In the academic year 2022–2023, 39.2 per cent of the youth aged 20–24 were pursuing higher education (in 2021, 39.7 per cent).

At the beginning of the academic year 2022–2023, professionals with the highest qualification were prepared by 36 higher education institutions: 17 universities and 19 colleges. There were 102.3 thousand students in these educational establishments, of whom 71.5 thousand – at universities (in 2021–2022, 71.6 thousand), 30.8 thousand – in colleges. Against the previous academic year 2021–2022, the number of students in schools of higher education decreased by 60 persons, in colleges – 0.9 thousand (1.4 per cent).

The number of students in non-state schools of higher education (6 universities and 7 colleges) amounted to 12.7 thousand, or almost 36.5 per cent of all students in higher education (in 2021–2022, 12.8 thousand or 12.4 per cent).

In 2022, 24.8 thousand higher education professionals graduated from higher education institutions. In colleges, a professional bachelor’s degree was obtained by 7 thousand graduates. At universities, 7.7 thousand graduates obtained a bachelor’s, 6.6 thousand – master’s, 356 – PhD degrees. 901 graduates, upon completion of non‑degree programmes, acquired a professional qualification (428 completed residency, 473 – pedagogy studies).

In 2022, 61 per cent of residents of Lithuania aged 30–34 had higher education (in 2021, 60.3 per cent).

Growing number of foreign students

The number of foreign nationals studying the full study programme at the universities of Lithuania stood at 9.4 thousand, which is 13.2 per cent of all university students. In colleges, the number of foreign students stood at 1,107. More than a third (36.8 per cent) of foreigners studying at higher education institutions were citizens of the European countries, more than a third (33.8 per cent) – came from Asian countries.

In 2022, 10.6 thousand students were admitted to colleges, of whom 3.5 thousand (33.1 per cent) were state-funded students. The majority (89.5 per cent) of those admitted have graduated from general schools, 649 students have already acquired a profession in vocational training institutions. Among those admitted, there were also those with higher education diplomas (0.2 per cent).

At the beginning of the academic year 2022–2023, the number of students in colleges totalled 30.8 thousand (women – 56.4 per cent, men – 43.6 per cent). The number of the state-funded students stood at 12.9 thousand, or almost half (42.1 per cent) of all college students.

Business and administration is the most popular field of education – 32.9 per cent (10.2 thousand) of college students chose this field for their studies. The number of students in the field of healthcare amounted to 5.9 thousand (19.2 per cent), engineering – 3 thousand (10 per cent).

Total

15,226

18,712

14,497

18,434

14,055

18,397

13,719

18,088

13,439

17,408

Business and administration

4,418

6,725

4,725

6,743

5,074

6,470

5,244

6,059

4,885

5,288

Health

526

5,443

594

5,480

626

5,459

665

5,380

635

5,282

Engineering and engineering trades

4,624

252

3,801

194

3,209

149

2,919

136

2,940

153

Information and Communication Technologies

1,085

151

1,214

161

1,358

187

1,383

220

1,534

239

Education

18

970

18

1,025

29

1,259

22

1,440

26

1,665

Welfare

97

1,151

109

1,183

109

1,313

119

1,458

131

1,516

Architecture and construction

1,517

301

1,361

252

1,360

259

1,304

256

1,228

254

Arts

623

1,001

615

958

543

1,036

483

1,004

427

1,000

Law

545

662

550

677

468

660

444

682

378

630

Transport services

796

203

642

136

496

84

380

61

457

54

Agriculture

202

253

190

252

194

239

154

256

174

264

Languages

106

234

135

233

138

265

141

236

156

224

Manufacturing and processing

242

574

168

437

117

343

99

244

108

214

Personal services

108

444

109

333

87

277

86

241

80

235

Journalism and information

20

122

32

128

47

163

68

196

67

208

Forestry

253

51

202

48

170

46

169

47

168

43

Veterinary

27

160

22

182

24

184

31

176

27

149

Social and behavioural sciences

11

9

6

13

10

14

14

13

21

15

Physical sciences

19

26

15

20

13

15

11

10

13

5

Lithuanians are among the most educated people in Europe

Potential of the society development is best reflected by the share of young educated people. In 2022, 61 per cent of residents aged 30–34 had a university degree or equivalent. This indicator has maintained a consistent upward trend over the past decade and is one of the highest in the European Union.

At the beginning of the academic year 2022–2023, 71.5 thousand students studied at universities, and compared to the academic year 2021–2022, their number has hardly changed. 41.7 thousand (58.4 per cent) students studied under the bachelor’s study programmes.

In 2022, 15.6 thousand professionals with the highest qualification attained the education at universities. A professional bachelor’s degree was obtained by 7.7 thousand, master’s degree – 6.6 thousand,  PhD degree – 356 graduates. 901 graduates, upon the completion of non-degree programmes, acquired a professional qualification (428 – completed residency programmes, 473 – pedagogical studies).

Furthermore, 34 graduates completed doctorate studies in research institutes and obtained PhD degrees.

Specialists in the field of business and administration (2.3 thousand, or 15.2 per cent of all university graduates), engineering (1.5 thousand), health sciences (2.3 thousand), social sciences (1.6 thousand) accounted for the major share of all university students.

The number of foreign students who studied in our country’s universities under the whole study programme amounted to 9.4 thousand. The majority of foreigners studying at universities are citizens of Asian countries – 35.4 per cent, citizens of European Union countries – 18.6 per cent, 28 per cent – other European countries, 8.4 per cent – Citizens of African countries.