General requirements for admission to degree programs offered by higher education institutions in Poland are the same for both university-type and non-university HEIs. The candidate must hold a matriculation certificate (the Matura certificate) or another equivalent document attesting that the holder is eligible for admission to higher education in the country in which he or she completed secondary school.

Access to first-cycle studies, leading to the professional title of licencjat or inżynier (Engineer), as well as long-cycle studies, leading to a Master’s degree (magister or an equivalent degree), is open to holders of an upper secondary school certificate (Matura certificate) or an equivalent entitling the holder to enrol in such programs in Poland. Additional entrance examinations may be conducted by HEIs only if this is necessary to assess knowledge or skills that are not assessed by the Matura examination or the applicant holds an upper secondary school certificate obtained abroad.

Access to the second-cycle studies is open to holders of a licencjat or inżynier (Engineer) degree, a Master’s degree (magister or an equivalent degree) or the equivalent of the Polish higher education diploma entitling the holder to enrol in such programs in Poland.

Access to the doctoral programmes is open to applicants who hold a Master’s degree (magister or an equivalent degree) or the equivalent of the Polish higher education diploma entitling the holder to enrol in such programs in Poland, and who meet the admission conditions laid down by the specific institution. The detailed admission conditions are laid down by the board of the entity authorised to offer doctoral programs within an institution. While respecting such general admission requirements, each HEI may define its own additional admission conditions and procedures, including the number of places available to students, except in the medical fields of study (numerus clausus). The admission conditions and procedures may be similar across an HEI or may vary according to the field of study. Different conditions and procedures may be applied by different HEIs for the same fields of study. The admission conditions and procedures must be published by each HEI not later than by 31 May of the year preceding the academic year to which they refer. As of 1 May 2004, foreigners are free to take up and continue studies and participate in scientific research and training projects and schemes on the same terms as Polish citizens if they:

• hold a residence permit,
• have refugee status granted by the Republic of Poland,
• enjoy temporary protection in the territory of the Republic of Poland,
• are migrating employees – citizens of an EU Member State or of an EFTA State being member of the European Economic Area Treaty, formerly or currently employed in Poland; this right extends also to members of their families if residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland,
• citizens of the EU Member States or the EFTA States that are members of the European Economic Area Treaty, as well as members of their families, who have means sufficient to cover their living costs during the period of study; however, they are not eligible for low-income scholarships.

Foreign certificates of education may be recognised in Poland on the basis of international agreements or, in the absence of such agreements, according to the regulations on nostrification.

International agreements, to which the Republic of Poland is a party, regulating the legalisation of foreign diplomas can be found on the website of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (see http://www.mnisw.gov.pl).