Poland is a large country located in Central Europe. With a pleasant temperate climate and areas of natural beauty ranging from sea beaches to mountainous areas and forested plains, Poland offers several inexpensive getaway options for tourists and students alike. Over a million students are enrolled in more than 400 institutions of higher education in Poland, making it one of the largest centres in Europe for tertiary education and research. Poland is a parliamentary democracy with a high-income economy. It is a member of the WTO, NATO, and the European Union.
Almost 40 million people live in Poland. The largest city and capital of the country is Warsaw. The country is divided into 16 provinces (these are called voivodeships). The large number of courses offered at most Universities guarantees that there will always be several core programs that have English as the medium of instruction; this is a boon for international students. The high quality of education and relatively low cost of living (as compared to Western Europe) further cement Poland’s place as one of the most popular higher education destinations in Europe.
The Perks of Studying in Poland
Poland is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
The country is ranked #27 in the world in the US News “Best Countries for Education” report.
The country is ranked #25 in the world in the “Safest Countries in the World” ranking by the World Population Review.
The country is ranked #41 in the world by GDP per capita (PPP).
The country is ranked #40 in the world according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report.
Higher Education Framework in Poland
Poland has both public and private Institutions of Higher Education. These are, again, of two types each: Academic and Vocational Universities. Academic Universities teach Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral courses, and carry out research activities. Vocational Institutions provide professional training and award Professional Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
Within these four broad categories, there are many types of Higher Education Institutions in Poland:
Universities.
Universities of Technology.
Medical Universities.
Institutes of Economics.
Universities of Arts.
Universities of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Maritime Universities.
Government Administrative Service Institutes.
Schools of Professional Education.
Military Training Colleges.
Universities of Physical Education.
Certificate Programs
Short-term certificate and diploma programs are offered by many Higher Education Institutions in Poland. Most of the beneficiaries are online students or short-term tourists; these programs may last between 2 and 6 months. The most commonly encountered types are language courses; however, many Universities in Poland have started offering short-term certificate programs in areas of their expertise, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This is an excellent way to get a taste for the University’s teaching methods, while still gaining a professional qualification that can help a student in his or her career.
Undergraduate Programs
Bachelor’s Programs in Poland are designed to give students who have recently completed their high school education a thorough look at one or more broad fields of study. For example, a Bachelor of Science degree equips its students with a complete understanding of the key principles of 3 or 4 areas of Science, along with the key laboratory techniques that will enable graduates to succeed in an industrial setting. The final two years of the Bachelor's degree are spent in specialised study, and some Universities may mandate Thesis preparation as a precursor to the structured research work that comes with a Master’s degree. Most undergraduate programs in Poland last either three or four years.
Postgraduate Programs
Master's Degree Programs in Poland are designed to provide students with specialised job training and research skills. Popular disciplines for postgraduate programs include fields of engineering and advanced science, law and finance, and business administration. Master's degrees in Poland usually take two years to complete, and applicants must have a recognised Bachelor's degree or a professional diploma in a related field of study to be eligible for selection. In certain cases, extensive professional experience may also be treated as a sufficient qualification.
Doctoral Programs
For the past century, Poland has been a powerful centre of research in the world, having been the first home of Madame Curie. Today, the biggest Polish Universities drive high-impact research in Science, Technology, Liberal Arts, and Medicine. Doctoral Students are at the heart of this research; they complete a course of original research work leading to a PhD Thesis defense in 3 to 5 years, depending on the plan laid out by the thesis supervisor. Polish Universities have an active research culture, and PhD students can expect to take part in seminars, industrial visits, conference paper presentations, teacher training, and course assistant duties.
Popular Disciplines Available in Poland
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Poland are-
Biotechnology
Nursing
Human Resource Management
European Studies
Physiotherapy
Archaeology
Architecture
Chemical Engineering
Production Engineering
Data Science
Psychology
Business Management
International Accounting
Advertising
Fishing and Pisciculture
Agricultural Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
International Logistics
Popular Cities with Most number of Universities in Poland
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in Poland. These include every type of Higher Education Institution, including Colleges and Technical Training Institutes.
