Education

Lithuanian public schools are free for all children of legal residents, regardless of nationality. The curriculum is taught in Lithuanian, which is a significant practical consideration for expat families whose children do not speak the language. Many public schools in Vilnius have experience integrating foreign students and provide Lithuanian language support classes. Children who arrive at primary school age (6–10) typically adapt within 6–12 months.

For expat families who need an English-language environment — particularly secondary school students and families on shorter assignments — Vilnius has several international school options offering IB and British curriculum programmes. Fees are significant by Lithuanian standards but substantially lower than equivalent international schools in London, Amsterdam, or Singapore.

Lithuania's higher education system is internationally recognised and increasingly English-friendly. Vilnius University is the flagship institution with a rich 4-century history. Kaunas Technology University is the leading technical university in the Baltics. Tuition fees are very affordable by European standards, making Lithuania an attractive destination for international students.

Lithuania has a well-developed state childcare system (darželis — kindergartens) for children from 1 to 6 years. Public kindergartens are heavily subsidised and affordable, but places can be limited in popular Vilnius neighbourhoods — the waiting lists in central areas can be 6–18 months. Private and international pre-schools are available as a faster alternative.

Lithuanian is one of the oldest and most archaic living Indo-European languages — fascinating linguistically but genuinely challenging to learn. It is not required for tech sector work or initial daily life in Vilnius, but becomes important for deeper integration, permanent residency (A2 minimum), and citizenship (B1 minimum).