15 guidesTopic

Daily Life & Culture

SIM cards, groceries, safety, basic Lithuanian and settling into everyday life.

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Guides in this topic

Best SIM card for students

Which prepaid SIM to buy in Lithuania, what it costs, and the ID registration step you cannot skip since 2025 — a quick guide for international students.

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Is Lithuania safe for students?

Lithuania has low violent crime, but safety isn't the same for everyone. Honest advice for international students on crime, racism and LGBTQ+ life.

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Do you need to speak Lithuanian?

No — almost every international degree is taught in English and most younger Lithuanians speak it. Here's where Lithuanian still helps, and when you actually need it.

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Survival Lithuanian for students

Basic Lithuanian phrases for students — greetings, polite words, ordering, shopping and asking for help. With a quick guide to formal vs informal.

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Adjusting to life & culture

A practical guide to Lithuanian culture and etiquette for foreigners: greetings, punctuality, the reserved-but-warm communication style, and how to settle in as an international student.

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Getting a Lithuanian phone number

How to get a Lithuanian phone number as an international student: which operator to pick, where to buy a prepaid SIM, and the ID you now need to register it.

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How to make friends

Practical ways to make friends as an international student in Lithuania — ESN buddies, welcome week, university clubs, language exchange and the social habits that actually work in Vilnius and Kaunas.

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Grocery shopping & supermarkets

A practical guide to grocery shopping in Lithuania — the main supermarkets (Maxima, Iki, Lidl, Rimi, Norfa), opening hours, loyalty cards, the bottle-deposit system and how to shop cheaply as a student.

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Things to do in Vilnius on a weekend

A student-friendly guide to spending a weekend in Vilnius: free walking tours, viewpoints, markets, nightlife, museums and a cheap day trip to Trakai.

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Lithuanian language courses

How to learn Lithuanian in Vilnius and beyond — university courses, free city programmes, summer scholarships and online options, with rough costs for international students.

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Facebook, WhatsApp & Telegram groups to join

A directory of real Facebook, WhatsApp & Telegram groups for international students in Lithuania, by city and nationality, plus how to avoid housing scams.

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Halal & South Asian food in Lithuania

Where to find halal meat, South Asian groceries and halal-friendly restaurants in Vilnius and Kaunas, plus tips for cooking at home on a student budget.

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Surviving your first Lithuanian winter

Honest, practical prep for your first Lithuanian winter as an international student: layering for -20C, coping with short daylight, vitamin D and light, staying social and looking after your mood.

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Being a non-white student in Lithuania

An honest, supportive guide for Black, brown, Asian and other non-white international students in Lithuania: what to expect, how to report a hate crime, and where to find community.

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Places of worship: mosques, churches, temples & Ramadan

Where to find mosques and prayer spaces, churches and other places of worship in Vilnius and Kaunas, plus practical Ramadan tips for Lithuania's long summer fasting days.

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