Study Veterinary Medicine in Kaunas

The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) is the largest university for the health professions in Lithuania. It was formed in 2010 through the merger of Kaunas University of Medicine and the Lithuanian Veterinary Academy. Veterinarians have been trained in Kaunas since 1936, and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is the only one in Lithuania. The Veterinary Academy campus is within walking distance of the city centre.

The programme is taught entirely in English, lasts six years and is accredited by EAEVE for the maximum period. Its diplomas are accepted without restriction throughout the EU. Practical training takes place at two of the academy’s own clinics: the Large Animal Clinic for horses and farm animals, and the Dr L. Kriaučeliūnas Small Animal Clinic, where teaching takes place every day. There is also a wildlife rescue centre. Admission is not based on a grade cut-off.

• Veterinary Medicine: A six-year integrated programme (360 ECTS) leading to qualification as a veterinary surgeon with a master’s-level degree. Foundation subjects in the first years; from the third year, clinical training at the Veterinary Academy’s Large Animal Clinic and Small Animal Clinic; and in the final two years, rotations, surgery, internal medicine and diagnostic imaging.

The programme is divided into three stages. The first two years focus on anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology and animal husbandry, complemented by veterinary Latin and English for veterinary purposes. The academy’s buildings have been fully renovated and re-equipped in recent years, and the pathology centre meets current standards.

The third and fourth years bring pharmacology, pathology, toxicology, parasitology, immunology and epidemiology, together with the first clinical exercises on animals. From this point on, students work regularly at the Large Animal Clinic and the Dr L. Kriaučeliūnas Small Animal Clinic, both of which serve as teaching and working clinics at the same time.

The fifth and sixth years cover surgery and internal medicine for large and small animals, diagnostic imaging, reproduction, food hygiene and veterinary public health. Clinical rotations and external placements are the main focus, and the programme concludes with the final thesis. Farm animal and equine medicine have traditionally been strong in Kaunas – a real advantage if you later want to work in large-animal practice.

Whether we can secure you a place at this faculty is something we assess individually in a free consultation – and plan together through our partner network.

Tuition fees at LSMU Kaunas are approx. €8,950 per year. Over 6 years, that comes to around €53,700 in tuition fees. Monthly living costs are approx. €500, adding a further €36,000 or so over 6 years. Total cost of the programme: approx. €89,700.

Lithuania is a member of the European Union. A degree from LSMU is automatically recognised across the EU under Directive 2005/36/EC – no additional examination and no separate recognition procedure. Licensing to practise depends on your target country; outside the EU, please confirm the requirements with the relevant national authority.

With around 280,000 inhabitants, Kaunas is Lithuania’s second-largest city. It lies at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers, a little over 100 kilometres west of Vilnius. The Old Town with its Town Hall Square and castle, the pedestrian boulevard Laisvės alėja and the Art Deco heritage of the interwar period shape the cityscape. Kaunas was European Capital of Culture in 2022 and has kept a rich programme of museums, galleries and festivals ever since.

Around 30,000 students bring a young crowd to the city’s cafés, bars and co-working spaces. Living costs are among the lowest in the Baltic states: you can live comfortably on around €500 a month, and a room in an LSMU residence is considerably cheaper than a flat of your own. The Veterinary Academy campus is within walking distance of the centre.

The climate is temperate, with warm summers of around 22 degrees and cold, snowy winters. The Baltic coast, with the beaches of Palanga and the Curonian Spit, is two hours away by car. Kaunas Airport (KUN) lies 15 kilometres north of the city and is served by Ryanair and Wizz Air, with routes to destinations including Frankfurt-Hahn, Berlin, Dortmund and Vienna; Vilnius (VNO) offers further direct flights to major European cities such as Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich.