Scholarships in Lithuania for African Students: 2026/27 Guide

Last updated: October 2026

Scholarships in Lithuania: the honest picture

There are scholarships in Lithuania for international students, but most of them are partial tuition discounts, not full rides. Many are limited to a short list of countries, a handful of places, or one faculty. A full scholarship that pays your tuition, rent and food is rare for degree students from Africa.

That is not a reason to give up. It is a reason to apply early, apply to several schemes at once, and build a budget that still works if you only get a 25% or 50% discount. Throughout this guide we point you to the official page for each scheme, because criteria and deadlines change every year.

Funding usually comes from four places:

• The Lithuanian state, through state scholarships published on the official Study in Lithuania website.
• Universities, through tuition fee waivers, discounts and admission scholarships.
• The European Union, through Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes and Erasmus+ exchanges.
• Your home country or private funders, such as government scholarship boards, employers and foundations.

Lithuanian state scholarships: can African students apply?

For most African applicants, the short answer is no. The Lithuanian state scholarship for full-time master’s studies is offered only to citizens of a fixed list of countries. Under the 2026 call, that list was Armenia, Azerbaijan, China (including Taiwan), Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, the United States, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, plus foreign citizens of Lithuanian origin from outside the EU and EFTA.

No African country was on that list. The 2026 call offered 70 grants in total, covering a monthly scholarship and a grant towards standard study costs, and it is now closed. You can read the conditions on the Study in Lithuania state scholarship page.

The state also funds short-term study of one semester (up to 35 awards for 2026/27). That call was again limited to listed countries, none of them African. A separate scholarship for short-term Lithuanian studies is open to students at universities abroad, but at least half of the subjects must relate to Lithuanian studies, so it is not a route into a full degree.

Our advice: check the Study in Lithuania scholarships page each year, because country lists can change. Just do not build your plan around a Lithuanian state scholarship unless your country appears on the new call.

University scholarships in Lithuania for international students

This is where most African applicants have a real chance of winning scholarships in Lithuania. The table below summarises university schemes we could confirm for the 2026/27 intake. Treat the deadlines as a guide to timing: the 2027/28 rules were not published when we updated this article, and each university may change its rules.

Remember that a tuition discount does not pay for rent, food or transport. Our guides to tuition fees in Lithuania and living expenses for students help you work out what is left to cover.

Vilnius University

Vilnius University offers five full tuition fee waivers for non-EU/EEA students applying to master’s programmes taught in English or Russian. Selection is based on motivation and competence, and shortlisted candidates have a virtual interview. You tick the waiver box in the admission system and pay the €100 application fee. Read the Vilnius University tuition fee waiver page carefully: it also says applicants must pay the first-year tuition fee, so ask the admissions office how the waiver is applied before you count on it.

Some faculties run their own schemes, such as the FEBA Admission Scholarship (for students who have enrolled and paid their first tuition fee) and a tuition waiver for the Eastern European and Russian Studies master’s programme. VU also says that more scholarship schemes open up once you are enrolled.

VILNIUS TECH

VILNIUS TECH offers tuition-free places and partial scholarships of 50% or 25% to international first-year students. For bachelor’s applicants, a tuition-free place needs at least 80% of the maximum grade and a partial scholarship at least 70%. Master’s applicants are judged on their bachelor’s GPA in the same way.

You need a motivation letter of 1,000 to 4,000 characters, two academic recommendation letters, English at B2 or higher, and extracurricular activities related to your programme. Shortlisted applicants record an interview. Applications without the application fee are not considered for a scholarship.

Mykolas Romeris University: one of the few schemes naming African countries

MRU’s bachelor’s tuition fee waiver is one of the few university scholarships in Lithuania that names African countries. For 2026/27, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Kenya shared two grants. Applicants need a GPA of at least 8.5 and English at B2. C1 English adds 0.5 points. The waiver covers full tuition for the whole bachelor’s degree if you have no academic debts. Details are on the MRU waiver listing on Study in Lithuania.

For Ghanaian, Kenyan, Zimbabwean and South African applicants, it is the most generous tuition fee waiver in Lithuania we could find, but two grants shared between four countries is very competitive. Apply, but keep a fully funded plan B.

VMU, KTU, VDA, ISM and LSMU

• Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) offers 25% to 90% tuition waivers for English-taught degrees to citizens of priority countries, but its 2026/27 country lists did not include any African country.
• Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) says it offers merit-based scholarships and tuition fee waivers for international applicants, but does not publish amounts on its admissions news page. Ask international@ktu.lt what applies to your programme.
• Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA) selects five non-EU master’s students purely on admission scores. To keep the 50% discount in year two, you need a GPA of at least 8.0.
• ISM invites top early-admission master’s applicants to a scholarship competition with a task linked to their field.
• LSMU lists partial tuition reimbursement for high-performing students in non-state-funded places, which first-year students can apply for from the second semester. Its page does not say whether international students qualify, so ask the university.

Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus+ scholarships

Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes are run by groups of universities in different countries, and some include Lithuanian partners. The European Commission says master’s students from all over the world can apply, and some programmes offer full scholarships to the best-ranked applicants. Scholarships cover participation costs and contribute to travel, visa costs and living expenses.

You apply directly to the programme, not through a central system, and most deadlines fall between October and January for courses starting the following year. Search the Erasmus Mundus catalogue and read each programme’s own rules. Not every programme offers Erasmus Mundus scholarships.

Erasmus+ is different. It funds study periods abroad of 2 to 12 months for students who are already enrolled at a participating university. If you study a full degree in Lithuania, ask your international office about Erasmus+ exchanges once you arrive.

Other ways to fund your studies

Do not limit your search to scholarships in Lithuania. Check whether your own government, state or region runs an overseas scholarship scheme, and read its rules on which countries it covers. Some employers sponsor staff for a master’s, and some foundations fund study abroad in specific fields.

Loans are harder. Home-country education loans may be possible depending on your bank. We could not confirm whether Lithuanian banks lend to students on a temporary residence permit, so ask the bank directly rather than relying on it.

Part-time work can help with living costs, but it should not be your plan for paying tuition. Our guide on ways to work while studying in Lithuania explains the options. Confirm the rules on working hours with your university and the Migration Department, because published sources do not agree.

How to apply for scholarships in Lithuania: step by step

1. Start a year ahead. University scholarship deadlines for a September start fell between April and July in 2026, and Erasmus Mundus deadlines are usually between October and January.
2. Shortlist programmes first. Most university scholarships are tied to admission, so you normally apply for the programme and the scholarship together.
3. Check eligibility by nationality. Many Lithuania scholarships for international students are limited to certain countries, so read the country list before anything else.
4. Prepare documents early. Transcripts, English test results, a motivation letter and recommendation letters are the usual set.
5. Pay the application fee where required. Some universities will not consider a scholarship application without it.
6. Prepare for an interview. Vilnius University and VILNIUS TECH both use interviews for shortlisted candidates.
7. Apply to several schemes. Spreading your applications across several universities and scholarships in Lithuania improves your chances.

How to stand out for scholarships in Lithuania

University scholarships in Lithuania are extremely competitive, so grades alone are rarely enough. You need to be an all-rounder. Join student organisations, be active in your community, try extracurricular activities and get involved in academic projects. Several schemes, including VILNIUS TECH’s, list extracurricular activities related to your programme as a criterion.

Write a motivation letter that is specific to the programme, not a copy you send everywhere. Explain what you want to study, why at that university, and what you will do afterwards. Ask referees who know your work well, and give them time to write.

Once you are enrolled, keep your grades up. A tuition fee waiver in Lithuania can usually be lost if you have academic debts, and some, like VDA’s, need a minimum GPA to continue.

Plan your budget as if you will pay full fees

Even if you win one of the scholarships in Lithuania, you will still need to prove you can support yourself when you apply for your temporary residence permit. For students in 2026, that means at least €577 per month for the length of the permit, plus €1,153 for a return trip, which is €8,077 for 12 months. Our guide to proof of funds for a Lithuanian student visa explains what counts.

If your award pays a living allowance, ask your university and the Migration Department whether the award letter can count towards that requirement. A tuition-only discount does not reduce the living costs you must show.

Watch out for scholarship scams

Real scholarships in Lithuania are applied for through the university’s own admission system, the official state scholarship call, or, for Erasmus Mundus, the programme’s own website. Be careful with anyone who promises a “guaranteed” scholarship, asks you to pay to be considered outside the official process, or contacts you from a personal email address.

If an offer looks too good to be true, check it against the official university page before you send money or documents. We explain the common tricks in our article on scammers.

Frequently asked questions

Are there full scholarships in Lithuania for international students?

Yes, but full Lithuania scholarships for international students are few. Vilnius University offers five full tuition waivers for non-EU master’s applicants, VILNIUS TECH offers some tuition-free places, and MRU offers a full bachelor’s waiver for some countries. Most of these cover tuition only, not living costs.

Can Nigerian students get scholarships in Lithuania?

Nigeria was not on the 2026 Lithuanian state scholarship list, or on MRU’s waiver list. Nigerian applicants can still compete for open university schemes such as the Vilnius University waiver and VILNIUS TECH scholarships, and for Erasmus Mundus.

When should I apply for scholarships in Lithuania?

For a September start, most university deadlines in 2026 fell between April and July, and Erasmus Mundus deadlines usually run from October to January. Start about a year before you plan to begin.

Do I need IELTS for a scholarship?

Many schemes ask for English at B2 or higher. Check what proof of English each university accepts on its admission pages.

Does a scholarship replace proof of funds for my residence permit?

Not automatically. A tuition discount does not reduce the living costs you must show. If your award pays a living allowance, ask the university and the Migration Department whether it counts.

Scholarships in Lithuania can make your studies far more affordable, but the best plan is one that still works without them. If you would like help choosing programmes, checking scholarship eligibility or preparing your application, book a free consultation with us.