Kauno kolegija among the country’s leaders: more than 2,000 first-year students to begin studies this year
This year, Kauno kolegija begins the new academic year with the largest cohort of first-year students in the city of Kaunas – 2,141 prospective students will begin their studies at the higher education institution, including 161 international students.
It is also worth noting that, based on the number of prospective first-year students, Kauno kolegija continues to lead not only in Kaunas but also in Lithuania. As last year, this year the higher education institution ranks third in the country by the number of students admitted to study.
The number of applicants has increased by more than 15%
For several consecutive years, Kauno kolegija has recorded growing interest in its study programmes: last year, the number of applicants to Kauno kolegija increased by 13%, while this year, compared with last year, the number of applicants grew by 17.6%. Meanwhile, the number of international students jumped by 44.7%.
Dr Andrius Brusokas, Director of Kauno kolegija, says that the growing admission figures reflect not only increasing interest in the institution but also changing expectations among applicants. According to him, more and more people today are looking for studies that provide not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills needed for a specific job.
‘We are pleased with the growing interest among applicants, as the competition is truly intense. These figures also reflect a certain market dynamic – shorter, practice-oriented studies are becoming increasingly attractive,’ says Dr A. Brusokas.
According to him, the growing interest is also driven by Kauno kolegija’s consistent efforts to strengthen its relationship with prospective students. In recent years, the higher education institution has been looking for various ways to reach young people and introduce them to study opportunities – from participating in exhibitions and events to more active communication by researchers: ‘I believe all of this helps us reach both school-leavers and our existing students.’
As another reason behind the increased admission figures, Dr A. Brusokas points to the wider range of study formats offered to applicants. Given that, for example, this year 50% of Kauno kolegija’s first-year students are school-leavers from previous years, efforts are being made to make studies more flexible and attractive to those who are already working or have other commitments: ‘In the future, we will further develop this aspect of studies in order to remain attractive and competitive.’
Jolanta Bareikienė, Vice Director for Studies, agrees. According to her, the growing interest in studies at Kauno kolegija may primarily be driven by the fact that an increasing number of applicants value the opportunity to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also the competences required for real professional activity.
‘Kauno kolegija is a well-established higher education institution that works closely with business and public-sector organisations, so its studies are geared towards labour market needs and preparing students for professional activity. This, in turn, ensures successful integration into the labour market,’ notes J. Bareikienė.
According to her, the diversity of study programmes and their continuous updating in response to the rapidly changing labour market, technological development and new professional competences are equally important. Applicants are also paying increasing attention to the quality of studies, opportunities for practical learning, internationalisation, the possibility of participating in exchange programmes and the study environment.
‘Consistently improving admission figures demonstrate growing confidence in Kauno kolegija. At the same time, this is also a commitment for us – to maintain the quality of studies, further strengthen our links with the labour market and create a study environment in which students can successfully prepare for their future professional careers,’ says the Deputy Director for Studies, adding: ‘I believe that applicants’ choice is the best recognition of what Kauno kolegija has been consistently developing – high-quality, practical and modern studies.’
Four Kauno kolegija study programmes among the top ten most popular
This year, four study programmes offered by Kauno kolegija feature among the top ten most popular college study programmes: 555 applicants submitted applications to study Pre-school and Pre-primary Education, 388 to General Practice Nursing, 343 to Social Work, and 251 to Cosmetology.
‘Physiotherapy, Logistics, Cyber Systems and Security also attracted considerable interest from applicants. Engineering study programmes, which are in demand in the labour market, are also becoming increasingly popular,’ says J. Bareikienė.
Comparing applicants’ choices last year and this year, the Vice Director for Studies reveals that the preferences have remained similar: ‘As in 2025, Pre-school and Pre-primary Education ranks first among the top ten college study programmes, followed by General Practice Nursing in second place. Social Work and Cosmetology also remain in the top ten.’
Kauno kolegija also ranked second among higher education institutions in Kaunas in terms of the number of state-funded study places.
Regional divisions also attract greater interest from applicants
The regional academic divisions of Kauno kolegija also attracted greater interest from applicants this year – the number of first-year students at the Alytus Faculty increased by 23.1%, while at the Tauragė Division it grew by 9.6%.
In Alytus, the General Practice Nursing, Pre-school and Pre-primary Education, and Social Work study programmes attracted the highest number of applicants. Meanwhile, in Tauragė, admissions this year were open for the Pre-school and Pre-primary Education, Social Work, and Organisation Management study programmes. All of them, J. Bareikienė notes, attracted interest from applicants.
‘For some people, the opportunity to pursue higher education in their own city is very important, as it enables them to combine their studies with work, family or other commitments. This is particularly important for those who completed school in previous years, of whom Kauno kolegija welcomes a considerable number every year. For example, at the Kauno kolegija’s regional divisions, this year’s school-leavers account for just 14.8% of all first-year students,’ J. Bareikienė emphasises.