A guide for incoming students.

1. DISCOVER 2
Introduction 2
Lithuania What is it? 2
It started a long time ago… 3
Did you know that Vilnius is European Capital of Culture 2009? 3
STUDY IN LITHUANIA
STUDY LITHUANIA
Want to know who is famous in Lithuania? 4
Second religion 4
Where to go and what to see if you want to discover Lithuania 5
Vilnius 5
Kaunas 7
Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) 7
Curonian spit (Neringa) 8
Kernavė 8
Biržai 8
DEVELOP 9
Wondering about higher education system in Lithuania? 10
Do you know what grade system is in Lithuania? 11
Which higher educational institution to choose? 12
Want to be mobile? 15
Want to learn the Lithuanian language? 16
ENJOY 17
Interested in arts, theaters or music? 17
Movies 18
What is so special about Lithuanian music? 18
Lithuanian customs and traditions 19
Want to taste local food and drinks? 20
Let’s celebrate public holidays and festivals together! 21
Want to spend your leisure time in nature? It’s not a problem! 22
Not active enough and want to be fit? 24
Going shopping or want to send a letter? 25
Party, party, party! 26
Want to know at least several phrases in Lithuanian? 26
PRACTICALITIES 27
DISCOVER Need a lift? 27
Want to get in touch? 28
Short of cash? 29
Finding where to live? 29
DEVELOP Wondering how much it will cost to live in Lithuania?
Want to find a job in Lithuania?
30
31
Your country is closer than you think… 32
Feeling safe? 32
How to make your stay and studying legal in Lithuania? 33
ENJOY Want to know how to get a Lithuanian Student Identity Card?
Where to find help during your first days at university?
33
34
CHECK LIST 34
Contacts  1

2. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Hi! What’s up?
Maybe you’re thinking about studying in Lithuania? Maybe you’ve already decid-
ed? If this is true, then you are the one I’m thinking of as I write this little book
I was so surprised and fascinated with this country that I wanted to share my
feelings, experiences and knowledge here with you I will show you how exciting
Lithuania is and how I found it through the joy of discovery, the possibilities of
development and the beauty of enjoyment
So let’s discover Lithuania together
Lithuania.
What is it?
Statistically
speaking…
Area: 65 300 km2
Population: 3, 39 million
Language: Lithuanian
Currency: Litas (EUR 1 = LTL 3, 4528)
Religion: Roman Catholic Church There are
also communities of Eastern Orthodox Church,
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Ref-
ormation Church, Old Believers, Judaism, Islam,
and others
Cities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai,
Panevėžys
Ethnic composition: Lithuanians: 83 5%, Poles:
6 7%, Russians: 6 3%, Belarusians: 1 2%, other:
2 3% In total there are 115 ethnicities in Lithuania
Climate: between maritime and continental
Average temperature in July is 23°C, and aver-
age temperature in January is -4 9°C
Landscape: a flat country with lowland plains
that make up to 75% and lots of green forests
Form of government: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of state: President, the Executive Branch:
Government (appointed by the President), the
Legislative Branch: the Seimas (Unicameral
Parliament, direct elections)
Member of UN, NATO, EU, Schengen zone
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3. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
...It started long time ago… Did you know
… I think that knowing a bit of country’s history will make it easier for you to
that Vilnius is
discover Lithuania as a small country with a rich heritage and it will also rather The 2009 European
impress your new Lithuanian friends… Capital of Culture?
Absolutely! And the best information you can find about this
1009 – Lithuania’s name was mentioned for the first time in Quedlinburg event is on the website http://www culturelive lt/
Chronicle
13th century – Lithuania was united by the first and the only King, Mindaugas
1387 – Lithuania, the last pagan country in Europe, became Christianized
1410 – The United Army of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland’s defeated the
Teutonic Knights After this battle, the Teutonic Knights would never be a serious
threat again
1569 - The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland unified and
became the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
1773-1795 – The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth disappeared from the map,
as Russia, Prussia and Austria partitioned the country
1918, February 16th – Lithuania declares Independence
1939 – After the treacherous Molotov – Ribbentrop pact and the onset of the
Second World War, Lithuania lost its independence During the Soviet occupa-
tion, 200,000 Lithuanians were exiled to Siberia
1990, March 11th – Lithuania declares Independence for the second time In
1991, Russia tried to take Lithuania back by force, but it did not succeed and the
international community recognised Lithuania as an independent country After
this recognition, it became a member of the United Nations
2004 – Lithuania became a member of NATO and the European Union
2009 – Vilnius is named the European Capital of Culture
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4. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Want to know who is famous Second religion
in Lithuania? Don’t be surprised when all of the sudden
Lithuania has lots of famous people and the best way to meet it seems that Lithuania has gone crazy!