The Name of the City
No. of Universities
Warsaw
73
Krakow
21
Poznan
24
Wroclaw
23
Gdansk
13
Lublin
11
Lodz
19
Białystok
10
Katowice
15
Opole
4
Average Monthly Expenses in Poland for International Students
On average, the tuition fees for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses for international students in Poland are far lower than at most Universities in Western Europe. For example, many Bachelor’s programs in Europe are associated with annual tuition fees of 2,000 Euros. Even the most expensive Master’s courses - in Medicine and Business Administration - rarely exceed 10,000 Euros per year in tuition fees, an amount that is almost 50% lower than in other highly ranked Universities. Scholarships can further reduce the tuition fees payable, and international students in Poland are encouraged to start the process of applying for scholarships before the application process to the University itself, given that the deadlines for financial awards are often several months before University application deadlines.
Living costs in Poland for international students vary widely according to the city in which the University is situated, but even students in Warsaw spend much less per month than students in Berlin or Paris, for example. On average, budget accommodation can be obtained for 250 Euros per month, with expensive private apartments rarely exceeding 600 Euros per month. The sum of other living costs, including food, travel, study materials, and personal items, comes to approximately 400 Euros per month. Therefore, total annual living costs in Poland usually do not exceed 10,000 Euros.
Students' Visa Requirements
Students who are from the European Union do not require a student visa for Poland. International students who are from outside the EU must successfully apply for a long-term student visa before they can enrol in a full-time course at a Polish University.
In the normal course of events, the applicant can expect a decision on the Polish student visa application within 15 days. However, the process may be delayed if there is a very high volume of applications; it is recommended that candidates seek an appointment 90 days in advance of their expected travel date to Poland to join their University.
Here is the list of documents students need to have to apply for a student visa in Poland.
Visa Application Form (Schengen visa application)
Valid Passport.
Passport Photos.
Letter of Acceptance from a Polish Educational Institution
Proof of Sufficient Funds
Health Insurance.
Visa Fee Payment
Academic Transcripts and certificates
Statement of Purpose (motivation letter)
Proof of Accommodation in Poland
Flight Itinerary.
Proof of Language Proficiency (if applicable).
Birth Certificate.
Police Clearance Certificate (if required).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the student visa application fees?
The cost of application for a long term Polish student visa is 70 Euros. In addition, after reaching Poland, students must obtain a Residence Permit; this costs an additional 85 Euros approximately. These amounts do not include the costs of notarisation of documents and the cost of translation into Polish or English, if the original language was other than one of these.
What are the requirements related to photographs submitted during the visa application process?
Applicants must submit two photographs with the other documents during the process of application for a long term Polish student visa. The dimensions are 3.5 cm (width) by 4.5 cm (height). Both must be recent; having been taken within six months of submission to the Embassy. The applicant’s head must be in the centre of the picture, and be looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. 75% of the area of the photograph should be covered by the head. The background colour must be white or grey, and be one solid block.
How to deal with a rejected student visa?
A Polish long term student visa application may be rejected because of an error made while filling the form, missing documents, fake travel details, or serious issues like an undisclosed criminal record. If the reason given for rejection is one that can be rectified easily in a second application, the candidate should pay the application fee again and carefully re-apply, taking care to make no error. In case of any doubt, the help desk at the Polish Consulate will be of assistance. In exceptional cases, if the applicant is not satisfied with the reason given for rejection, he or she may appeal the decision. The written appeal must be submitted to the Consulate within 14 days of receipt of the rejection decision. The candidate must appear at the Consulate with his or her passport, the Letter of Appeal, the rejection letter, and pay the full visa fee again before submitting the appeal.
Is it possible to do Part-Time work while studying in Poland?
International students in Poland can work part time (20 hours per week) during the course of their semester studies. During the three months of vacation, overseas students can take up full time work. A Residence Permit is required while signing up for part time employment as an international student in Poland. The period of part time work is limited to the duration of validity of the Polish Student Visa.
