Pre-primary and General Education
Pre-primary education begins to be provided to children at the age of 6. After assessing the child’s educational needs, progress, and development, pre-primary education may begin when the child turns 5 years old before September 1 of the calendar year.
The general education programme consists of primary, lower-secondary education, and upper-secondary education. General education begins at the age of 7, or in some cases, at the age of 6.
The primary education programme lasts for 4 years (grades 1-4), followed by the 6-year lower-secondary education programme (grades 5-10), which is mandatory until the age of 16 (usually until grade 10). Upper-secondary education lasts an additional 2 years (gymnasium grades III-IV).
Education of pupils who come from foreign countries
Pupils who come from foreign countries are accepted into municipality schools across Lithuania.
How to submit an application?
Applications for admission to educational institutions in 24 municipalities for the 2026–2027 academic year must be submitted through the Centralised Admission Information System for Education Programmes (CPIS).
Applications are accepted from a date set by the respective municipality, but not earlier than 2 March 2026.
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FAQ
What is CPIS?
CPIS is a Centralised Information System for Admission to Education Programmes that ensures equal opportunities for everyone to access effective admission to education programmes services tailored to individual needs. The admission services follow a one-stop shop principle.
What purpose does CPIS serve?
The CPIS information system covers all stages of admission to educational programmes—from submitting an application to signing a study contract.
Who determines the admission procedure to educational institutions?
How to log in to the CPIS information system?
You can log in to the system in two ways:
1) by using the e-Government Gateway or
2) by accessing the invitation received via email, using your email address and password.
How are applications submitted to attend pre-school education institutions?
Applications for admission to general education institutions are submitted in accordance with the procedure established by the municipality.
In municipalities that are using CPIS, applications are submitted centrally through the CPIS system (you can log in here). In municipalities that do not yet use CPIS, applications are submitted according to the procedure set by the respective municipality.
You can check whether your municipality already uses CPIS here, or enquire directly with your municipal administration
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.