them…is to make friends with a Lithuanian Maybe you’ve never Suddenly, there are people in the streets,
heard of Arvydas Sabonis, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Žydrūnas Ilgaus- cars blaring their horns and kids hanging
kas, “Šaras” Šarūnas Jasikevičius, or Olympic Gold Medalist Virgilijus out of car windows waving Lithuanian flags
Alekna You can be sure that every Lithuanian (and pretty much all and everyone is singing What’s going on? It
of Europe) knows them Lithuanians take great pride in their sport simply means that the Lithuania’s national
heroes, but Lithuania is more than just basketball basketball team has won a big game Yes,
Lithuanians have some celebrities in culture sphere too Every Lithu- believe me, they are crazy about basketball
anian of course knows the extraordinary works of M K Čiurlionis and it is worthy of being called their “second
(1846–1914) – Composer and Artist as well as prominent They also religion” By the way, football is popular
have prominent theatre directors Oskaras Koršunovas and Eimantas too, it’s just that Lithuanian football teams
Nekrošius and filmmaker, writer, curator and “the godfather of Ameri- haven’t won that big game yet But stay
can avant-garde cinema”, Jonas Mekas, the opera star Violeta Urmana tuned to the 2010 World Cup!
who performs at famous theatres and concert halls all over the world,
but few actually know that the star soprano is Lithuanian
Perhaps the most famous Lithuanian today is the Lithuanian Presi-
dent, Valdas Adamkus As the winner of the European of the Year
Award, it was the first time a representative of a new EU member
state received such an honour
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5. DISCOVER
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Where to go and what to see Vilnius
if you want to discover Lithuania “My first impression of the
Sure, I could tell you lots places of interest to see in Lithuania all by myself, but capital – charming, tidy and…
here I would like to share reviews from my foreign friend Daniela Toifl from unforgettable: so many
Austria, who was studying at ISM University of Management and Economics in beautiful churches – from
Vilnius during the spring semester of 2008 each window of our flat you
could see at least one I loved
walking through the Old Town
along Pilies street, especially in
springtime The famous sites:
the Town Hall, the Cathedral,
Gediminas’ Castle and Gedi-
mino avenue – they never fail
to impress I also enjoyed many
pleasant and relaxing parks in
Vilnius ”
You will find more details,
things to see and what to do
there on the website of Vilnius
Tourism Centre
www vilnius-tourism lt
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6. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
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7. DISCOVER
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Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas)
“15 km north of Šiauliai you will find this little hill full of thousands of
crosses – all kinds of crosses made from everything “A little peculiar,
definitely mysterious and downright impressing at the same time ”
Visit there, and discover its story
The place where exactly it is you can find on the website of Šiauliai
Tourism Centre http://tic siauliai lt/
Kaunas
“It is not worth seeing it”– you
will hear that from quite a lot
of people from Vilnius – a little
city to city jealousy perhaps?
However, we took the bus to
Lithuania’s second largest city
and it was certainly worth it
We enjoyed walking down the
famous Laisvės Alėja, (Freedom
Lane) with its old buildings, nar-
row streets and many shops As
it was a national holiday, we also
could explore quaint little mar-
kets along the Old Town with
its national food (the honey is
especially very delicious), music
and handcrafted souvenirs ”
Check the website of Kaunas
Tourism Centre
http://visit kaunas lt
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8. DISCOVER
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Kernavė
“Lithuania’s oldest capital city –
Today Kernavė is famous for its
archaeological excavations and
its five impressive hills It is a
nice destination to enjoy a walk
through the hills and a picnic at
the river ”
More detailed information for
visitors of this archaeological and
historical place can be found at
www kernave org
Curonian Spit
(Neringa)
“PICTURESQUE! – Imposing sand
dunes, beautiful fishing villages and
pine forests - a MUST SEE when you
visit Lithuania
Juodkrantė – The Hill of Witches
(Raganų Kalnas) is a little park with
wooden statues of witches and other
creatures – very nice for taking funny
pictures and taking a walk through the
forest
Nida – Neringa’s “capital” with its lovely
little houses and garden cafés Just sit
down and enjoy the beautiful scenery
(The only drawback – bring some
insect repellent ;-))”
You can find more information at
www visitneringa lt And one of my
tips: visit Klaipėda on your way to
Neringa – www klaipedainfo lt
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9. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
DEVELOP
Biržai
“The “capital of beer” is
located at the very north of
Lithuania Biržai doesn’t only After the discovery of Lithuania, you probably will be interested in the ways
offer lots of breweries and you can develop both your cultural as well as your educational knowledge
tasty beer but also a marvel- The Lithuanian education system satisfies all the requirements of EU education
lous landscape with quite a policy and is accredited in all countries
few lakes Still…it is definitely
worth participating at the
beer tasting festival at the
Biržai Castle – very amusing
and funny!”
You can check for more enter-
tainment and visiting places
at www birzai lt
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10. DEVELOP
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Wondering
about the higher
education system
in Lithuania?
