Study in Poland
You undoubtedly want to travel to Poland if you've heard of the stunning Tatra Mountains or the Masurian Lake District. If you're considering travelling to Poland for academic reasons, you should be aware that several of its universities are among the oldest in the world.
In Poland, there are about 400 colleges and institutions that host about 1.5 million students each year. Poland is regarded as an affordable European nation with a rich history and a large number of top-notch university degrees available in English.
Read on to learn everything there is to know about living expenses and tuition for foreign students in Poland.
Tuition fees in Poland
At public universities, both Polish and EU/EEA & Switzerland students do not pay tuition fees for degrees taught in the Polish language. All the other study programmes demand tuition from students. In general, costs vary between:
- 500 – 6,000 EUR/academic year for Bachelor’s degrees
- 1,000 – 8,000 EUR/academic year for Master’s degrees
Some degrees in Dentistry and Business (especially MBAs) can cost over 15,000 EUR/year. You’ll also pay more if you enrol at private universities.
Although they are few, you can find free programmes in Poland. They are more common at Master’s level and while some of them are free for all international students, other are only free for EU/EEA citizens. As always, our advice is to check if tuition fees apply to students from your country to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Universities in Poland with affordable tuition fees
- Poznan University of Life Sciences
- University of Agriculture in Krakow
- University of Opole
Universities we recommend in Poland
- University of Wroclaw
- Warsaw University of Technology
- Wroclaw Medical University
- Medical University of Lodz
- Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan
Student living costs in Poland
Poland is an affordable European country with a pretty stable economy. Living costs for international students vary between 350 – 550 EUR/month. You can adjust your budget depending on the city or area you wish to study in. Larger cities such as Krakow or Warsaw require between 500 – 850 EUR/month.
Accommodation costs in Poland
Housing is important because it represents around 35% of your total monthly costs of living. International students can find accommodation in university residence halls or private rental apartments, which can also be shared.
- Student residence halls: 60 – 150 EUR/month. Great for networking with other students, but the conditions can vary from one residence hall to another.
- Rent in a shared flat: 80 – 150 EUR/month. Most popular option among Polish students.
Prices are higher if you want to rent an apartment by yourself, especially in a big city. A one-bedroom apartment in Krakow costs around 300 – 465 EUR/month, while Warsaw has prices of 350 – 650 EUR/month.
Other costs associated with accommodation
When you live in Poland, besides rent you will also have some additional expenses which come from the utilities. The basic ones are electricity, heating, water, and garbage and they have total prices of around 155 EUR/month for an 85 square meters apartment.
An additional expense could also be considered the two months deposit that many of the landlords ask when you move into your rental apartment.
Food costs
Food for an international student usually costs 100 – 150 EUR/month. You can save some money if you choose to buy groceries and shop from cheaper supermarkets. Some of the most common ones are Tesco, Auchan, Carrefour, Leclerc, and Lidl.
You can enjoy dinner in an affordable restaurant for only 5 EUR or pay 23 EUR for a three-course meal in an average restaurant for two. A light drink will cost you only 2 EUR.
Transportation costs
Public transport is the main option for students, who pay 50 EUR for a semester pass, which is available for 6 months. Many Polish cities have nice panoramic views and routes, so you can also walk by foot.
If you enjoy transportation by car, like 18% of the students in Poland, you will pay around 1 EUR/litre of gasoline.
Extra study materials
During your study programme, you will need to purchase books, research magazines, and other study materials. These are, in most cases, necessary and they can be purchased even from some universities. However, you are advised to buy them from book stores with old or used products, in order to save some money.
Fast Facts
- Located in central Europe
- Area: 312,685 sq km
- Population: around 38.4 million
- Capital: Warsaw (also the largest city)
- Borders with Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine and the Baltic sea
- Students will need a minimum of 30,000 PLN (~US$7,820) per year to cover their living costs in Poland.
- International tuition fees can reach up to ~US$4,180 per year at public universities.
- Poland has a TV channel dedicated to the Pope.
- National currency: zloty (PLN)
- More winners of the “World’s Strongest Man” competition than any other location
- 17 Nobel Prize winners
- 9,300 lakes, 23 National Parks and one desert
- 90 percent of Poles have completed at least secondary education, the highest score in the EU, along with Czechs, Slovaks and Slovenes.
- Polish-born astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was the first person to suggest that the Earth was in fact not the center of the universe.
- 70 percent of the Nazi extermination camps during WWII were located in Poland, including the three most infamous, Auschwitz, Treblinka and Belzec.
