Relevant Information for Applicants
Relevant Information for Applicants
When does the admission to vocational training programmes take place?
Exact admission dates are approved annually by the Minister of Education, Science, and Sport. The admission process consists of:
- Main admission (winter and summer phases)
- Additional admission (at the end of summer)
- Filling vacant spots after the start of the vocational training process (in September-October).
Do vocational training institutions in Lithuania offer programmes in languages other than Lithuanian?
Typically, the programmes are conducted in the national language (Lithuanian). However, for more details you can contact a vocational training institution that you are interested in directly.
What is the minimum age requirement to apply to a vocational education and training school?
The minimum age to study at a vocational training school is at least 14 years old on admission. Persons under 16 years of age may only study in vocational training programmes that are conducted together with a general education programme.
What level of qualification can I obtain?
Formal vocational education programmes provide qualifications classified under levels II–V of the Lithuanian qualifications framework.
Learn more here.
What is the difference between initial and continuing vocational education and training?
Initial vocational education and training (IVET) offers learners opportunities to acquire the first qualification. Together with a qualification, learners can obtain lower secondary education or upper secondary education.
Continuing vocational education and training (CVET) is designed for learners who already have a qualification or higher education, as well as for those who seek to improve a qualification they already have or want to acquire a new vocational education qualification.
Who are initial vocational training programmes intended for?
Initial vocational education and training programmes are intended for individuals who:
- Have completed upper-secondary education and seek to obtain their first qualification.
- Have completed lower-secondary education and seek to acquire a qualification while also obtaining upper-secondary education.
- Have completed lower-secondary education and seek to obtain their first qualification.
- Have not completed lower-secondary education (aged 14 or older, with individuals under 16 required to also study under the lower-secondary education programme).
- Have special educational needs and have completed an individualised lower-secondary education programme, a social skills development programme, or an adapted lower-secondary or upper-secondary education programme.
What programmes and funding am I eligible to apply for?
Lithuanian citizens can acquire no more than two state-funded qualifications.
- I have a bachelor’s degree:
You can apply for state-funded initial and continuing vocational training programmes. - I obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees with state funding:
You can apply for state-unfunded initial and continuing vocational training programmes. - I obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees at my own expense:
You can apply for state-funded vocational training programmes. - I have obtained a vocational qualification:
- Those who have acquired one vocational qualification can apply for state-funded continuing vocational training programmes and state-unfunded initial vocational training programmes.
- Those who have acquired two or more vocational qualifications can only apply for state-unfunded vocational training programmes.
You can find the list of vocational training programmes on:
How is the applicant ranking established for admission to vocational training institutions?
The competitive score of an applicant is determined by their academic achievements, which include the grades of all subjects recorded in the relevant programme’s certification document. For programmes requiring upper-secondary education, it also includes the recalculated average of the final examination grades. When calculating the competitive score, a coefficient of 1.2 is applied to the school final examination grade, and a coefficient of 2 is applied to the state final examination grade.
For more details, refer to Section VIII of the summary edition of the order No. V-373 of the Minister of Education, Science, and Sport dated January 31, 2024.
What criteria will determine the priority for applicants to the programme if their number exceeds the planned admission capacity?
Starting from January 1, 2024, with the implementation of the amended V-373 law on vocational education, state-funded places will be allocated to specific educational areas by region, but they will not be distributed among vocational education institutions or their programmes. The competition will be conducted using a stable allocation algorithm, ensuring that state funding is awarded to applicants who are highest in the competitive ranking within that educational area. More information about prioritisation and the order of applicants can be found in the document “Dėl priėmimo mokytis pagal formaliojo profesinio mokymo programas į profesinio mokymo įstaigas ir kitas valstybines ar savivaldybių švietimo įstaigas tvarkos aprašo patvirtinimo” (No. V-373).