First of all, you needn’t worry about the quality of higher education in Lithu-
ania A Lithuanian diploma is recognized in all countries which have signed
The Lisbon Convention, which means, it’s good I can tell you that there are two
types of higher education institutions in Lithuania: universities and colleges As
in many other countries, they are divided into state or non-state
If you are interested in studying at college you should know that studies there
are undergraduate, first cycle, focused on practical activities and aimed at
acquiring a professional bachelor’s degree and/or a professional qualification,
testified by the professional Bachelor diploma or higher education diploma The
duration of studies is 3-4 years
The education system at universities is a bit different Studies there are or-
ganised in three cycles: 1st – undergraduate studies (Bachelor), 2nd – Master
and specialised professional studies; 3ed – Doctoral, post-graduate, residency
studies The university studies that encompass the first and the second cycle are
called integrated studies
Clock this:
Start of school year is usually September 1st
The School year is divided into two semesters: spring and fall
Usually one semester takes 16 weeks
Holidays:
Christmas (as of December 25),
Winter (end of January – beginning of February),
Summer (two months)
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11. DEVELOP
DEVELOP
Do you know
what grade system
is in Lithuania?
You will probably be interested to know if you And finally, I want to highlight the most important things
passed your course in Lithuania or not There about the whole studying procedure First of all, you
are different grading systems in different for- should know that Lithuania uses its national credit system
eign countries so Lithuania’s might be new for based on student work-load with an average of 1,600
you, but it’s simple Check out the table below working hours per academic year One credit corresponds
to 40 hours of student work (in classes, laboratories, inde-
pendent work, etc ), or to one working week
More information is on the website www smm lt
Required ECTS Pass/fail
Grade Definition
knowledge % equivalent system
95-100 10 Excellent A
85-94 9 Very good B
75-84 8 Good C
Pass
65-74 7 Highly satisfactory D
55-64 6 Satisfactory E
50-54 5 Sufficient E
40-49 4 Insufficient FX
30-39 3 Insufficient F
Fail
20-29 2 Insufficient F
0-19 1 Insufficient F
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12. DEVELOP
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State universities
Name City Address Webpage
Lithuanian
Which higher Academy of
Vilnius Gedimino pr 3 http://lma lt/
educational institution Music and
to choose? Theatre
After you find out about the main aspects of Mykolas
Lithuanian higher education system, the second Romeris Vilnius Ateities g 20 http://www mruni lt/
question would probably be…where exactly University
do you want to study? You can find universities
The General
and colleges in four different cities of Lithuania:
Jonas
Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and Šiauliai as well as
Žemaitis
colleges in Panevėžys, Telšiai, Utena, Marijampolė, Vilnius Šilo g 5 A http://www lka lt/
Military
Alytus and Rietavas You can find more details
Academy of
about the available English courses and other
Lithuania
important issues that concern studies for foreign
students on the websites of higher education Vilnius
institutions in Lithuania Academy of Vilnius Maironio g 6 http://www vda lt/
Almost all study programs are in the Lithuanian Fine Arts
language A foreign national seeking access to
higher education in Lithuania must show profi- Vilnius
ciency in the language of instruction by passing Gediminas
Vilnius Saulėtekio al 11 http://www vgtu lt/
the pass/fail test that is administered by Vilnius Technical
University (www lsk flf vu lt) However, a certain University
number of programs leading to a degree are
Vilnius
available in English, German, French or Russian
Pedagogical Vilnius Studentų g 39 http://www vpu lt/
You can check the detailed list about such avail-
University
able programs at www smm lt
Vilnius
Vilnius Universiteto g 3 http://www vu lt/
University
Vytautas
Magnus Kaunas K Donelaičio g 58 http://www vdu lt/
University
Lithuanian
Univerity
Kaunas Sporto g 6 http://www lkka lt/
of Physical
Education
Kaunas
University of Kaunas A Mickevičiaus g 9 http://www kmu lt/
Medicine
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13. DEVELOP
DEVELOP
Kaunas College of
University of Kaunas K Donelaičio g 73 http://internet ktu lt/ Religious Kaunas Papilio g 5 http://www lcn lt /
Technology Studies
Lithuanian Kaunas
Veterinary Kaunas Tilžės g 18 http://www lva lt/ Technical Kaunas Tvirtovės al 35 http://www ktk lt/
Academy College
Lithuanian Akademija, Klaipėda Dariaus ir
Klaipėda http://www klk lt/
University of Kaunas Studentų g 11 http://www lzuu lt College Girėno g 8
Agriculture region
Klaipėda
Klaipėda Herkaus Manto Business and Jaunystės g 1/
Klaipėda http://www ku lt/ Klaipėda http://www klvtk lt/
University g 84 Technology Bijūnų g 10
College
Šiauliai
Šiauliai Vilniaus g 88 http://www su lt/
University Lithuanian
Maritime Klaipėda I Kanto g 7 http://www lmc lt/
College
Šiauliai http://www
State colleges Šiauliai Aušros al 40
College siauliukolegija lt/
Name City Address Webpage Panevėžys Laisvės a 23/
