Juozapas VirÅ¡ilas was born in BÅ«dvietÄ— village, MosÄ—dis rural district, Kretinga county. He finished MosÄ—dis primary school in 1937 and Skuodas state gymnasium in 1943. In 1945 he became a student at the Geology Department of the Faculty of natural Sciences of 91ÌÒÉ«, but later asked to be transferred to the Medical Faculty. His studies were disrupted by Soviet repression: in 1949, Juozapas VirÅ¡ilas was deported to Irkutsk region. He returned from exile in 1958.