Poland, a beautiful country located in Central Europe, offers a vast array of life-changing opportunities. It is known for majestic landscapes with stunning castles that can give anybody an old-world feel. Its museums and historical sites are also popular tourist destinations. Besides its National Museum, the Schindler’s Factory, popularized by Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film, takes tourists within Oskar Schindler’s enamel factory, where he saved thousands of Jews.

Staying longer than your typical vacation time in Poland provides even greater lifestyle options for people from different parts of the world. Its vibrant outdoor life offers excellent choices, from hiking in the mountains to exploring national parks and farmer’s fields. The cities don’t seem to sleep as the Poles enjoy parties and have a lively nightlife. Wroclaw is known for its Friday night parties where university students chill and unwind. Small and more intimate bars invite less extroverted guests in Kazimierz, contrasting the lively pubs and clubs for students and workers in Poznan.

Besides taking vacations, the country also makes an excellent destination for higher education. International students are drawn to Poland due to its high-quality education. Also, the cost of living in Poland is relatively cheaper compared to other countries in Europe. It means that students can get more affordable housing and not even need to take part-time jobs to support themselves and provide for their needs. With fully-funded scholarships available in Polish universities, students can go as far as pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. degree for free. Before booking your plane ticket, here are some things prospective students must know in studying in Poland for free.

How to Study in Poland for Free

1. Study hard and prepare your application early to have a good application

The first thing to consider when trying to study in Poland for free is that hundreds, if not thousands, are competing for a very limited spot. As soon as you decide on a school to pursue higher education, direct all your energy, motivation, and focus on maintaining your GPA and keeping an excellent school performance.

Starting early on your application by studying hard and building a strong academic profile can create winning habits later in your academic life. It also secures your chances of having a hard-to-turn-down application and claiming that limited scholarship slot.

Your application will leave the first impression and make or break your chances of getting accepted into your dream university. As this is the case, you must also keep in mind that your application should stand out among other applicants.

Ensure that you have an exceptional GPA, highlight your test scores and school achievements, and secure good recommendation letters from notable academics in your previous schools and organizations. Also, Poland requires proof of your English language proficiency, so make sure to achieve outstanding scores in IELTS Academic, TOEFL, or PTE Academic.

Besides your academic profile, it is also essential to prepare forms and documentation that reflect you as a law-abiding citizen to be able to study in Poland for free. After completing all the requirements for your application, aim to submit these early to your preferred school. Late submissions can be judged as being irresponsible and can severely impact your admission.

2. Apply for scholarships

While getting into the right school is already an achievement, qualifying for a scholarship in a top-performing school is a better feat. Most universities already provide scholarships and subsidies to exceptional students so that international students can study in Poland for free.

Also, private and government sectors offer scholarships to international students in the country. Make sure to check out credible resources that provide information on scholarships and grants in Poland.

And while the classic adage “Don’t put your eggs in one basket” may often apply to financial decisions, you can still consider this thought by sending as many scholarship applications to different universities as you can.

3. Apply to affordable universities in Poland

It is a known fact that pursuing higher education can bring severe strain to finances. Beyond the mountain of schoolwork and the inevitable struggle in trying to adapt to a new place with unfamiliar people is the worry of managing your finances and graduating debt-free.

Fortunately, in Poland, international students are at a tremendous advantage due to the lower cost of living compared to other countries in the European Union. Besides the quality of education and the cost of living, students find themselves looking for schools in the country with affordable tuition fees.

In Poland, the tuition costs are comparatively reasonable as it can range from US$2,000 to US$6,600, with public universities offering education for a lesser price. Check some of the cheapest universities in Poland for international students. Of course, getting a scholarship and financial support from the government and private sectors can bring the price lower to somewhere a broke college student can afford. The most fantastic news is that international students can even study tuition-free in Poland.

Check Also: Available Programs in Europe for International Students

Study Undergraduate in Poland for Free

Students looking to pursue undergraduate studies in Poland can take advantage of its affordable education through scholarships and subsidies. The University of Warsaw is among the schools known to offer scholarships to international students. While the university provides its fully-funded scholarship, international students can also access through their website the list of other private and government scholarship providers such as the Visegrad Scholarship program. With these programs, international students can study at one of the world’s top 3% best universities, providing world-class education for free, which enables undergraduate students to study in Poland for free.

Aside from the University of Warsaw, the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities offers free tuition to international undergraduate studies candidates. Its website also lists the Nawa Scholarship, which provides living costs to qualified international students as well as other scholarship programs for the succeeding academic years.

Finally, Lazarski University grants scholarships to talented and socially active local and international students. Upon qualification in any of these programs, international undergraduate students can study in Poland for free.

Study Master’s in Poland for Free

You can also complete a Master’s degree for free in Poland. International students can take advantage of scholarships from its top universities and schools. The AGH University of Science and Technology website lists several scholarship programs for international students. These include the Ignacy Lukasiewicz Scholarship Program for students from selected developing countries to study a master’s program tuition-free. Through this program, the university provides life-changing opportunities for students to develop research skills and contribute to their country’s professional workforce.

Another university, the Adam Mickiewicz University, also offers a need-based scholarship and financial aid and a one-time grant to international students. Its website also lists the rector’s and minister’s scholarships, which apply in the student’s succeeding years in the university.

Also, the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences offers tuition-free Master’s education through its number of scholarship programs. Among the listed on its website are the Stefan Banach Scholarship and the University Scholarship in collaboration with Study in Wroclaw project.

Lastly, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University offers full scholarships on selected Master’s programs in English. With these scholarships, international students can study Master’s in Poland completely free.

Study Ph.D. in Poland for Free

Considering that a doctorate is typically not included in many students’ academic and professional goals, studying Ph.D. in Poland can be very reasonable for international students aiming to delve into the world of research. Top-tier universities in the country offer scholarships and grants for aspiring Ph.D. students, providing opportunities for less-privileged candidates to pursue higher learning and become significant contributors in the research field.

One of the schools that offer scholarships is the Warsaw University of Technology, Poland’s top technical university, which provides scholarships to incoming doctoral students.

In addition, the University of Opole also offers postgraduate scholarships to its top Ph.D. students. They must have excellent scientific achievements such as speeches at conferences, participation in projects and research grants, and scientific journal publications.

Lastly, the Medical University of Bialystok provides financial assistance through its scholarship programs such as social scholarships. These universities are a testament that a Ph.D. graduate education can be achieved at a minimal cost.

 

We hope that this article on how to study in Poland for free was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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2 Comments

  1. Makuei Majok Riop - Reply

    I’m interested to study for my Master’s degree in business administration or real estate management

    • Hyun Lee - Reply

      Hello, check out the admission procedures of the Polish universities that you are interested in! Many do provide MBA, and some provide real estate management.

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