Panevėžys http://www panko lt/
College Klaipėdos g 29
Vilnius
College of Alytus http://www akolegija
Vilnius Antakalnio g 54 http://www vtdko lt/ Alytus Merkinės g 2b
Technologies College lt/
and Design
Marijampole V Kudirkos g 61 /
Vilnius Marijampolė http://www marko lt/
Vilnius J Jasinskio g 15 http://www viko lt/ College Sodžiaus g 1
College
Utena http://www utenos-
Kaunas Utena Maironio g 7
Kaunas Pramonės pr 20 http://www kauko lt/ College kolegija lt/
College
Žemaitija
Kaunas Rietavas L Ivinskio g 5 http://www zemko lt/
College
College of
Girionys,
Forestry and
Kaunas Liepų g 1 http://www kmaik lt/
Environ-
region
mental
Engineering
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14. DEVELOP
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Non-State universities Non-State colleges
Name City Address Webpage Name City Address Webpage
ISM Vilnius Law
University of Arklių g 18/ and Business Vilnius Laisvės pr 58 http://www vtvk lt/
Vilnius/
Management E Ožeškienės http://www ism lt/ College
Kaunas
and g 18
Economics Vilnius
Business Vilnius Kalvarijų g 125 http://www kolegija lt/
Business Law College
Academy of Vilnius Kauno g 34 http://www vvtakademija lt/
Vilnius Vilnius
Design Vilnius Kauno g 34 http://www dizainokolegija lt/
International College
Business
School Vilnius Saulėtekio al 22 http://www tvm lt/ Vilnius Co-
Konstitucijos
at Vilnius operative Vilnius http://www vkk lt/
pr 11
University College
Vilnius St Vilnius
J Basanavičiaus
Joseph’s Vilnius Kalvarijų g 325 http://www seminarija lt/ Management Vilnius http://www vvk lt/
g 29a
Seminary School
European College
Klaipėda/ Nemuno g 2/
Humanities Vilnius Tauro g 12 http://lt ehu lt/ of Social http://www smk lt/
Vilnius Ulonų g 5
University Sciences
LCC Interna- VA
tional Univer- Klaipėda Kretingos g 36 http://www lcc lt/ Graičiunas Kęstučio g 57a/
Kaunas http://www kvk lt/
sity Management Laisvės al 33
School
Bishop
Vincentas Kopling
Kaunas Raguvos g 7 http://kolegija kolping lt/
Borisevičius Telšiai Katedros a 6 http://www tks lt/ College
Seminary of West
Telšiai Lithuania
Klaipėda Šilutės pl 2 http://www vlvk lt/
Business
College
Klaipėda
Business Klaipėda Tilžės g 46a http://www klvk lt/
College
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15. DEVELOP
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North
Lithuania Šiauliai Tilžės g 22 http://www slk lt/
College
College of
Manage-
ment,
Law and Šiauliai Dvaro g 87 http://www kolegija com/
Languages
of Šiauliai
Region
Want to be mobile?
Search for possibilities
to get scholarships!
State scholarships:
These scholarships are designed for students, lecturers and researchers of higher
education and research institutions to come for studies or research stays to
Lithuania These scholarships are divided into three sections, for which you can
apply:
Study/research stay scholarships, these scholarships are for a great variety of
study fields
Scholarships for Lithuanian (Baltic) studies, these are full time studies
Lithuanian language and culture summer courses, usually these courses last
three weeks to one month For more information about scholarships and re-
quirements, you should check out the website www smpf lt under the Academic
Exchange section
Other possibilities to study in Lithuania can be found in your country
via these multilateral programmes:
Erasmus programme http://ec europa eu/education/index_en htm
Nordplus programme www nordplusonline org
Erasmus Mundus programme http://ec europa eu/education/exter
nal-relation-programmes/doc72_en htm
Fulbright program http://us fulbrightonline org/home html
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16. DEVELOP
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Want to learn
the Lithuanian language?
If you want to study the Lithuanian language, you can even receive a scholar-
ship There are two main scholarships for Lithuanian (Baltic) studies, Lithuanian
language and culture summer courses Requirements for the grants are found at
the website www smpf lt – under the Academic Exchange section
If you want to learn the basics of Lithuanian you can communicate with the
locals or just to understand what the signs and posters say there are other ways
to learn Lithuanian:
You can learn Lithuanian either through intensive language courses in summer
or winter before the study semesters or you can take a full Lithuanian language
program This you can apply via the Erasmus intensive language courses pro-
gram (EILC) or the state scholarship program
Some universities like Klaipėda University, Vytautas Magnus University, Šiauliai
University, Vilnius Pedagogical University, Vilnius University, Lithuanian Christian
College and others have departments of Lithuanian language, which run all
kinds of Lithuanian language and culture courses for foreigners as well More
details about the tuition fees, scholarships and more detailed information about
the exact things you will learn during such courses are found at the websites
of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science (www smm lt) and Education
Exchanges Support Foundation (www smpf lt)
Remember, studying Lithuanian language is challenging and fun: after all, it is
one of the oldest and most conservative of languages in the world
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17. ENJOY
ENJOY
Interested in arts,
performance or music?
