Problem Statement. In different cultural context integration into academic and social life of a university, language and other differences impose serious problems on each foreign student. The problem of the research is formulated as questions: what are the major difficulties faced by foreign students at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in their academic and cultural adaptation; what possible reasons for the cultural and academic difficulties may be identified; and how do they cope with the difficulties. 34 first and second year Master’s degree students (Chinese), who had chosen stu­dies at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences (Music Education), participated in the research.

The Purpose of study is to reveal the peculiarities of foreign student’s – future music educator’s academic and cultural adaptation at the university by reflecting personal intercultural experiences.

The Methods of the research are as follows:

-          analysis of scientific literature;

-          semi-structured written reflections (reflective diary);

-          qualitative content analysis.

Findings and Results.  The study found that, in adapting to the new academic and cultural environment, the Chinese students at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences encountered various difficulties. These academic challenges could mainly be attributed to the students’ language competencies and their previous educational experiences, as well as gaps between the students’ academic expectations and that of university teachers.

Conclusions: Studies abroad are considered to be a priority factor in music educator’s academic and cultural adaptation at the university, which encourages learning of other cultures, confirms importance of foreign language skills and opens a path towards personal and professional improvement.