Vilnius University
Vilniaus universitetas
One of Central and Eastern Europe's oldest universities, in Vilnius Old Town, with English-taught bachelor's from about 3,250 euros a year.
- Students
- 26,553
- 18,432 undergraduates
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Tuition
- €3,250
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1579
About VU
Vilnius University was founded in 1579 as a Jesuit institution under King Stephen Báthory and is considered one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe; in the 16th century it became the easternmost university in Europe. It educated the Lithuanian national revival pioneer Simonas Daukantas and the poets Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki before Russia closed it in 1832, and it regained its autonomy when Lithuania restored independence in 1990.
Today it has 26,553 students in October 2025, 3,424 of them foreign, and 5,971 employees, including 2,636 academic staff. Its faculties range from Philology, History and Philosophy to Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences, Mathematics and Informatics, and Medicine, alongside the Life Sciences Center, the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, a Business School, a Kaunas Faculty and the Šiauliai Academy. The historic buildings in the Old Town contrast with the modern science campus at Saulėtekis, home to laser, graphene and life-science research.
International students can choose from more than 30 bachelor's and integrated programmes, many taught in English, from Software Engineering and Bioinformatics to Medicine and Dentistry, with annual fees from about 3,250 to 15,000 euros. VU suits students who want a historic, research-active university at a moderate price in a lively Baltic capital.
Hinc itur ad astra
“From here the way leads to the stars” — university motto
Why students choose VU
English-taught bachelor's degrees at relatively low fees, e.g. 3,250 euros a year for Politics of Global Challenges and 4,560 euros for non-EU students in Software Engineering.
An English-taught integrated Medicine programme with an online entrance exam, or exemption for strong MCAT, BMAT, IMAT, NEET or IB results.
Life sciences research with global reach: Professor Virginijus Šikšnys's work on a DNA-editing protein made him a Nobel Prize candidate, according to the university.
Studying in Vilnius Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in buildings arranged around historic courtyards.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry
Selectivity
VU does not publish an admit rate. In the latest admissions it admitted 7,657 students across all levels (4,265 to bachelor's and 748 to integrated studies). International applications are assessed individually against general, country-specific and programme-specific requirements, sometimes with an interview or entrance exam.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary education | A completed secondary qualification that gives access to higher education in your home country; for non-EU/EFTA applicants, no more than five years since the last qualification |
|---|---|
| Country-specific requirements | Additional requirements for listed countries and for the IB and GED; check VU's country-specific page |
| Programme-specific requirements | Some programmes add an interview, entrance examination or subject requirements, listed on each programme page |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 81 For English-taught programmes: IELTS Academic 6.5+, TOEFL iBT 81+, Cambridge English 176+, PTE Academic 59+, LanguageCert IESOL B2, Duolingo 120+ or Password Skills Plus 6.5+ (B2 CEFR), all in a single test report. Native English speakers and holders of a university degree taught in English are exempt. |
Deadlines
- International admissions, non-EU/EFTA applicants (autumn 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~7 months1 May 2027
All documents must be uploaded and the application fee paid before the deadline. For Medicine in 2026, non-EU applicants had to take the entrance exam by 14 May.
- International admissions, EU/EFTA citizens (autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~9 months1 July 2027
Also applies to non-EU/EFTA applicants with an unexpired 90-day visa-free period.
VU has one international intake per year and lists 1 May (non-EU/EFTA) and 1 July (EU/EFTA) as the application deadlines for autumn 2027. Entrance exam dates for Medicine on the programme page still refer to the 2026 cycle.
How to apply
Apply online at apply.vu.lt, listing up to three programmes in order of preference, and pay a non-refundable 100 euro application fee through Flywire. Upload certified copies of your secondary diploma and transcripts (with official translations if not in English or Lithuanian), passport, language certificate and a motivation letter of 1,200-4,000 characters. Applications are assessed within about 30 days; you receive a final acceptance letter after paying the first-year tuition fee.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary qualification that gives access to higher education, plus any country-specific requirements.
- English at B2 level shown through an accepted test in a single report.
- Motivation for the programme, shown in the motivation letter and, for some programmes, an interview.
- For Medicine and Dentistry, entrance exam results or strong MCAT, BMAT, IMAT, NEET or IB scores.
Tips for applying to VU
- 1 Non-EU applicants should apply well before 1 May: all documents and the 100 euro fee must be in before the deadline or the application is terminated.
- 2 Use all three programme choices on one application; the single 100 euro fee covers them.
- 3 Apply early for a dorm place through the online admission procedure: VU warns that places are very limited and demand is high.