There are various cultural venues where you can see popu-
There are lots of cultural events held in Lithuania You can choose where to go lar performances of drama, ballet, opera, modern dances
and what to see according to your taste: from jazz concerts, drama, theatre plays or other concerts To discover what suits you best, visit the
and classical European cinema to rock concerts, modern dance performances websites of theaters and concert halls
and amateur video festivals But in case you decide to have a nice evening watching a
performance on the spot without any clear vision of what
you would like to see, visit www eb lt where you will find
not only performances held in all of Lithuania but also oth-
er entertaining events that are going on at that moment I
used this lots of times and enjoyed discovering Lithuania’s
great theatre talent
I also think this is the best place for you to check out what
to see in a particular region or city of Lithuania If you are
more interested in museums, you can visit the website
www muziejai lt to find the ones that you would like to visit
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18. ENJOY
ENJOY
What is so special
about Lithuanian music?
First of all, I think that Lithuanian folk music is very unique It is based on the
songs, which include romantic, wedding, as well as work and more archaic war
and partisan songs The songs are polyphonic played on flutes, zithers and other
instruments
You should also know the most famous classical music author – M K Čiurlionis
(1875-1911) who created about 200 pieces of symphonic music
During the 1980’s the most popular music style in Lithuania was rock In fact,
Lithuania was known as the ‘Rock Capital’ of the Soviet Union The most popular
groups were Antis, Fojė and Bix, and their songs are still played every day
And finally, you will discover that nearly every Lithuanian can sing – just watch
TV Lithuanian music you hear on the radio can be best described as pop music
Lithuanians are proud of such artist groups as SKAMP, Jurga, Happyendless and
Milky Lasers that became popular internationally and put Lithuania on the map
for quality music
Movies
I thought so Fortunately, most movies shown in Lithuanian
cinemas are in their original language and have only Lithu-
anian subtitles The single ticket to a movie usually costs
LTL 8-16 (Eur app – 3-5)
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19. ENJOY
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Lithuanian customs
and traditions
Lithuania is a Catholic country, yet some of its traditions
hearken back to Pagan times So what’s interesting? Well, the
most important feasts for Lithuanians are: Easter, St John’s day
or “the Day of Dew”, All Saint’s Day, Christmas, New Year’s Day,
and Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras, known in Lithuania as “Užgavėnės”, heralds the
beginning of Lent It’s also the time when people ask winter to
leave and spring to come Somewhat like Halloween, children
usually prepare and don masks and go to neighbours to ask
for sweets, money…or pancakes Pancakes are king during this
day and there are all kinds of entertainment going on in the
countryside with games and songs that welcome spring
Easter is the day when the whole family gets together, goes to
the church on Easter morning and afterwards, has a big break-
fast with lots of painted eggs, which are ‘cracked’ against each
other to see who has the strongest egg
St John’s day, or “Joninės,” is a very popular summer feast when
people celebrate the longest day and the shortest night by
being in nature, searching for a blossom of fern, jumping over
fire and singing Lithuanian songs And if you happened to be
named “John”, or in Lithuanian – “Jonas” (or if you’re a girl –
“Jonė”) you’re especially popular on this day, and will no doubt
wear a wreath so everyone knows your name
Unlike Halloween, Lithuanians celebrate the next day, “All Saint’s Day”, a day of
meditation and calmness when people remember their relatives and friends
who have passed away and go to cemeteries with flowers and candles This is
especially tranquil at night, when the cemetery is dotted with lit candles
Christmas, as you can imagine, is a cheerful and joyful time for a whole family In
Lithuania, Christmas begins at the stroke of Christmas Eve (Kūčios) where fami-
lies soberly gather round the table and sample the traditional twelve “meatless”
dishes Christmas day is welcomed especially by children, because “Grandfather
Christmas” has dropped off a few presents under the Christmas tree
New Year’s Day is often an all-nighter celebrated with friends and usually very
loud with fireworks, champagne, dances and songs
There are two other Lithuanian customs, not necessarily connected with festi-
vals, but very important in everyday life Please remember that when you enter
a Lithuanian’s home, you should take off your shoes Also, be punctual When a
Lithuanian invites you to do something, try not to be late
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20. ENJOY
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Want to taste
local food
and drinks?
