Studies and Individual Needs

Study Process Accessibility

In order to ensure equal opportunities and create appropriate study conditions for students with disabilities, Vilnius University takes into account the individual needs related to a disability. The University considers students with disabilities as those who long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Therefore, long-term mental, autism spectrum, attention or learning impairments (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, etc.), which can also cause individual needs to arise in the context of studies, are also considered to be disabilities.

The Study Regulations of Vilnius University provide that in the case of students with a disability or a temporary health impairment, upon submission of documents proving this, some aspects of the study process (the study environment, study material, etc.) are to be adjusted according to individual needs resulting from the disability or temporary health disorder. Approved by the order of the Pro-Rector for Studies of Vilnius University of 31 October 2019, The Procedure for Vilnius University Study Process Adjustment to Individual Needs Arising from Disability provides the appropriate steps to adjust the study process.

The students should contact the Disability Affairs Coordinator as soon as possible, before the beginning of the semester, by completing the form. The data put in the form are confidential and will not be transferred to third parties without the consent of the student. During the individual meeting, the disability-related individual needs are assessed, and the supporting documents are requested. Not only documents noting the student’s "working capacity level" or disability but also statements and recommendations by specialists/doctors confirming the needs are acceptable.

The Disability Affairs Coordinator, at the request of the student, recommends specific adjustmets to study process to the faculty (academic unit) and confirms that s/he is familiar with the documents proving the student’s disability.

On the recommendation of the Disability Affairs Coordinator, the faculty approves the study individualisation plan for the entire study period (unless otherwise specified).

Adjustments to Study Process

Each person’s disability-related needs are individual, so in order to find the most appropriate ways to provide reasonable accommodations to the study process, each case is assessed individually. The methods of adjusting the study process to individual needs are divided into three main categories: study environment, lectures or other contact activities and assessment of learning achievements. The most commonly implemented methods of study process individualisation are:

• using accessible font style and size in assessments;
• granting additional time during examinations and extending deadlines;
• providing teaching materials in accessible format.
• adapting the physical environment or adjusting schedules according to the availability of classrooms;
• providing a separate classroom for assessments.

If needed, a student volunteer can provide individual help (e.g. to accompany, overcome existing physical obstacles, learn to navigate in a new environment, etc.).

The administration must be informed as early as possible of disability-related needs so that it can be properly prepared. For this reason, students are asked to complete the aforementioned form as early as possible – before the beginning of the semester.

Financial Support Measures

Students with a 45 percent or lower working capacity are eligible to receive the following financial support measures.

1. Financial assistance payments to meet the student’s special needs: 50 percent of the basic social insurance pension per month (currently set at 123.11 EUR).
2. Targeted payments for the partial compensation of study expenses: 156.80 EUR per semester is provided to students studying in Lithuanian higher education institutions in places not funded by the state.
3. Targeted payments to improve the accessibility of studies: 196.00 EUR is provided on a monthly basis from the appropriations of the European Union structural funds assigned by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
4. Social grant: a monthly payment of 6.5 BSB (currently 318.50 EUR)
5. Erasmus+ additional support for students with special needs participating in mobility activities (more information) (working capacity evaluation not necessary).
6. Students with any degree of disability who have studied in a state-funded place and terminated their studies shall be exempt from repaying their student’s basket to the state budget.
7. Persons recognised as incapable to work or persons who are unable to repay a state-funded loan due to a disability, illness or injury may be exempt from the repayment of the state-funded loan or part of it under the decision of the commission set up by the Director of the State Studies Foundation.
8. Persons with disabilities, enrolling at the University, may be exempt from admission and registration fees. These persons must provide the University’s Admissions Commission with an application and document supporting their 45 percent or lower working capacity.

Financial support measures, excluding social grants, are provided to citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and persons who have declared their permanent place of residence in the Republic of Lithuania if they meet all of the following requirements:

1. The person has a 45 percent or lower working capacity or a severe/moderate disability, according to the procedures established by legal acts.
2. The person is studying in a higher education institution for the first time (excluding students with disabilities who resume their studies after previously terminating them or after being expelled from a higher education institution):
   • In a first-cycle (bachelor’s) or integrated study programme;
   • In a second-cycle (master's) study programme;
   • In a non-degree study programme;
   • In a third-cycle (doctoral) study programme.

