Turkish students in Lithuania: the complete guide

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change — confirm anything important with the official source linked below and your university's international office.

Turkish students are a steady and growing group in Lithuania, mostly in Vilnius and Kaunas. Good news for the paperwork: Türkiye has one of the broadest VFS networks of any country applying to Lithuania, a resident embassy in Ankara, and straightforward apostille legalisation. The main thing to watch is the English requirement.

Read this alongside the core guides

This page covers Türkiye-specific details. Pair it with student residence permit (TRP), MOI vs IELTS and proof of funds.

Your visa route from Türkiye

There is a Lithuanian Embassy in Ankara, and applications go through VFS Global with exceptionally wide coverage: Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Edirne, Gaziantep, Antalya and Trabzon — so you rarely have to travel far for biometrics. The TRP is applied for through MIGRIS; budget the standard 45–90 days. The state fee for a student TRP is €80 (€320 urgent). Türkiye is generally regarded as a lower-scrutiny corridor.

English: mind the MOI trap

Many universities accept an MOI letter — but a Turkish-medium diploma will not qualify for MOI, and more selective universities (VU, KTU) still ask for IELTS/TOEFL or CEFR B2. Unless a programme confirms it accepts MOI or an interview, assume you'll need IELTS/TOEFL. See MOI vs IELTS.

Legalising your documents: apostille

Türkiye uses apostille

Türkiye has been a Hague Apostille member since 1985. Educational documents are apostilled by the Governorships (Valilik) or District Governorships (Kaymakamlık) — no embassy attestation needed.

Get your diploma and transcripts apostilled, then see diploma recognition & apostille for recognition in Lithuania.

Money: proof of funds

Plan to show about ≈ €8,071 for a 12-month stay (roughly €576.50 per month plus a one-off return amount; reset every January). Even on a lower-scrutiny corridor, show a stable balance over time. See proof of funds.

Community, food and daily life

There's a Turkish community in Vilnius and Kaunas, and Lithuania's wider Muslim community (around 3,000–5,000) is served by mosques including the historic Kaunas Mosque. Useful next reads:

Sending money home

Revolut (EUR→TRY, often within minutes) and Wise both work. Note that TRY is bank-account-payout only — no cash pickup — and needs a Turkish IBAN, because of currency rules. Check the live rate before sending. See sending money home.

Your LUSH.lt reading list

MOI vs IELTS — get the English requirement right.
Student residence permit (TRP).
Proof of funds.
Diploma recognition & apostille.
Your first 30 days, in order.

Frequently asked

Where do Turkish students apply for a Lithuanian visa?+

There is a Lithuanian Embassy in Ankara, and applications go through VFS Global, which has unusually broad coverage — Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Edirne, Gaziantep, Antalya and Trabzon. The TRP is applied for via MIGRIS.

Do Turkish students need IELTS?+

Many universities accept an MOI letter, but a Turkish-medium diploma will not qualify for MOI, and selective universities still want IELTS/TOEFL or CEFR B2. Assume you may need IELTS/TOEFL unless a programme confirms MOI or an interview.

Apostille or attestation for Turkish documents?+

Apostille. Türkiye has been a Hague Apostille member since 1985, and educational documents are apostilled by the Governorships (Valilik) or District Governorships (Kaymakamlık).

How much money do I need to show?+

About €8,071 for a 12-month stay in 2026 (roughly €576.50 a month plus a one-off return amount). Türkiye is generally a lower-scrutiny corridor, but show a stable balance regardless.

How do I send money home to Türkiye?+

Revolut and Wise both work (EUR to TRY). TRY is bank-account-payout only — no cash pickup — and needs a Turkish IBAN, due to currency rules. Check the live rate before sending.