Believe me, nothing else can char-
acterise the nation better than its
cuisine Lithuanian cuisine has a fine
diversity of dishes, especially from
potatoes and meat The most famous
Lithuanian dish – cepelinai (zeppe-
lins), is a kind of big dumpling made
from grated potatoes with meat in-
side As the humple spud is the basis
of much of Lithuania’s cuisine, a lot
of dishes are cooked from it Among
them are kugelis (a potato pud-
ding cake) and for the adventurous
types, there is also “a potato sausage
cased in a pig’s intestines dish” called
vėdarai Soups are also a staple in
Lithuania One of the most attractive
Lithuanian soups is šaltibarščiai (cold
beetroot soup), which is made from
beets/beetroot, kefir (a fermented
milk product), greens and boiled
eggs This dish is most popular when
served on a hot summer day One
more dish I recommend is Lithuanian
rye bread And if there’s a “best snack
for beer in the world”, it’s sure to be
strips or chunks of fried rye bread
with garnished garlic and cheese that
you can get in any bar or restaurant
But remember, the best places to
taste real Lithuanian food are the
same ones that are popular among
the locals
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21. ENJOY
ENJOY
ENJOY
Let’s celebrate
public holidays
and festivals
together!
What is more enjoyable than celebrating?
There are lots of occasions to celebrate in
Lithuania Below I wrote you the list of official
holidays in Lithuania
January 1st – New Year’s Day
February 16th – Day of Re-establishment of the
State of Lithuania (1918)
March 11th – restoration Day of Restitution of
Independence of Lithuania (from the Soviet
Union, 1990)
First Sunday and Monday of spring with full
moon -Easter
May 1st – International Labour Day
The first Sunday in May – Mother’s Day
June 24th – Day of Dew
July 6th – King Mindaugas’ Crowning Day
(Statehood Day)
August 15th – Assumption Day
November 1st – All Saints’ Day
December 25-26th – Christmas
Moreover, there are even more occasions to
celebrate For example, birthdays are cel-
ebrated especially heartily You can also enjoy
spending your time and taking part in the
various festivals held all over Lithuania, all year
long You can check the dates and programs at
the below links:
Days of Vilnius http://www vilniusfestivals lt
Kaziukas Fair (This festival is held in all bigger
cities The fair is traditionally held on the Sun-
day nearest to St Casimir’s Day, March 4, the
day Saint Casimir Jagiellon died )
Street Music Day (http://www gatvesmuzika lt/)
Kaunas Jazz Festival(http://www kaunasjazz lt/)
Rock Nights (http://www rocknights lt)
Blues Nights (www bliuzonaktys lt)
Sea Festival (http://www jurossvente lt/)
Klaipėda’s Castle Jazz Festival (www jazz lt )
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22. ENJOY
ENJOY
Want to spend
your leisure in nature?
It’s not a problem!
OK, my friend, there is one cherished thing to do when you
are recovering from partying all night in the clubs Head
out of town and spend time in nature - it will make your
minds fresh, and cleanse your souls Chances are, once
you find a spot, you won’t be completely alone, because
heading off to nature is one of Lithuania’s most popular
things to do There are plenty of tips on how to spend your
weekend – it’s something you’ll treasure forever Maybe
want to spend a weekend in a countryside?
Go to www countryside lt
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23. ENJOY
ENJOY
ENJOY
Content   23

24. ENJOY
ENJOY
Not an active enough life
and want to get fit?
There are lots of possibilities if you like sports and want
to get fit You can always find some gyms and SPAs near
you Most of them are rather new, modern and well-
equiped, and have pools, saunas and jacussis There you’ll
find not only body-builders but plenty of others doing all
sorts of sports But the best way to get fit is to do what
most Lithuanians do – take a walk, there’s usually some-
thing cool to see
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25. ENJOY
ENJOY
Going shopping
or want to send
a lettger?
The surprising thing I found in Lithuania was
the opening hours of shops I imagine you will
be happy about it, too For example, shops in
the city centre where you buy clothes, shoes or
other stuff usually work as follows: I-V 10 00-
20 00, VI 10 00-18 00, VII 10 00-17 00 and in
shopping malls – I-VII 10 00-22 00 Great, isn’t
it? You can always shop at the most popular
grocery stores Most of them work from 8 00 till
20 00, 22 00, 23 00, 24 00 or even 24/7 and that
depends on the place where they are located
By the way, while visiting a shopping centre
you might buy a post card for your mother
This is easiest done by going to the nearest
post office You can find the address and work
hours at www post lt, but they usually work
from 8 00 to 19 00
Content   25

26. ENJOY
ENJOY
Want to know at least several
phrases in Lithuanian?
Hello [Laa-bas] Labas
Thank you [A-chyoo] Ačiū
Goodbye [Vee-so ge-ro] Viso gero
Good luck [Sehk-mes] Sėkmės
What is your name? [Kwo yous var-doo] Kuo jūs vardu?
I am sorry, Excuse me [Atsi-pra-shau] Atsiprašau
Please [Pra-shau] Prašau
Beer [A-los] Alus
My name is [Ma-no var-das] Mano vardas yra
I am from [Ash esu ish…] Aš esu iš
[Ar ga-le-te man Ar galite man
Can you help me?
pa-deh-ti] padėti?
[Ash ne-kal-boo Aš nekalbu
I do not speak Lithuanian
lye-too-vishkay] lietuviškai
I love you [Ash tave meeloo] Aš tave myliu
Shall we dance? [Pa-sho-kima] Pašokime?
