The paper explores the motivation of the VPU (Vilnius Pedagogical University) students studying at their own expense. The subject is relevant, because the overall causes determining a person’s decision to acquire a higher education are chiefly analyzed in the area of learning motivation researches, however, there is a lack of more detailed investigations of the motivation of the students studying at their own expense. In the provided overview of literature sources, various learning motivation theories are examined. Based on these, a survey questionnaire has been worked out and a survey has been carried out in order to find out what kind of motivation groups (social, cognitive, practical, professional, educational, self-educational or other motives) pointed out in the works concerning the motivation topic are most important in choosing the studies at one’s own expense. The dynamics of the number of students studying at their own expense at Lithuanian higher education institutions is analyzed in order to evaluate actuality of the subject. On the basis of statistical data it is shown that the number of the students paying for their education and their per cent ratio in the overall number of students is growing, which confirms the demand and need of this study form. The results of the VPU students’ survey are provided which were obtained after analysis of the answers of the students of II and IV courses of Bachelor studies studying at their own expense and occupying the places... [to full text]