Updated July 2016
- Lithuania
Compulsory education starts at age seven. There are four years of primary education, followed by six years of compulsory lower-secondary education.
Compulsory education finishes at age 16 in Lithuania – this may be followed by further study in secondary or vocational schools.
Secondary education is optional and usually lasts for two years. Students follow individual education plans and programmes may include vocational training modules.
The Brandos Atestatas summarises the completion of a two-year programme of study of compulsory and optional subjects studied at general level (bendrasis ‘B’) or extended level (išplėstinis ‘A’). Foreign languages are studied to Common European Framework (CEFR) levels (at A1, A2, B1, B2).
In general students study seven to eight subjects. Students aiming for university will tend to choose between four to five subjects at level A and three to four subjects at level B.
There is a minimum of 28 lessons per week. Level A qualifications generally have more taught time than level B, except in the case of foreign languages. Students who plan to enter university tend to take up more subjects overall and more at level A, thus they tend to have more hours (around 32 on average).
Achievement in all subjects is subject to internal assessment.
To be awarded the Brandos Atestatas students have to pass all internal assessment successfully and, in addition, at least two school or state level Matura examinations. School level examinations and state level examinations do not depend on the level of the course followed. But there is a tendency to take level A courses for those subjects that are chosen as state level exams (around four courses).
State level Matura examinations are seen as preparation for university, and are externally sat, marked and graded.
Subjects are drawn from seven streams: languages, social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences, arts, technology, ethics / religion, and sports.
The state-level Matura exams can be taken in: biology, chemistry, physics, geography, information technologies, history, mathematics, foreign language (English, French, German, and Russian). Lithuanian language and literature is compulsory.
The school-level Matura exams can be taken in: minority (native) languages (Belorussian, Polish, Russian and German), musicology, arts, and technology.
Considered to be broadly comparable in standard to UK Level 3 qualifications. Acceptable as a group qualification satisfying general HE entrance requirements.
For further information on the qualification level you may wish to refer to UK NARIC, which is the UK body responsible for providing comparability of overseas qualifications.
Brandos Atestatas records individual grades for components of study as follows. All subjects studied in the two year programme (internal assessment).
| Level of achievement | Pass | Name | Lithuanian |
| High | 10 | Excellent | Puikiai |
| 9 | Very good | Labai gerai | |
| Average | 8 | Good | Gerai |
| 7 | Highly satisfactory | Pakankamai gerai | |
| 6 | Satisfactory | Vidutiniškai | |
| Sufficient | 5 | Sufficient | Patenkinamai |
| 4 | Insufficient | Pakankamai patenkinamai | |
| Unsatisfactory | 3 | Highly insufficient | Nepatenkinamai |
| 2 | Poor | Blogai | |
| 1 | Very poor |
Labai blogai |
Students achieve a grade for each subject, plus an average grade for all subjects studies studied – the ‘Metinis’. The information will also indicate whether the subject was studied at the extended (A) or general (B) level. Foreign languages indicated according to CEFR levels (A1, A2, B1, B2).
All School-level Matura examinations (locally assessed) results can be allocated a written grade (išlaikyta / neišlaikyta) or points.
|
Result |
Points |
|
Pass (Išlaikyta) |
4 –10 |
|
No pass (Neišlaikyta) |
1 – 3 |
Until 2012 the state level Matura used a normative scale to rank pupil achievement nationally using a 1–100 scale for all those passing. From 2013 a criterion-referenced assessment system has been introduced with a scale for the state Matura exam from 16–100.
| Result | Level of achievement | Foreign language level according to CEFR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass (Išlaikyta) | High | B2 | 86-100 |
| Pass (Išlaikyta) | Average | B2 | 36-85 |
| Pass (Išlaikyta) | Sufficient | B1 | 16-35 |
| No pass (Neišlaikyta) | Unsatisfactory | - | 1-15 |
Pre-2013 pass results were graded 1–100. 1 = lowest pass grade. 100 was awarded to the top 1% of students achieving the highest results nationwide and so on. 1 was awarded to the 1% of students achieving the lowest pass rate (norm-referenced achievement).
All subjects studied are internally assessed, this may include examinations (1–10 scale).
School Matura examination – externally set, locally marked (municipal evaluation centres) (1–10 scale).
State Matura examination – external national examination and marking (Pre-2013 on a normative scale of 1–100, post-2013 on a criterion referenced scale 16–100).
The Brandos Atestatas lists:
The Metinis – individual results of internal assessment of all subjects the student studied in the final two years (11 – 12th) year. Graded on the scale 1–10. Also recorded is the course level followed (A or B). Foreign languages are studied according to CEFR levels (indicated as A1, A2, B1, B2).
Results of school level Matura (if taken). Graded on the scale 1–10.
Results of state level Matura (if taken). Graded on the scale 16–100 from 2013, previously from 1–100 – see above.
There is a minimum of 28 lessons per week. Students who plan to enter university tend to take up more subjects and more at level A (which tend to be larger), thus they have more hours (32 average per week).
HEPs may wish to make offers based on particular subjects offered at different levels. Students will receive internally-assessed grades for non-Matura subjects which may also have been studied at the higher (A) level. In Lithuania there is a focus on state-level examinations for university entrance.
Examinations are taken from May until early June. Certification for the Brandos Atestatas is by mid-July.
Students can obtain their examination results from the National Examination Centre on request, before certificates are issued.
Pre-2013 the State Matura pass grade was based on a 1–100 normative scale. From 2013 this is criterion-referenced with a range from 16–100.
Results are available for the State Matura examinations at http://www.nec.lt/529/ (in Lithuanian). These show pass rates and max-min scores over the previous three years, and results by grade for each subject (by municipality).
Brandos Atestatas allows access to HE. Admission is competitive, based on the results of the compulsory state level Lithuanian language exam, and three other state level exams or average grades in three subjects. The subjects required depend on the course to be followed at university.
Source: National Examination Centre, for more information: http://www.nec.lt/naujienos/