Vytautas Magnus University

Mentor’s programme – for incoming students


The International Students Mentors Programme at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) is designed to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for incoming international students. The programme, launched by the VMU International Cooperation Department in 2003, aims to facilitate the integration of international students into the VMU community by providing them with dedicated local mentors.

Who is VMU mentor?

VMU Mentor is a local (Lithuanian or foreign full-time) student who has motivation, international and intercultural experience, and voluntarily helps the incoming foreign students.

What are the tasks of VMU mentor?

  • Providing Information: Mentors are responsible for providing accurate and comprehensive information to incoming international students about various aspects of university life, including academic programs, campus resources, extracurricular activities, and cultural events.
  • Orientation and Support: Mentors help incoming international students navigate their new environment by offering orientation sessions, campus tours, and guidance on practical matters such as accommodation, transportation, and local amenities.
  • Cultural Integration: Mentors assist international students in adapting to the Lithuanian culture and university life. They share insights into local customs, traditions, and social norms, facilitating cultural integration and cross-cultural understanding.
  • Problem Solving: Mentors serve as a point of contact and support for international students, helping them address any challenges or concerns they may encounter during their transition to VMU. This includes providing advice, assistance, and referrals to relevant campus resources or support services.
  • Peer Support: Mentors offer peer support and friendship to international students, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where students feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
  • Confidentiality: Mentors maintain confidentiality regarding students’ personal information and any discussions or interactions within the Mentor’s Programme. They respect the privacy and confidentiality of their mentees and uphold ethical standards of professionalism.

What VMU mentor doesn’t have to do?

    • Be available 24/7;
    • Do student’s homework for them;
    • Pick up incoming students in the middle of the night at airport or other place;
    • Know all the answers to all possible questions.

How does it work?

  • Incoming students, during their acceptance to VMU, receive information about mentor’s programme and where to register for it.
  • Both international and VMU students register on a Buddy system online where they provide basic information about themselves.
  • The mentee-mentor matching begins around two weeks before the beginning of new semester.
  • When international students are being matched with local student, they receive an email with a notification from the Buddy system.
  • If students miss the deadline for requesting a mentor, they might be able to ask for one later .
  • Mentor-mentee matches are being made continuously throughout the semester.

Please note that we can’t guarantee that everyone will get a mentor because there are more incoming students than mentors.

Frequently Asked QuestionsThe Buddy System portal

If you have the confirmation email, you are already on our system and we are looking for most suitable mentor for you. Please be patient, because it takes time to make the best match.

Check your spam folder and if there is no confirmation email there, please contact VMU mentor’s programme coordinator via email: Monika.Lisauskaite@vdu.lt

Yes. If you have missed the first deadline or, if you are arriving late, you can still ask for a mentor and, if there will be a person available, we will provide you with one.

Students are being matched with mentors before the beginning of new semester when the application period for exchange is completed. Due to late applications of incoming students it is not possible to make the matching process earlier and it wouldn’t be fair for students who were not able to apply as early as others.

Sadly no. We do not have an equal number of mentors as of incoming students and due to this not all incoming students are getting a mentor.

Yes, you can join mentor’s programme! Please contact the coordinator of this programme and express your wish to join!


The BuddySystem (BS) is an online platform creating a patronage system handled by associations welcoming international students, with the help of universities. Patronaging an international student allows them to be received in their welcoming country, provides them with a privileged contact to give support with all administrative processes, discovering the city, the university, or help with anything else.

Students, being either international or local, register on their city platform by filling a form, and give some information to allow for a more pertinent matching: age, gender, spoken languages, living/working place, hobbies, etc… They read (and accept) the terms and conditions, validate their inscription!

  • Visit the Buddy System website: https://buddysystem.eu/en/;
  • Choose "sign up" on the right corner of the page;
  • Fill-in your information. Make sure to choose that you are a international student;
  • Because you are joining Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), please choose this information: Your (exchange) country for the next semester - Lithuania | Your (exchange) city for the next semester - Kaunas or Vilnius |Your (exchange) institute for the next semester - Select a faculty in which you will study at VMU |Semester - if you are joining VMU only for one semester, please select only one of given semesters;
  • Agree with the conditions and sign up!
  • Don't forget to finish activating your account by checking your email.

After creating and activating your BS account now you need to complete creating your profile. A fully updated profile helps to create the best mentor-mentee match. Let's learn everything about creating the perfect profile.

  • After you login into the system, select "My profile" button;

Whole information in your profile is important, so please try to give as much information about yourself as possible.

  • Please indicate your birth date correctly. Don't lie about your age because our mentors might not trust you afterwards;
  • Write all the languages that you can speak, it will help to find you a mentor that also has knowledge in these languages;
  • Date of arrival has to be as accurate as possible in order to match you with a mentor who could really come to meet you once you arrive.
    Note: If you are not yet sure about your arrival date, write a possible arrival date - you will be able to change it and if you will have a mentor match already, you will be able to inform your mentor about the change, so don't worry :);
  • Indicating your preferences is also important. We want you to feel as much at home as possible while studying at VMU, so we do think that having a mentor with similar interests is a good way to make it possible.
  • Turn on the notifications. As soon as you will be matched or will receive a message from a mentor - you will get an email if you choose to turn the notifications on. So this option is highly advised if you want to get in touch with your mentor on time.

Please be patient while waiting for your mentor. It takes time to match all the incoming students.
Note: The main mentee-mentor matching begins around two weeks before the beginning of new semester.