POLAND has a lot to offer students coming from other countries as there are more than 440 public and private higher education institutions in the country. Five percent of Poles are university students.

You don't need to speak Polish to study in Poland as most of the universities offer either entire programs or a rich portfolio of courses in English. It is possible now to get education in English in fields ranging from mining and medicine to music and art, at all levels - bachelor, master and PhD.

Poland is an excellent country to come and study - it is stable, safe and located in central Europe. Polish people are known for their hospitality and friendly attitude to foreigners. It is also worth noting that Poland is one of the least expensive countries in the European Union.

Why Poland?

Poland, the largest country among the newest members of the European Union, has one of Europe's youngest population. Out of 38 million Poles 2 million are university students. Poland's education market has been the most dynamically developing in the Europe during the last 10 years. The number of higher education institutions has increased five times while the number of students quadrupled. Each year almost 500 thousand young people begin their education at universities and colleges. Studying in Poland offers a wonderful opportunity to get to know the rich culture of the country, to see splendid historical monuments and to enjoy some of Europe's largest and most unspoiled natural habitats.

Polish academic traditions reach back to the 14th century and one of Europe's oldest universities can be found here. The Jagiellonian University of Cracow was established in 1364.

There are now about 310 privately owned universities and colleges in Poland and 138 state schools of higher learning. Thanks to the high level of competition, the cost of studying is lower than in other European countries.

Students who decide to study in Poland in English can do so at one of the more than 100 institutions. These include universities, higher schools of engineering, agricultural academies, business schools and numerous other higher vocational colleges and teacher training colleges. Strong focus is placed on fundamental and applied research, as well as on creative and artistic work.

Artistic Schools

Poland can be proud of many great artistic schools, such as music conservatories or academies of art. The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw is the oldest and the largest music school in Poland and one of the largest in Europe, the history of the university goes back to year 1810. The second music conservatory worth mentioning is The Academy of Music in Cracow, which was found in 1888. Academy includes such faculty as Faculty of Musical Composition, Interpretation, Analysis and Education, Instrumental Faculty and Faculty of Vocal and Drama. Krzysztof Penderecki, a Polish composer, is one of the most notable alumni of the Academy.

The Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow is the oldest Polish fine-arts academy, it was established in 1818. The Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice was established in 2001 after 54 years of being a branch of Fine Art Academy in Cracow. The academy is famous worldwide for its graphic department.

The Leon Schiller National Higher School of Film, Television and Theatre in Lodz is the most noble academy for future directors, photographers, camera operators, actors and TV staff in Poland. Since its founding in 1948, the Film School in Lodz fulfilled a dream of a place which would serve the purpose of education, as well as the center of film life. Among alumni of the school there are such honorable directors as Krzysztof Kieslowski, nominated for an Academy Award, Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award and Palme d'Or winner and Roman Polanski, Academy Award and Palme d'Or winner. The Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Cracow and the famous Puppet Theater Faculty in Wroclaw also attract candidates from all over Poland.

Technical Universities

AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, The Warsaw University of Technology, The Gdansk University of Technology, to name a few, are some of the leading institutes of technology in Poland. Every year thousands of people not only from Poland, but also from other European countries apply to study at these institutions.

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), the first in modern times to develop a heliocentric theory of the Solar System, and Maria Sklodowska-Curie (1867–1934), who discovered polonium and radium in 1898, are world-famous Polish scientists. Nowadays Polish scientists are responsible for such breakthroughs as: the discovery of the practical implementation of blue laser, development of the technology for manufacturing the smallest synthetic diamonds in the world, construction of an artificial heart and designing nano-crystals for the purpose of 3G mobile telecommunications. Aleksander Wolszczan, Polish astronomer graduate of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, was the first to prove of existence of a planetary system in the Universe outside our Solar System. Today's Polish universities continue the glorious traditions of their predecessors. Warsaw University is ranked first in the Top Coder international IT ranking, outperforming such great institutions as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Medical Schools

Costs of studying medicine in Poland are among the cheapest in the EU, while the level of education is similar to any other European country.

Jagiellonian University Medical College is the oldest medical school in Poland. The Jagiellonian University's Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy are acclaimed as one of the largest medical academies in Poland. The school was established in 1364. It is currently ranked first among Polish medical schools. The Medical University of Gdansk and the largest in Poland, The Medical University of Warsaw, also welcome international students.