Studies in Poland for foreigners (part 2)

Studies in Poland for foreigners (part 2)

Polish universities are becoming popular among foreigners. More and more foreigners are seen in university corridors, especially those who come from Ukraine. What should a  foreigner do to start learning at a Polish university – what are the necessary formalities, accepted conditions, and then what are the costs of such learning every day?

Choosing a university in Poland

The first decision taken by a foreigner who decides to continue his education in Poland is the choice of the university. There are many public and private universities to choose from. The former are free for Polish citizens. Leon Koźmiński Academy (ALK), Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (UMCS), or Poznan University of Technology are just some of the options that await foreigners. To search universities, every foreigner can use a search engine like Study Finder and Study in Poland.

Of the listed universities, only the Koźmiński Academy is a non-public school, that is, it requires study fees. In the case of foreigners, this may not be relevant, because public universities often also require tuition fees from people who do not have Polish citizenship.

At Leon Koźmiński Academy, documents can be submitted for courses in Polish and in English. The university site is available in both languages, which certainly makes it easier for people who do not know Polish to use it. The university itself writes about itself that it cooperates internationally with over 200 universities around the world, and some of the proposed majors also allow you to obtain a partner university diploma. According to the provided data, currently 1,500 foreigners from 70 countries are studying at ALK. ALK has also obtained a set of international accreditations: AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA and CEEMAN.

Poznan University of Technology also offers studies in both Polish and English. On its website, information can be obtained in Polish, English and Russian.

UMCS, in addition to first and second cycle studies, also offers postgraduate studies, but one should remember about documented knowledge of the Polish language if we plan to become a listener. Foreigners can be admitted there to study in Polish if they prove to be fluent in Polish, that is, they will complete one year preparatory course or have a certificate of Polish language knowledge issued by the State Commission for the Certification of the Knowledge of Polish as a Foreign Language,

Admission to study in Poland

To obtain the status of a student in Poland, you must present a matura certificate with the results that will ensure us to reach the point threshold of a given university in a given field. This also applies to foreigners – a matriculation certificate or a legalized or apostille document is required from them, which indicates the completion of education at the level of our high school. When recruiting for the second-cycle studies, a bachelor’s degree diploma or its legalized equivalent in Poland is required. Many universities – for example the Poznan University of Technology – require current health insurance. It is worth noting that Poznan University of Technology also accepts migrant workers who are citizens of a European Union Member State, the Swiss Confederation or a member state of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA).

When the relevant documents are already delivered to the dean’s office, foreigners take part in recruitment together with the rest of the candidates. Some institutions, for example UMSC, stipulate that if an adequate number of foreigners are not gathered, the group will not be able to enter, they will not be able to take up studies. Everyone is accepted for a given direction if they reach the point threshold that the university has set for a given field of study.

Studies at public universities in Poland do not involve any payment, but classes for foreigners very often require such a fee. The costs change depending on which direction the foreigner chooses. Usually at every university there are definitely more expensive (most often law and medicine), even for Polish citizens, but there are also those that have much lower prices. This should be taken into account when planning the costs of your education. However, there are situations when a foreigner does not have to pay for studying at public universities. They do not bear the costs of education mainly citizens of the European Union Member States (this principle does not apply to students from Ukraine), holders of a valid Polish Card, permanent residence permit or temporary residence and persons with refugee status. The fee exempts the possession of a language certificate that certifies knowledge of the Polish language at a level of at least C1. The fees are also not paid by spouses of people with Polish citizenship.

Sample study costs at selected universities in Poland

Leon Koźmiński Academy: This is a non-public university, so by definition it is payable to everyone. The cost of one semester at this university is even more than 10,000 zlotys (about 2325 euros). However, it is usually spread over five installments, so you do not have to cover that amount at once. It is also possible to get a reduction in fees – for example, for graduating with honors at this university.

However, this university does not have its own network of student residences. Instead, it offers students places in Warsaw hotels, such as Ibiz or Hetman. Special prices apply to students from Friday to Sunday. For a single room we will pay about 189 zlotys per night, the double will cost slightly over 200 zlotys per night (44-47 euros).

Maria Skłodowska-Curie University in Lublin (UMCS): The fees for the year of study at this university start at 1,400 euros and end around 2,200 euros depending on the direction. Therefore, it is translated into Polish currency – several thousand zlotys for the year of study at the university in Lublin. Fees for studies in a foreign language are higher – around 2,000 euros for one of the few available courses, and sometimes even 4,000 euros for a year. The University also emphasizes that foreigners entitled to study according to the rules applicable to Polish citizens pay fees for educational services provided at university and doctoral studies on the principles and in the amount of Polish citizens in force.

The UMCS residence costs about PLN 500 a month (around EUR 116). Depending on the student house and room chosen, these prices may vary between 300 and 600 zlotys (70 – 140 euros) for a monthly stay.

Poznan University of Technology: the cost of studying at the Poznan University of Technology also varies within several thousand zlotys a year. Prices for a semester of study are usually around two thousand zlotys depending on the chosen field of study. The most expensive direction is IT – 2450 PLN (about 570 euro) for the semester of study.

Poznan University of Technology offers dormitories, which are located next to the buildings in which the classes take place. The most expensive single room costs 740 zlotys there (about 172 euros) per month, but you can also live in a triple room, for which you pay 390 zlotys (around 105 euros) per month. The average fee so it’s about 450 zlotys per month for a place in a room. It is worth mentioning that at this price all bills for the media and the Internet are already included.