Financial support for meeting the special needs of persons and targeted payments for improving the accessibility of studies are provided for one semester. To receive financial support, students with disabilities must submit their financial support applications and copies of their disability certificates to Vilnius University Department of Studies Administration within 10 working days after the beginning of each semester. This can be done either in person, via e-mail or through the eStudent system:

• For the autumn semester – from 1 September to 16 October of the current year;
• For the spring semester – from 1 February to 16 March of the current year.

At the end of the validity period of a disability certificate, a copy of the extended certificate must be submitted to the Studies Administration Department as soon as possible. You can find more information about targeted payments at vsf.lrv.lt/en.

Students who have the right to receive payments for the partial compensation of their study costs can reduce their tuition fee by 128.00 EUR. Students who paid a full tuition fee for the semester can submit a tuition fee refund application every semester.

Social grants can be received by students studying in first-cycle, second-cycle and integrated study programmes, by students studying in non-degree study programmes (excluding residency), as well as by students studying in places both funded and not funded by the state. Applications must be filled out online twice a year: between 15 September and 10 October for the autumn semester, and between 20 January and 20 February for the spring semester. You can find more information on the State Studies Foundation website at vsf.lt/lt/socialines-stipendijos.

Physical Accessibility

For many years, Vilnius University has been continuously seeking to improve the physical accessibility of the campus for individuals with mobility and visual impairments. Every year, the infrastructure of the campus is adapted in accordance to the expressed needs of the people with disabilities or the planned work by the University itself.

Among our most accessible academic units for individuals with mobility difficulties are the Faculty of Philosophy, the Faculty of History, the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, the Life Sciences Centre, the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology and the Scholarly Communication and Information Centre.

The Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Physics, the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Communication are partially adapted for people with limited mobility. The Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics is not adapted for people with limited mobility; however, its division (47 Didlaukio Str., Vilnius) has three classrooms where theoretical lectures are held with the possibility to view them remotely.

The Scholarly Communication and Information Centre is accessible for people with limited mobility. Vilnius University Central Library has sloping stair lifts (you can access the Central Building of the University by using a mobile stairclimber or with the help of our security staff). You can access the ground floor of the Central Building from the Grand Courtyard.

The University encourages persons with disability to show interest, ask questions openly and express their needs because only then can we guarantee the appropriate implementation of suitable study conditions for such persons.

For detailed information about the accessibility of the physical environment, please contact the Disability Affairs Coordinator or write at . You can also find more information about the accessibility of various Vilnius University units on the Without Thresholds (Be Slenksčių) project website.

Accessibility of Central Building

The ground floor of the Central Building of the University can be accessed by persons with reduced mobility using a sloping stair lift (from M. K. Sarbievijus Street to the Grand Courtyard). Although the complex layout of the Central Campus makes it difficult to adapt all the premises, the University is making efforts to adjust an increasing number of spaces in the Central Building. If you need to enter the first floor of the Central Building or the Library (there are five stairs to take down from the locker room on the ground floor), you can now use the mobile stairclimber or ask security guards for help.

The Central Library is equipped with sloping stair lifts to access the Philosophy Reading Room, the Lithuanian Studies Reading Room and other reading rooms.

To get more information about the accessibility of Vilnius University Central Building or to call for help (for example, to use the lift to the Grand Courtyard), please call +370 673 16577.

Compensatory Technical Measures

Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences

• JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 1 high high contrast keyboard for the visually impaired.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 3 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 2 specialised ergonomic chairs BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of Philology

• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, LIFTKAR PT UNI 130, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.
• 3 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 2 specialised ergonomic chairs BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of Philosophy

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• Software programme SuperNova Magnifier 13.03 that magnifies all or selected parts of the information displayed on the computer screen.

Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy

• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 2 high contrast keyboards for the visually impaired.

Faculty of Physics

The compensatory technical equipment at the Faculty of Physics is available at the Dean’s Office (9 Saulėtekio av., Building III, Room 203).

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 1 high contrast keyboard for the visually impaired.

Life Sciences Centre

• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 2 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 1 specialised ergonomic chair BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of History

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 2 high contrast keyboards for the visually impaired.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 1 height and angle adjustable rolling desk.
• 1 specialised ergonomic chair BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Kaunas Faculty

• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, LIFTKAR PT UNI 130, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio (Computer Room 1).
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language (Computer Room 1).
• Software programme SuperNova Magnifier 13.03 that magnifies all or selected parts of the information displayed on the computer screen (Computer Room 1).
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk (Building II, Room 2.0.01).
• 2 height and angle adjustable rolling desks (Building II, Room 2.0.01).
• 1 specialised ergonomic chair BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle) (Building II, Room 2.0.01).

