The academic year consists of two-semester, fall, and spring. The fall semester is from October to mid-February, and the spring semester from mid-February to June. All universities give students a two-week break around the end of January. During vacation, no classes are conducted. Private language schools operate differently with studies continuing all year, except for national holidays.

Academic institutions in Poland can be either academic or vocational. Academic institutions offer one or more scientific/artistic courses of study, as well as the bestowal of scientific category A+, A, or B+. These institutions administer primarily bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and sometimes doctoral degrees. Vocational institutions operate differently, offering more practical or hands-on education. These institutions also administer primarily bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and sometimes long-cycle studies.

All international students have to first meet the requirements to enroll in higher education in their own countries with at least an intermediate proficiency level of English. The enrolment requirements for each university vary, and you can look up each university’s requirements on their website. To qualify for entrance into an institute of higher education, a student must have completed secondary school.  Students receive a secondary school-leaving certificate after passing their matriculation examination. This document allows them to apply to a higher education institution. Beyond that, you will usually need to complete an application, and include transcripts from any secondary school or another university you have attended. Some universities may request a personal statement from you or a letter of recommendation from a former professor. Depending on the university, you may also need to submit evidence of your English level (such as TOEFL results). While some universities accept everyone, others are more selective based on your exam scores or secondary school grades. Specialized schools, such as art academies, may also expect a demonstration that you have a certain level of talent or proficiency in a specific area.

You do not need to speak fluent Polish in order to enroll in a Polish university because all universities offer programs of study in English. This means that you will need to demonstrate at least an intermediate proficiency level in English. However, knowing Polish will help you in your everyday life outside of school. You can find information on getting a Polish language certificate from the State Commission for Certification and Command of Polish as a Fo­re­ign Lan­gu­age (https://nawa.gov.pl/).

The Polish State Accreditation Committee oversees the standards of Polish education in its universities and institutes. They work with accreditation committees in other countries to ensure similar levels of standards. For more information you can visit their website at www.pka.edu.pl

In 2004, several countries signed a universal agreement, the Lisbon Convention on Recognition of Degrees, recognizing the validity of diplomas received in Poland. For a list of these countries, please visit the website for the Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange at https://nawa.gov.pl/.

Studies are carried out in the form of lectures, seminars, classes, and labs. Lectures are given by a professor and can be attended by hundreds of students at a time. Seminars are much smaller and students should be prepared to actively participate in the discussion. Classes usually consist of 25-30 students and blend both lecture and discussion, giving the students an opportunity to ask questions. Labs are usually done in tandem with a science class in order to give students the opportunity for scientific experimentation.

To finish the semester, a student needs passing grades for all examinations. The Polish grading scale goes as such:

2.0 – unclassified, D (you fail)
3.0 – pass mark, C
3.5 – C+
4.0 – B
4.5 – B+
5.0 – A

The semester concludes with final examinations. Students must earn a passing grade for all their exams in order to finish the semester. The Polish grading scale is most often broken down as such: very good (5), good plus (4,5), good (4), satisfactory plus (3,5), satisfactory (3), failing (2). In some cases, partial credit can be given to a student in a certain subject, regardless of his or her grade, under the European Credit Transfer System.

The European Area of Higher Education allows for the recognition of earned credits, degrees, and qualifications across European countries that have signed the Bologna Declaration. As a signer of the declaration, Poland takes part in this international exchange, which includes activity between certain schools and programs such as SOCRATES/Erasmus. The goal of these programs is to develop and maintain good relationships between institutions of higher education in other countries.

To graduate and receive their diploma, students must:

• Pass examinations for all subjects taken.
• Pass the diploma examination.
• Present a diploma project, and receive a passing grade.

Once finished, students receive the diploma corresponding with their field of study, including a supplemental document that provides comprehensive details of the work completed by the student.