Pre-primary and General Education
General Questions
Who determines the admission procedure to educational institutions?
Is it possible to submit a paper application at the educational institution?
Where should we apply for a child’s school readiness assessment?
Parents (guardians) should contact the Pedagogical Psychological Service (PPT) regarding their child’s assessment and readiness for schooling.
Where and when are applications submitted for pre-primary and general education programmes?
Applications for enrolment in general education institutions are submitted in accordance with the procedure established by the municipality.
In municipalities that are connected to the Centralised Admission Information System (CPIS), applications are submitted centrally through CPIS.
In municipalities that do not yet use CPIS, applications are submitted according to the procedure set by the specific municipality.
You can check whether your municipality already uses CPIS here or by contacting your municipal administration directly.
Is it possible to attend a pre-primary education group for two years?
Pre-primary education begins to be provided to a child when they turn 5 years old by 30 April of the relevant calendar year. Following an assessment of the child’s educational and learning needs and progress, pre-primary education may also begin when the child turns 5 years old by 1 September of that calendar year.
Pre-primary education may be started later at the decision of the parents (guardians), but no later than the calendar year in which the child turns 6 years old.
Before deciding to allow a child to start education one year earlier, parents (guardians) are advised to contact the pedagogical psychological service or educational support service responsible for the area in which they live in order to assess the child’s maturity.
Do parents whose children have completed pre-primary education at the same school where they wish to attend 1st grade need to submit a new application online?
Yes, you will need to submit an application. Applications are submitted centrally online via the CPIS.
How can a foreign national submit an application?
Applications are submitted through CPIS in accordance with the general procedure. Please see the application submission instructions.
For Those Returning from Abroad
Where can I get more information if I plan to return from abroad?
You can find essential information for those returning from abroad here. Please visit the “Education” section.
How can re-emigrants planning to return to Lithuania register their children for schools if their place of residence has not yet been registered?
You can fill out and submit the application form while declaring your place of residence. You will need to confirm the application details again once the declaration of residence is complete.
Does a child have to attend pre-primary education in Lithuania if they will be 7 upon returning?
Submitting Applications and Required Documents
What documents need to be submitted when completing an application in CPIS?
Usually, no additional documents are required if all necessary information can be obtained from state registers. Documents may only be required if the educational institution specifically requests them, or if certain data is not available in the registers – for example, the declared place of residence or details confirming priority criteria.
If a general education institution has multiple departments, can you indicate in the system which one you prefer to attend?
Yes, an application can be submitted to departments if admissions are currently open. When submitting the application, you can filter the institutions you are interested in.
Does the order of educational institutions listed in the application affect admission?
Yes, an application for admission to a higher-priority educational institution is considered before applications to lower-priority institutions listed in the application.
Who reviews my application?
Applications are reviewed by educational institutions, and in some cases by municipal representatives.
During the review process, an application may have different statuses. If an application is returned for clarification (status – Awaiting clarification), the reviewing institution will indicate in a comment what additional or missing information needs to be provided.
Other possible application statuses include: Under review, Rejected, or Approved. For questions regarding clarification, required information, or the status of your application, we recommend contacting the institution that reviewed the application first.
We submitted an application for the 2027–2028 academic year, but we would like to submit it for the 2026–2027 academic year to the same institutions. Do we need to submit a new application?
Yes, you must submit a new application for the desired academic year.
How many preferences can be indicated when submitting an application to a general education institution?
What is the deadline for submitting applications to general education institutions?
Queues and Priority Criteria
Do priority criteria apply to us?
Priority criteria are defined here. Documents confirming priority criteria can be attached while filling out the application form.
Contract Signing and Termination
How can I sign a contract with a pre-school education institution?
A contract with the educational institution can be signed:
– Electronically, if you submitted the application via the e-Government Gateway.
– In person, by visiting the institution and signing the contract by hand (during the institution’s working hours, after receiving an invitation to conclude the contract with the educational institution).
We want to terminate the contract. How can we do this?
You must contact the educational institution, which will provide you with further information.
What will happen if I fail to sign the contract with the education institution on time?
If the contract is not signed within the established term, it will be considered that the place is declined, and it may be offered to another child.