Faculty of Communication

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 2 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 1 CRICK USB SWITCH BOX which allows to connect more than one special-needs device to a computer.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 2 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 1 specialised ergonomic chair BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• 1 stationary electronic image magnifier TOPAZ XL XD 24" displaying enlarged written or printed text on the screen.
• 1 portable 40-cell electronic Braille display ESY40 with an integrated Braille keyboard.
• 1 digital coded intercom FM system BELLMAN AUDIO DOMINO PRO with an option to stream audio to multiple listeners at once.
• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, LIFTKAR PT UNI 130, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.
• Software programme EasyConverter, which converts text documents to alternative formats, with WintalkerVoice synthesiser in the Lithuanian language.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• Software programme SuperNova Magnifier 13.03 that magnifies all or selected parts of the information displayed on the computer screen.
• 2 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 6 specialised height and angle adjustable desks.
• 11 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 8 specialised ergonomic chairs BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of Medicine

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, LIFTKAR PT UNI 130, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.
• 2 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 1 CRICK USB SWITCH BOX which allows to connect more than one special-needs device to a computer.

Institute of International Relations and Political Science

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 2 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 1 height and angle adjustable rolling desk.
• 1 specialised ergonomic chair BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Faculty of Law

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• 2 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 1 CRICK USB SWITCH BOX which allows to connect more than one special-needs device to a computer.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 2 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 2 specialised ergonomic chairs BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Department of Community Development

• 1 BRAILLE EMBOSSER EVEREST-D V4 with an acoustic cabinet.
• 1 digital coded intercom FM system BELLMAN AUDIO DOMINO PRO with an option to stream audio to multiple listeners at once.

Department of Studies Administration

• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, YACK N912, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.

Central Building

• 1 mobile stairclimber with an additional battery, YACK N912, designed for transporting a wheelchair by stairs.

Central Library

• 2 stationary electronic image magnifiers TOPAZ XL XD 24" displaying enlarged written or printed text on the screen.
• 1 BRAILLE EMBOSSER EVEREST-D V4 with an acoustic cabinet.
• 1 specialised height and angle adjustable desk.
• 2 height and angle adjustable rolling desks.
• 2 specialised ergonomic chairs BIZZIR15/STEEL (adjustable armrest and seat height, adjustable vertical tilt angle and adjustable backrest angle).

Scholarly Communication and Information Centre

• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER JOYSTICK II for people with motor disorders.
• 1 alternative computer mouse TRAXSYS ROLLER II that is controlled with a lever, which is similar to how an electric wheelchair is operated.
• 1 portable 40-cell electronic Braille display ESY40 with an integrated Braille keyboard.
• 1 BRAILLE EMBOSSER EVEREST-D V4 with an acoustic cabinet.
• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• Software programme SuperNova Magnifier 13.03 that magnifies all or selected parts of the information displayed on the computer screen.
• 4 HIGH CONTRAST KEYBOARDS for the visually impaired.
• 1 CRICK USB SWITCH BOX which allows to connect more than one special-needs device to a computer.

Centre of Information Technology Development

• Software programme JAWS 14 For Windows that analyses information on the display and passes it to a speech synthesiser that converts text to audio.
• Software programme WintalkerVoice v. 1.6 that transmits all the information on the computer display to the user in an audio format in the Lithuanian language.
• Software programme SuperNova Magnifier 13.03 that magnifies all or selected parts of the information displayed on the computer screen.

Psychological Counselling and Assessment of Individual Educational Needs

Students who encounter problems during their study process or in their personal lives may require consultations provided by a specialist. The aim of psychological counselling is to help people identify, understand and solve their personal or interpersonal difficulties related to psychological well-being or behaviour. The department of community well-being suggests psychological support.

Health and Sport Centre

Health and Sport Centre organises individualised physical activity classes for students with various types of disabilities. The classes are held both individually and in groups. Students who are interested in health and sports activities are welcomed to contact us via e-mail  (assoc. prof. Laimutė Samsonienė).

The facilities of the Health and Sport Centre are adapted to the needs of persons with limited mobility. The services are provided to students with disabilities free of charge.

Dormitories

12 accessible rooms are available for students with physical disability. The rooms are located on the ground floor of the dormitory on 12 Saulėtekio Avenue. The rooms have a separate entrance with a ramp. If you need an accessible room or have other needs related to your disability, check the box “I have individual accommodation needs arising from disability” when registering for a place in a dormitory of Vilnius University.