- 4 Check programme pages for admission scholarships, such as the VU FEBA Admission scholarship for business and economics programmes.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Citizens of Lithuania and other EU/EFTA countries can apply for state-funded (tuition-free) places, and good students in paid places may later transfer to vacated state-funded places. Several programmes offer targeted admission scholarships (e.g. VU FEBA Admission scholarship, Nasdaq scholarship for Quantitative Economics), and tuition can be compensated for top-performing students. The 100 euro application fee cannot be waived.
- 100 euros (covers up to three programmes)
- Application fee
- 200 euros
- Medicine entrance exam fee
- Up to 4,400 euros a year
- State-supported living-cost loan (eligible students)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn and spring)
Medicine (integrated, English)
14,100 euros a year, with an online entrance exam or exemption through MCAT, BMAT, IMAT, NEET or IB results.
Software Engineering (BSc, English)
4,560 euros a year for non-EU students (4,201 for EU), with an admissions interview.
Bioinformatics (BSc, English)
Taught in a university known for DNA and protein research at the Life Sciences Center.
Light Engineering (BSc)
An engineering degree at a university with laser and light-technology research at Saulėtekis, with a scholarship named after Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas.
Politics of Global Challenges (BA)
The lowest-fee bachelor's at 3,250 euros a year.
Quantitative Economics (BSc)
3,660 euros a year, with a Nasdaq scholarship available.
Research
- Professor Virginijus Šikšnys and colleagues identified a protein that can be used to precisely edit DNA, making him a Nobel Prize candidate according to the university.
- The Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology at Saulėtekis researches laser and light technologies, organic materials, chemistry and semiconductor nanotechnology.
- The Joint Life Sciences Centre next door hosts research on bacteria, viruses, molecules and DNA structures, including newly discovered signalling molecules.
- The historic observatory's inscription "Hinc itur ad astra" is the university's motto.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences
- Faculty of Communication
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
- Faculty of History
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Faculty of Physics
- Life Sciences Center
- Institute of International Relations and Political Science
VU recorded 4,513 graduates and 113 new doctoral degree holders in its latest facts and figures.
Student life
Much of VU's history is set in the Old Town, where the central buildings are arranged around courtyards next to St. John's Church, while the sciences have moved to the modern Saulėtekis campus with the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology and the Life Sciences Center. The university offers mentoring, academic counselling, career guidance, emotional well-being support and exchange opportunities. Dormitory places are very limited, so many students rent privately. Vilnius is Lithuania's capital and the largest city in the Baltic states.
- Historic Old Town campus in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Modern Saulėtekis science campus with a graphene-inspired building design.
- Mentoring, career guidance and emotional well-being services for students.
- Branches in Kaunas and Šiauliai.
Housing. VU has limited dormitory places allocated through the online admission procedure; students who do not get one arrange private housing.
Location
Vilnius is the capital and largest city of Lithuania and the most populous city in the Baltic states, with about 619,000 people (2026 estimate). Its Old Town, one of Europe's largest and best-preserved, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994 and is the easternmost Baroque city in Europe. The airport is about 6 km south of the centre.
Nearest airport: Vilnius International Airport (VNO)
Notable alumni
- AM Adam MickiewiczRomantic poet, author of Pan Tadeusz; enrolled at the Imperial University of Vilnius in 1815
- CM Czesław MiłoszNobel Prize in Literature 1980; studied law at Stefan Batory University, as the university was then known
- SD Simonas DaukantasHistorian and pioneer of the Lithuanian national revival; studied law at Vilnius
- GN Gitanas NausėdaPresident of Lithuania since 2019; economics degree from Vilnius University (1987)
- IŠ Ingrida ŠimonytėPrime Minister of Lithuania 2020-2024; business degree from Vilnius University (1996)
- VŠ Virginijus ŠikšnysBiochemist who studies CRISPR-Cas systems and other bacterial antiviral defences; studied organic chemistry at Vilnius University, where he is now a professor
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at Vilnius University?
At the fees currently listed (2026-27 rates), annual tuition for international bachelor's programmes ranges from 3,250 euros (Politics of Global Challenges) to 15,000 euros (Dentistry); Software Engineering is 4,560 euros for non-EU students and 4,201 euros for EU students. Fees for 2027-28 entrants may differ.
What is the application deadline for Vilnius University?
For autumn 2027, 1 May 2027 for non-EU/EFTA applicants and 1 July 2027 for EU/EFTA citizens. Applications are made at apply.vu.lt.
What IELTS score do I need for Vilnius University?
IELTS Academic 6.5 or equivalent, such as TOEFL iBT 81, Cambridge 176, PTE Academic 59 or Duolingo 120.
Can I study medicine in English at Vilnius University?
Yes. The integrated Medicine programme costs 14,100 euros a year and requires an online entrance exam (200 euros) unless you have qualifying MCAT, BMAT, IMAT, NEET or final IB results.
Does Vilnius University guarantee accommodation?
No. Dormitory places are very limited and not all students can be allocated one, so apply through the admission system early and be ready to rent privately.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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