The purpose of an assessment is to determine the academic value of a foreign qualification in Lithuania with a view of access to study and/or employment.

The academic value of a foreign qualification is assessed by comparing the foreign qualification with a similar same level qualification awarded in Lithuania according to the following criteria:

• - quality, which refers to:
  • - whether the institution and/or programme has been properly quality assured at the time of your study (for example, properly accredited and/or recognised by national authorities)
  • - whether your grades are sufficient for the required purpose;
• - profile, which refers to the orientation of the programme (academic ally and/or professionally oriented, general and/or specialised, etc.);
• - workload, which refers to the provisioned workload of the programme;
• - learning outcomes, which refer to the knowledge and competences associated with the qualification.

Our office uses a learning outcomes approach to assessment of foreign qualifications when focus is placed on the end result and not on the process and manner of study. It means that the workload and content of the programmes may differ as long as comparable learning outcomes are achieved.

Applications are reviewed within 20 working days. If all of the required documents have been submitted and our office has sufficient information, our decision is also issued within 20 working days. If the provided information is insufficient, you will be notified about this through EPE and the processing of your application will be suspended until the required documents are received. If the requested documents are not received within 3 months, the processing of the application will be terminated.

The obligation to submit all of the documents necessary for recognition rests with the applicant.

Your application will also not be processed if:

• we do not receive any additional documents we have requested after reviewing your application for 3 (three) months;
• in cases that original documents must be submitted they are not received within 3 (three) months;
• the submitted documents are suspected to be fraudulent. In all of such cases the documents are forwarded to the relevant authorities (the police) for investigation;
• in other cases as covered under relevant legislation (e.g. if SKVC is not authorized to perform recognition of such qualifications).

For more information, please refer to Criteria and Procedure.   

After the qualification assessment, a decision is made on its academic recognition. The following decisions are possible (from 15 June 2024, in accordance with Resolution No. 475 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 12 June 2024, paragraph 33):

1. to recognize a foreign or international qualification as equivalent to:

1.1. a qualification of the corresponding level of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework awarded in Lithuania;

1.2. a corresponding level of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework;

1.3. a corresponding part of learning or studies that is part of a qualification belonging to the Lithuanian education system;

2. to recognise a foreign or international qualification and grant the holder of the qualification certain rights (to pursue only professional activity and/or further learning in vocational training programmes or programme modules of a certain field (sub-field) of education; to pursue further studies by enrolling only in programmes of a certain field of study (groups of fields of study);

3. to recognise a foreign or international qualification only together with additional requirements (examination(s), assessment of the competences acquired by the holder of the qualification, additional courses, learning), which the holder of the qualification will have to fulfil;

4. not to recognise a foreign or international qualification.

The decision and the reasonsare provided in the decision on academic recognition.

You can view a document signed with an ADOC specification electronic signature and verify the electronic signature of the person who signed the document:

- on the website https://signa.mitsoft.lt/signa-web ;

- on the website http://www.archyvai.lt/lt/paslaugos_53/adoc-dokumentai.html ;

- by downloading and installing the ADOC document creation, signing and verification software on your computer http://www.mitsoft.lt/lt/content/viewitem/73/ .

If you have any questions, please contact us: tel. (8 5) 210 47 72 or e-mail: recognition@skvc.lt or help@skvc.lt .

When requesting information regarding the assessment of your qualification or sending additional documents, please indicate your registration number (the registration number is provided upon submission of an application for recognition of a foreign qualification).

The decision on academic recognition made by the Centre for the Assessment of Study Quality may be appealed to the Appeal Commission for the Academic Recognition of Education and Qualifications Acquired under Educational Programmes of Foreign States and International Organisations, established by the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, or to the Regional Administrative Court in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Administrative Procedure of the Republic of Lithuania. The appeal shall be submitted within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the decision of the Centre for the Assessment of Study Quality. 

The appeal shall be submitted to the Centre for the Assessment of Study Quality, which shall forward it and the documents related to it to the Commission. The possibility of appealing the decision shall always be indicated in the decision of the Centre for the Assessment of Study Quality.

The Appeal Commission for the Academic Recognition of Education and Qualifications Acquired under Educational Programmes of Foreign States and International Organisations, established by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, shall examine the appeal within one month from the date of its receipt; the months of July and August shall not be included in this period.