[Koks tavo telepho- Koks tavo telefono
What‘s your telephone number?
no numeres] numeris?
Party, party, party!
Students love to party a lot, especially when they are in a foreign
country In Lithuania, you can find plenty of good places to have a
beer or a cocktail, to dance and listen to good music But remem-
ber, no smoking inside This can be tough on smokers but every
place has a smoking room – it’s called, “Outside,” and you can join
all the others there, at the entrance After spending your time in
cafes, bars, pubs or clubs, you can always reward your waiter or
waitress with a tip Depending on how rich you are, leave some-
thing but not more than 10%
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27. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
PRACTICALITIES
Need a lift?
You already know many facts about Lithuania itself, its traditions and specialties If you want to travel somewhere abroad, you can go by bus or
and the whole system of higher education You might also need some informa- train or by plane There are three main Lithuanian airports but also
tion about practical issues that concern daily life in this country Here are some take care of how much stuff you want to bring to Lithuania by us-
tips for you ing the website www cust lt
Airports:
Vilnius www vilnius-airport lt
Kaunas www kaunasair lt
Palanga www palanga-airport lt
Trains: www litrail lt
Now I can tell you how not to get lost in this country Lithuania is
a small country: you can cross it in less than 7 hours by bus and
even faster by car There is a list of links where you can find all the
information you need
There are different kinds of transport in every city: buses, trolley-
buses, micro buses and taxis While travelling by public transport,
you have to buy single tickets at kiosks or the driver will sell you
one Monthly tickets are sold only in kiosks Note that in Vilnius
and Klaipėda there are now electronic tickets If you want to travel
to other cities, use local buses or trains
Public transport and local buses:
Vilnius www vilniustransport lt (local transport), www toks lt (bus
station)
Kaunas http://transportas kaunas lt (local transport), www kautra
lt (bus station)
Klaipėda www klap lt (both)
Šiauliai www busturas lt (both)
Panevėžys www panevezioautobusai lt (both)
Taxi: www etaksi lt
You can also rent a car in all airports in the biggest car rental
companies: http://www addcarrental com/, http://www avis lt/,
https://www hertz lt, http://www europcar lt/
Content   27

28. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Want to get in touch?
It is very easy to get a phone card here I got mine in
a shopping centre for a small fee There are plenty of
choices, so go to the websites and check the prices and
services they offer I personally recommend you to buy
pre-paid cards, and these are provided by www extra lt,
www ezys lt, www labas lt and www pildyk lt
And sure, how could we live without the Internet nowa-
days? Well don’t worry, you can find really easy access to
the Internet Areas where you can find wireless internet
connection can be found in the website www wifi lt
Content   28

29. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Short of cash? Finding a place where to live
There is always a way how to get some Opening a bank account is not difficult There are two ways to live: in dormitories or private apartment Prices are shown in
in Lithuania For common requirements in different banks which provide ser- the part “Wonder how much it will cost to live in Lithuania?”, but pay attention – not
vices in Lithuania you should check on the Internet www lba lt under all universities and other higher educational institutions have dormitories, so you
“Members” section might have to search for a private apartment
Content   29

30. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Wondering
how much
it will cost
to live in Prices for food:
Lithuania? Meat LTL 20/kg (EUR 5,79/kg)
To help you imagine how much every- Bread LTL 4 (EUR 1,16/kg)
thing costs, I will give you several ex- Milk LTL 3 (EUR 0,87)
amples with approximate prices Though Cheese LTL 4 - 20 (EUR 5,79)
keep in mind that due to inflation prices
may have risen
Prices for services:
Haircut for man LTL 15 – 50 (EUR 4 – 15)
Haircut for ladies LTL 50 – 120 (EUR 15 – 35)
Single public transport ticket LTL 0 55 – 2 (EUR 0,16 – 0,58)
Monthly public transport ticket LTL 12 (EUR 3,5)
Fuel LTL 4/litre (EUR 1,16/litre)
Taxi LTL 2 - 3, 5/km (EUR 0,6 – 1/km)
Ticket to cinema LTL 10 – 16 (EUR 3 – 4,5)
A glass of beer in a bar LTL 7 (EUR 2)
Average receipt in restaurant LTL 30 (EUR 9)
Club entry LTL 15-35 (EUR 4 – 10)
Content   30

31. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Want to find a job
in Lithuania?
Average cost of accommodation depends on its location It is not going to be easy I think… First of all, it is
much easier if you know the Lithuanian language
but you probably do not Secondly, you should
Dormitories usually cost from 80 – 200 (EUR 23 – 58) check about the documents required for the be-
Private apartments in Vilnius - form LTL 400 – 2000 (EUR 116 – 580) ing able to work in Lithuania for foreigners on
In Kaunas – from LTL 300 - 1300 (EUR 87 - 376) www migracija lt and some suggestions of work
In Klaipėda – from LTL 250 - 900 (EUR 73 - 260) places You can also check for work possibilities
In Šiauliai – from LTL - 800 (EUR 58 - 232) at the state job centre’s website www ldb lt or the
In Panevėžys – from LTL 150 - 600 (EUR 44 - 174) private job centres’ websites If you are interested
in what taxes to pay, check it on www sodra lt
Content   31

32. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Your country is closer
than you think…
Need to talk with someone from your country? Go to
your country’s embassy The embassies addresses are at
www urm lt under the Foreign Representations section
You can also visit some foreign culture centres such as:
Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania
www norden lt
American Culture Centre www usembassy lt
British Council Lithuania www britishcouncil lt
Goethe Institute www goethe de/vilnius
Italian Culture Institute www iicvil lt
Polish Institute www lenkukultura lt Feeling safe?
French Culture Centre in Vilnius www centrefrancais lt
Again, there are plenty of internet cafes and even cafes Do not worry! Lithuania is a regular European country
that have free wireless internet access So just ask You can feel quite safe here but, as in all other coun-
tries, you should know how and where to take care of
yourself In case of emergency, you should call 112,
which is the emergency phone number for ambu-
lance, police and fire brigades
In case of health problems you should go to the near-
est health care centre I would recommend you take a
Lithuanian friend with you in case there are problems
with communicating with doctors in English, and
don’t forget health insurance, which is obligatory if
you want to get a temporary residence permit
If you are a resident of the European Union, Norway,
Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland, you can take
your European Health Insurance Card which guaran-
tees help of public health centre in case of emergency
problems The other way is to get private insurance,
but get advice about this from your embassy
in Lithuania
Water and electricity? Water is taken from deep under-
ground in Lithuania, and is fresh and clean Electricity
is 220Vs, and the plug is of general East European type,
but you can get adapters at any electronics’ store
If you are a disabled person, do not worry, most shops,
public places, universities are adapted for you Also,
Lithuanians are friendly and ready to help in case
of anything
Content   32

33. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Want to know
how to get
a Lithuanian
Student
Identity Card?
When you will come to Lithuania,
you will have to get permission for tem-
porary living You do this at the Ministry of
the Interior, Department of Migration
(www migracija lt) But it is always recom-
mended to check all the aspects of regis-
How to make your stay and tering before leaving your country at the
studying legal in Lithuania? Lithuanian embassy in your country and
to talk with the representative from the
When you will come to Lithuania, you will have to get permission for international affairs department of your
temporary living You do this at the Ministry of the Interior, Depart- university in Lithuania if you have some
ment of Migration (www migracija lt) But it is always recommended questions once you’re here
to check all the aspects of registering before leaving your country at Now, talking about VISAS, absolutely
the Lithuanian embassy in your country and to talk with the repre- check to see if you need one in the nearest
sentative from the international affairs department of your university diplomatic mission or a consular institu-
in Lithuania if you have some questions once you’re here tion of the Republic of Lithuania You can
Now, talking about VISAS, absolutely check to see if you need one also do it at www urm lt under Consular
in the nearest diplomatic mission or a consular institution of the Re- Issues section There you will find informa-
public of Lithuania You can also do it at www urm lt under Consular tion about which countries’ citizens need
Issues section There you will find information about which countries’ to get a Lithuanian VISA, as well as details
citizens need to get a Lithuanian VISA, as well as details about fees about fees and how and where you can
and how and where you can get your VISA get your VISA
Content   33

34. DISCOVER
DISCOVER
CHEK LIST
Where to find help
during your first days
at university?
Do not be afraid to ask for help when you come to uni-
versity for the first time
The first person that could help you is the international
relations coordinator with whom you had contact be-
fore arriving This coordinator should be able to answer Do not forget!
all questions that concern academic issues The other
person that will help you with other questions and con-
cerns is your mentor/buddy that should be appointed
Find out if you need a VISA, and if you do, get it
before your arrival Usually, Student Association can
always help you solve all the problems, if have any or to
tell where to look for the solution Moreover, you should Take care of your health insurance
have an introduction lecture in the beginning of studies
where you will find out all the important information
about your studies at your particular university or other Get a permit for temporally living
higher educational institution
Have a place to live
Contact the international relations coordinator
from your educational institution to get
information about the documents you should
bring with yourself
Optional: register for an intensive
Lithuanian language courses
Finally, be prepared for the
best period in your life
Content   34

35. STUDY IN LITHUANIA
DISCOVER. DEVELOP. ENJOY.
Prepared by
Education Exchanges Support Foundation
in cooperation with “Žaismė”
Edited by Aleksas Apynys
Education Exchanges Support Foundation
Geležinio Vilko g 12, LT-01112 Vilnius, Lithuania
Phone (8 ~ 5) 261 05 92
Fax (8 ~ 5) 249 71 37
E-mail info@smpf lt
www smpf lt
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein
2008 Vilnius
Content  35