Can EU students get a Lithuanian state scholarship?

The state scholarships run by the Education Exchanges Support Foundation are mainly for citizens of specific non-EU countries. EU/EEA students usually fund a full degree through university tuition waivers or Erasmus+ for an exchange.

Do scholarships cover living costs?

Some do. The state Master's scholarship pays a monthly stipend on top of tuition. Most university scholarships only reduce or waive tuition, so you still need to fund accommodation and living costs yourself.

When are the deadlines?

State scholarship calls open early in the year and close around mid-to-late April. University waivers often close in spring (e.g. April) but vary — check each programme's page.

Can I combine a state scholarship with other funding?

No. You cannot use a state scholarship and another scholarship or exchange grant for the same costs. Pick one source of funding per cost.

Are scholarships available for Erasmus exchange students?

Yes — Erasmus+ pays a monthly grant, but it is arranged and paid by your home university's national agency, not by the Lithuanian host.

Scholarships to study in Lithuania: a student's guide

There are three main routes to scholarships to study in Lithuania: government state scholarships (mostly for selected non-EU countries), tuition waivers from individual universities, and Erasmus+ grants for exchange students. Which one fits you depends on whether you are doing a full degree or an exchange, and on your nationality.

The three routes at a glance

Route	Best for	Covers	Who funds it
Lithuanian State Scholarships	Full degree / short stay, selected non-EU countries	Tuition + monthly stipend	Education Exchanges Support Foundation
University tuition waivers	Full-degree applicants (often non-EU)	Tuition only (full or partial)	The university
Erasmus+	Exchange students from EU partner universities	Monthly living grant	Your home university's national agency

Lithuanian State Scholarships

These are funded by the Lithuanian government and administered by the Education Exchanges Support Foundation (smpf.lt). They are the most generous option because they combine tuition with a living stipend, but eligibility is limited.

Full-time Master's / integrated studies — full tuition (up to the national standard rate) plus a monthly stipend (592 EUR in 2026 — confirm the current figure on studyin.lt). Around 70 grants.
Short-term studies — 1 semester (up to 6 months) for partial degree studies, teachers and researchers.
Lithuanian language and culture studies — short summer/semester courses.

Eligibility is restricted to citizens of a defined list of countries (which has included Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, the USA, Uzbekistan and Vietnam), plus people of Lithuanian origin. The exact list changes each year.

How to apply

Get an acceptance or pre-acceptance letter from a Lithuanian higher education institution.
Apply online through sistema.smpf.lt.
Submit before the deadline — calls usually open early in the year and close around mid-to-late April.

Selection is roughly half motivation, half academic grades, with bonus points for Lithuanian-language study or priority fields. Recipients must study physically in Lithuania (no distance learning) and typically reach A1 Lithuanian in their first year.

Check this year's call before relying on it

Country lists, stipend amounts and deadlines are set fresh each year. Always confirm the current call on studyin.lt or sistema.smpf.lt before you plan around it.

University tuition waivers

Most Lithuanian universities run their own merit-based scholarships or tuition reductions, usually aimed at strong non-EU/EEA applicants. These cover tuition only — you fund your own living costs. Examples seen in recent admissions cycles:

Vilnius University — full tuition waivers for a small number of top non-EU Master's applicants; apply via apply.vu.lt.
VILNIUS TECH — full or partial (50%/25%) tuition reductions for Bachelor's and Master's applicants, kept for the full study period if you avoid academic debts.
Vytautas Magnus University, Vilnius Academy of Arts and others — partial reductions (often 50%) and dedicated discounts for Ukrainian students.

Apply for admission and the waiver together

Many universities want you to tick a scholarship box inside the same admission application. Read the programme page carefully and don't miss the checkbox.

How much you actually need to cover depends on living costs — see €350–€700unverified as a rough monthly baseline.

Erasmus+ for exchange students

If you are coming on an Erasmus+ exchange from another EU university, your grant is arranged and paid by your home institution's national agency, not by the Lithuanian host. You apply through your home university's international office.

The grant is a monthly amount intended to help with living costs while abroad.
The exact figure depends on your home country's agency and the destination cost-of-living group, so confirm it with your home university — published figures vary and should not be assumed.
Top-ups may exist for students with fewer opportunities or who travel sustainably.

Quick tips before you apply

Start early. Gather transcripts, your degree certificate, a motivation letter and English proof (often B2) well before deadlines.
You can only pick one funding source per cost — a state scholarship cannot be stacked with another grant for the same tuition or living costs.
Read each programme page. Eligibility, amounts and deadlines differ by university and by year.

Where to look first

For an overview of all current programmes in one place, the official Study in Lithuania portal (studyin.lt/scholarships) lists state scholarships and many university offers side by side.