General information

A degree awarded by an institution operating in the education system of an EU, OECD or EFTA country, upon completion of:

• 3-year studies or first cycle studies with the nominal duration of min. 3 years - confirms possession of a first cycle degree in Poland;
• second cycle studies or long cycle studies with the nominal duration of min. 4 years - confirms possession of a second cycle degree in Poland.

A foreign degree awarded by an institution operating in another country may be recognised as equivalent to a Polish one either on the basis of an international agreement or (if there are no such agreements) by way of nostrification.

Nostrification is a procedure aimed at recognising a foreign diploma as an equivalent to a Polish diploma. After successful nostrification an appropriate Polish academic degree can be used.

The competent authorities to conduct the nostrification procedure with regard to higher education diplomas (university degrees) are organisational units of higher education institutions authorised to confer the academic degree of a doctor (doctor) in a given field of science or in a given field of art.

For the complete list of international agreements on recognition of foreign qualification please visit:http://www.nauka.gov.pl/en/recognition-of-academic-qualifications/legal-acts.html

Recognition for the purpose of further studies

A foreign degree giving access to further studies or the right to start doctoral proceedings in the country where it was awarded, gives its holder access to second cycle studies, postgraduate studies, third cycle / doctoral studies or the right to start doctoral proceedings in Poland.

A foreign degree may also be recognised for the purpose of further education on the basis of an international agreement.

Information concerning recognition of matriculation certificates can be obtained at local educational authorities having jurisdiction over: the applicant’s place of residence or the head office of the institution where the applicant is applying for admission.

A scientific degree awarded by an authorised institution operating in the education system of one of the EU, EFTA, OECD countries is recognised as equivalent to the appropriate Polish one.

A scientific degree acquired in other country may be recognised as equivalent to a Polish one either on the basis of an international agreement or (if there are no such agreements) by way of nostrification.

A holder of a scientific degree acquired in a country – party to the Lisbon Convention who wishes to start habilitation proceedings in Poland may be exempted from nostrification.

For the complete list of international agreements on the recognition of foreign qualification please visit:http://www.nauka.gov.pl/en/recognition-of-academic-qualifications/legal-acts.html

The competent authorities to conduct the nostrification procedure with regard to scientific degrees are councils of the  organisational unit authorised to confer an academic degree of doktor habilitowany (doctor habilitatus) in a given academic field or in a given field of art within the scope of a given academic discipline or of a given arts discipline concerned with the academic degree.

In countries with which Poland has signed agreements (http://www.nauka.gov.pl/en/recognition-of-academic-qualifications/legal-acts.html), Polish degrees are recognised according to the rules set those countries. In other countries, Polish degrees are recognised in accordance with the regulations on the academic recognition of foreign qualifications in force in a given country.

Information on the recognition of Polish degrees can be obtained in an ENIC/NARIC centre or the ministry of education of a given country: www.enic-naric.net

ENIC– European Network of National Information Centres for Academic Recognition and Mobility established by the Council of Europe and UNESCO for the European Region.

NARIC – National Academic Recognition and Recognition Centres is a network set up by the European Commission in order to establish effective and close cooperation between EU member states in terms of academic recognition and they support the system for professional recognition.

For more information, please contact the ENIC/NARIC centre:
Ministry of Science and Higher Education
20 Hoża Str.
00 529 Warsaw, Poland
Phone: +48 22 628 67 76
Fax: +48 22 628 35 34
enic-naric＠nauka.gov.pl
http://www.nauka.gov.pl/en/recognition-of-academic-qualifications/