Gediminas sent letters to the merchants, craftsmen and artists of Western Europe, inviting them to settle in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania‘s Grand Duchy, promising them favourable lifestyle and trading conditions, along with freedom of religion and the ability to practice native traditions. In this way, Vilnius became a melting pot of the world’s cultures, religions and arts.

Republic of Užupis

Near the Old Town you will find the “Republic of Uzupis”, with its distinctive scents and atmosphere. Tourists from far away can actually receive a visa for their passports from this “Republic”. In Uzupis, one might think that you are actually in a different country, functioning under its own set of rules. It also seems that the walls and gateways of Uzupis express a certain kind of humour: this formerly poor neighbourhood, which had a functioning brothel quarter and a very poor reputation for security, is now one of the most prestigious and expensive neighbourhoods in the City. What was formerly known as “Death Street”, is now guarded by Uzupis’ symbol – the sculpture of Angel with a trumpet announcing the great possibilities in this neighbourhood.

Republic of Užupis

Lukiškės prison

For 118 years, Lukiškės Prison was guarded by high walls and barbed wire, but today the site is open to the public. Transformed from a prison to an artistic venue, the new version – Lukiškės Prison 2.0 – is home to 250 creators and artists, and is a place where curious individuals can learn and explore. Many cultural, music and art events frequently take place in designated areas of the prison. For instance, a British electronic music project titled Jungle took place in mid-May, the SIRENOS ‘21 theatre festival was held back in October, and the Bix Berlin ‘89 concert took place in September to commemorate the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, among other local and international projects. All the current activities are carried out with the utmost respect for the prison’s past, while honouring the people who served sentences here for over one hundred years. Sit down to enjoy a refreshing drink, attend a concert or take a tour to get a glimpse of life in the former prison. This unique space has also become a star of the silver screen. The location can be easily transforms to depict various spaces, and has served as the backdrop for some world-famous movies and TV series.

Trakai Island Castle

Take a short trip from Vilnius to find a hidden, slow-paced haven – the little historic town and lake resort called Trakai. This place was treasured by the Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as their capital, and is still loved by locals and visitors for its astonishing natural features, traditional Karaim cuisine and amazing views of Trakai Island Castle. Take a look at our Top Five reasons to go out of your way and spend some time outside Vilnius.

Trakai Island Castle

Adventures in the air

Get the best view of the castle and lake from the air. A hot air balloon will definitely give you a whole new take on the serene scenery of the green forests, impressive lake and the winding roads, as well as the day-to-day life of the little town. If you’re more adventurous, you can try paragliding over Trakai – it’s a great experience for beginners and skilled paragliders alike. Don’t really want to try it yourself? Watch the professionals do it at the Lithuanian Open Paragliding Accuracy Championship held on 16-17 February.

Alfredas Bumblauskas, Tomas Vaiseta