Admission of foreigners

Admission of foreigners to study programmes in Poland – general information. Recruitment of foreigners for study programmes at the University of Silesia

 

Persons who are not Polish citizens, hereinafter referred to as ‘foreigners’, may be admitted to undergraduate, graduate, doctoral or postgraduate programmes if:

  • they hold a valid visa or residence card, or another document entitling them to stay in the Republic of Poland,
  • they are in good health, as documented by a doctor’s certificate stating that there are no restrictions to taking up education in the chosen field and form of study,
  • they hold a sickness and accident insurance policy which remains valid throughout their stay in Poland or the European Health Insurance Card or they take insurance in the National Health Fund immediately after commencing education in Poland.

Foreigners may be admitted to programmes taught in Polish if:

  • they have completed a year-long preparation course for studying in Polish organised by a centre appointed by the Minister of Higher Education, or:
  • they possess a certificate of competence in Polish, issued by the National Committee For Certification of Polish Language as a Foreign Language, or:
  • they have obtained a confirmation from the accepting university stating that their preparation and command of Polish are sufficient for taking up programmes taught in Polish.

Education according to terms and conditions applicable to Polish citizens is allowed for:

  • foreigners who have been granted the permission to reside in Poland;
  • holders of a valid Polish Card (Karta Polaka);
  • foreigners granted the refugee status in the Republic of Poland;
  • foreigners who are subject to temporary protection in the Republic of Poland;
  • migrant workers who are citizens of the European Union, the Swiss Confederation or a member state of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – party to the agreement on the European Economic Area together with members of their families if they are residing in Poland;
  • foreigners who have been granted residence permit for long-term EC residents;
  • foreigners who have been granted  in the Republic of Poland residence permit for a specified period of time (granted due to circumstances referred to in Article 53 (1) point 7, 13 and 14 of the Act on Aliens dated 13 June 2003);
  • foreigners who have been granted additional protection in the Republic of Poland;
  • citizens of EU or EFTA member states - parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area together with members of their families holding the right of permanent stay. 

Citizens of the European Union, the Swiss Confederation or member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area together with members of their families, or holders of a valid Polish Card (Karta Polaka), having the financial means sufficient to cover the costs of living during the course of study in Poland may take up or continue studies, doctoral studies or other forms of education, as well as participate in scientific research and R&D projects according to terms and conditions applicable to Polish citizens. However, these persons are not eligible for social grants, special grants for disabled people, accommodation grants, food allowances and other allowances or will be eligible for the aforesaid grants on terms and conditions applicable to foreigners who are not citizens of the above-mentioned organizations.

Foreigners participating in the recruitment process on terms and conditions applicable to Polish citizens must meet the admission criteria for candidates with the new secondary school leaving certificate (new ‘matura’) which are planned for a given programme. In case of programmes/specialties where the admission criteria stipulate that results obtained in Polish are taken into account, foreigners commencing education on terms and conditions applicable to Polish citizens will be evaluated for results obtained in the mother tongue of the country in which they passed their secondary school leaving exams. Candidates should apply for the enrollment process by registering in the Internet Registration of Candidates (IRK) system and by submitting all required documents by the deadlines set in the enrollment schedule.

Foreigners may take up and continue education on terms and conditions other than those applicable to Polish citizens pursuant to:

  1. international agreements, on terms and conditions specified therein;
  2. agreements concluded with foreign institutions by universities, on terms and conditions specified therein;
  3. decision of the minister of higher education or another minister specified in art 33 (2);
  4. decision of the Rector of the university:
    • as holders of scholarships granted by the receiving institution (Poland);
    • paying tuition fees;
    • exempted from tuition fees but not eligible for scholarships;
    • as holders of scholarships granted by the sending institution with no tuition fees incurred;
    • as university scholarship holders.