Poland is a fascinating country that serves as the geographical and cultural crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe. Located at the center of the Northern European plain, Poland has been a nation of survivors since the foundation of the first Polish state more than 1000 years ago. Poland is placed in a moderate zone with mixed continental and oceanic climate influences. In Polish cities it’s easy for a student to find a part-time job. The wages increase systematically; so many Polish students choose paid studies and start working.
Tuition Fees:
Full-time studies in the Polish language at the state Higher Education Institutions are free for Polish students and foreigners who commence studies in Poland on terms applicable to polish citizens. These include citizens of the EU/EEA and students who hold the Polish Charter (Karta Polaka).
All other foreigners are required to pay tuition fees that on average are the following:
- EUR 2000 per year for first, second and long cycle studies,
- EUR 3000 per year for doctoral, postgraduate and medical postgraduate internships as well as scientific, arts, specialist and post-doctoral internships,
- EUR 3000 per year for vocational courses and apprenticeships,
- EUR 2000 per year for an annual preparatory Polish language course to commence studies in Polish
Fees at public and non-public HEIs are established by the institution itself. The tuition fees range from EUR 2000 to 6000 per year and depend on the institution and study program. For MBA programs the cost is about EUR 8000-12,000 per year
The structure of studies
Since 2007/2008 academic year Polish higher education system has been divided to three stages, which are: Bachelor (Licencjat, Inżynier), Master (Magister), and Doctor (Doktor). This system applies to all fields of education except Law, Pharmacy, Psychology, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry, which are still based on two-stage system (Master and Doctor).
Scholarships:
Poland offers scholarships to students through the government, various foundations and the universities themselves. They are available to students of Polish origin including disabled applicants as well as to international students both from within the EU itself and from countries outside the EU. The high number of institutions that offer scholarships and their fluid availability makes the situation in the country unique.
Following are the scholarship programs:
- CEEPUS exchange programme
- Eastern Partnership and Post-Soviet countries scholarships
- Scholarships for citizens from developing countries
- Fulbright Programme
- Visegrad Scholarship Programme
How to get a scholarship?
Foreign students who hold a Card of a Pole will qualify for some scholarships. Other foreign students living in Poland on a temporary residence permit or a visa are not eligible unless they or their family members fulfill the required provisions of Polish law. Students have to pursue study at an academic level in Poland. But first of all student must complete a second level education and have a leaving certificate for entrance into a university institution. Equivalent leaving certificate or diploma does not automatically qualify students to apply for a scholarship. Nostrification must be followed to establish authenticity of certificates or diplomas by issuing countries and compliance with Polish law. Students must have a valid visa and a medical check-up before entering Poland.
Accommodation:
Students can live in dormitories or they can hire private apartments. Many of them rent rooms in bigger apartments.
Dormitories
Many Polish universities have their own dormitories, which are usually the cheapest accommodation for students. Standard of the dormitories are various, so it is better to check them before the final decision. It’s appropriate to check costs of a particular student house. The cost of accommodation in a dormitory ranges around EUR 60-80 monthly for a shared room and between EUR 100-150 for a single room.
Private apartments/rooms in apartments
Many foreign students hire apartments/share them with colleagues or rent a room in a bigger apartment. Costs of the room depend on a city. Average monthly rent of the room ranges EUR 150 and 200. Cost of the apartment rent depends on a city, its location and size. Average monthly rent of the small one-room flat is around EUR 300/350 in Warsaw.
Visa Requirements:
You have to apply for Schengen visas to study in Sweden with the following requirements.
- Visa application form
- Passport-size photographs (2 at least)
- Proof of arranged accommodation
- Proof of sufficient financial means (44 EUR/day)
- A valid passport and copy with blank visa pages
- Civil status proof
- Travel health insurance proof of 30,000 EUR
- An enrollment certificates
Submit all the documents including a printed and signed application form and the visa fee. The process usually takes up to 15 days for it to be reviewed.
How much money do I need for living in Poland?
Depending on your personal situation, lifestyle and habits you may have different needs. In practice, you will need at least 1200-2500 PLN per month in order to cover the cost of decent accommodation, pay for the local transport, and even go out occasionally. This amount should cover the costs of rent, food, clothing, personal hygiene, local transport, study materials, telephone and other expenses – not the tuition fee however.
Here is an approximate calculation of your monthly expenses: accommodation in student dormitories costs 400-600 PLN, shared flat from 1000 to 1600 PLN per month; food about 500-700 PLN; books and entertainment about 200-300 PLN; local transport about 65 PLN.
Top Programs in Poland:
- Advanced Mechanical Engineering.
- Computer Science and Information Technology.
- Automation and Control.
- Engineering Management.
- Administration in International Organizations.
- Chemistry.
- Master in Finance and Accounting.
- LLM.
Top Universities in Poland:
- Jagiellonian University
- University of Warsaw
- AGH University of Science and Technology
- Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics
- Warsaw University of Technology
- Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
- University of Wrocław
- National Centre for Nuclear Research
- Medical University of Warsaw
- Wroclaw Medical University
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology
- Medical University of Lodz
- Nicolaus Copernicus University
