5 tips for your successful landing at KTU

Studying abroad can be the greatest adventure of your lifetime. Making the first steps in your career journey, meeting new friends, and forging meaningful connections – study years are rich with experience. Want to make the most of it? Come prepared.

How to get to Kaunas? Whether to live in a dormitory or to rent privately? What weather to expect? How to smoothly integrate into the community? The number of questions before relocating to a foreign country can be overwhelming. The majority of your questions are answered on this page. Some of the answers you will find below. Any additional concerns will be solved by the friendly and dedicated staff of the KTU International Studies Office.

Those valuing their privacy or willing to live elsewhere can opt for private accommodation. There are many websites offering accommodation in Kaunas. Also, you may check groups on social media (search term: butu nuoma Kaune) for options. The rent might cost from €150 to €400, depending on the size and other qualities of the accommodation chosen, and you will need to pay the bills (electricity, water, heating, etc.) on top. Keep in mind that the heating season in Lithuania runs from October to April, and this will affect the price of your bills. In this video provided by Kaunas IN, Xavier Mansa, who has recently relocated to Kaunas, talks about finding accommodation in Kaunas in detail.

Overall, don’t panic – Kaunas is a fairly inexpensive place to reside, according to our students.

“In a month, in Kaunas, I spend less than I would at home, which was a pleasant surprise. And I live a decent, very good life,” says Deivid Mico from Albania, studying aviation engineering at KTU.

You will end up in Kaunas Bus Station (Kauno autobusų stotis) or Kaunas Railway Station (Kauno geležinkelio stotis). They are situated next to each other and close to the city centre. Kaunas city transport is efficient, cheap and allows you to reach every corner of the city easily.

“Within 10 minutes’ walk, you can find yourself in a beautiful park. If you feel more adventurous, you can get on a bus and in 20 minutes you will be in nature. When you call your friends, you can say: let’s meet at X place in 30 minutes. Because it takes a maximum of 30 minutes to go anywhere in the city,” says Eylul Guleryuz from Turkey, studying informatics at KTU.

If you want to find out more about getting around in Kaunas, check out this video by Xavier Mansa.

Kaunas, for years nicknamed a student city, has it all – cultural life with museums, festivals and concerts, parks and greenery, and historical heritage. For nature lovers, there are several forest parks, exceptional walking grounds, such as Santaka (Eng. confluence) or Nemunas Island Park, and riverside bicycle roads. In summer, you can even go to the beach – there is a choice of them too!

Take some time to familiarise yourself with your future study country, Lithuania. By knowing even briefly your soon-to-be home’s culture, history, geography, economy, and government your study abroad experience will be enriched and your time spent more meaningful.

You can start with the official websites for overseas travellers, investors and students, or check out an official Lithuania gateway Lithuania co-create. The majority of Lithuanians will speak English or Russian, however knowing a few Lithuanian words and phrases might help greatly in the beginning. When you are at the university, enrol in classes for learning Lithuanian. Life will feel different once you understand the locals.

According to KTU mechatronics student Wendy Giovanna Andino Villalta from Honduras, Lithuanians, who typically are reserved and shy around strangers, open up when they hear their native tongue.

“When you try to speak Lithuanian (even if it’s broken), the locals appreciate the effort. It has been hard, but my Lithuanian skills have gotten better. Now, I can communicate with locals at the supermarket, or in stores,” says Giovanna, to whom learning languages is one of her hobbies.

Weather alert! There are four seasons in Lithuania, in autumn-winter, it rains and snows often, and although summers tend to be warm and sunny, the colder season might feel a bit dark and damp. Our winters might feel rather cold for someone coming from a warmer climate. However, we suggest you bring with you only essential warm clothes. There are plenty of shopping centres in Kaunas, where you will find all the necessary things for your stay here.

Whether it is learning alongside the most gifted, getting inspired through arts, or being guided by dedicated mentors – KTU has thought about all the aspects of your university journey. Check out these exclusive personal development opportunities here.

“I had made amazing like-minded friends that I would probably have never been able to meet otherwise. I would recommend all the prospective students to try their chance by applying to the GIFTed in the first semester of the first year,” says Eylul from Turkey.

In Lithuania, the school year starts on September 1^st. However, make sure to arrive at least a week before the semester starts, not to miss the Welcome Week, which is a great way to get to know your university, and new home town and make new friends. This year’s welcoming event is scheduled for August 28–September 2 and is packed with activities.

However, if you miss the welcome week’s introduction to the university, you can find all the information on the important issues of your university life at the Student Infocentre, housing International Relations, Student Affairs and Doctoral School, located at the heart of the KTU Campus, Studentų Street 50.

Overall, to get acquainted with the University environment, take our virtual tour, where you will find everything – from dormitories to research laboratories filmed as they are.

Among them, you may find your fellow countryman who is also a KTU student. The Ambassadors are a friendly group of international KTU students dedicated to helping their peers to adjust to the new environment.

Alejandra, an architecture student from Nicaragua, came to Kaunas at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when all the teaching was online, there were many restrictions to social life – it took three months for her to visit the city centre.

“My saviour was the KTU Ambassador, a student from my country, who also was studying the same subject. I was contacted by him right away after coming to Kaunas – he started teaching me how everything works. I am very grateful to the university for telling him: look, there is this girl from your country, check on her,” remembers Alejandra.

 

Always remember, the University is not a building, but people who are there to make you feel welcome and happy.

Are you ready to come? Have you checked that you have everything needed for smooth travel? Great! Looking forward to greeting you at KTU.

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Useful websites for more information:

• https://admissions.ktu.edu/relocation-to-kaunas
• https://admissions.ktu.edu/ambassadors/
• KTU International Students Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/KTU.International.Students
• https://studyin.lt/about-lithuania/useful-information/
• Still, have questions? Contact the International Studies Office at international@ktu.lt