Recognition of foreign education

Please note: Deadline for submission a certificate of recognition of high school diploma/ higher education diploma is determined on the decision of the Rector.

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Recognition of a foreign secondary school (maturity) certificate

for purposes of admission to first cycle (BA level) studies or long-cycle (MA level) studies in Poland————–

Recognition (nostrification) of a certificate or the level of education is done by the Education Superintendent appropriate for the place of residence of the Applicant, and if there is no such place, for the official seat of the institution where the Applicant is going to submit the certificate:

• in Warsaw: The Education Office in Warsaw (Kuratorium Oświaty w Warszawie) – website available here
• a list of all local educational authorities in Poland >>>.

Recognition of a certificate or a level of education or the right to continue education is not necessary in case of:

1. certificates or other documents issued by schools operating in educational systems of EU, OECD or EFTA members, which allow access to higher education institutions in those countries (at present: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,  Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, USA);
2. IB diplomas (International Baccalaureate) issued by International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva;
3. EB diplomas (European Baccalaureate) issued by European Schools in accordance with the Convention drawn up in Luxembourg on 21 June 1994;
4. certificates issued in countries with which Poland has signed bilateral agreements concerning the recognition of education (at present: China, Ukraine).

Important! Agreement with Belarus expired on the 3rd of November, 2023 therefore documents confirming the completion of secondary education issued in Belarus must be recognised by means of an administrative decision of the Education Superintendent.

If a certificate or other document qualifies the holder to apply for admission to only certain departments (in certain fields of study) in the country of issuance, also in Poland he / she can apply to the same or similar departments.

If the international agreements do not provide otherwise, a certificate issued abroad can be recognised by means of an administrative decision as a document confirming the following levels of education in Poland: primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, basic vocational or the right to continue education, including the right to continue education at higher education institutions taking into consideration the scope of rights appertaining.

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Recognition of foreign higher education degrees in Poland

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.

If your degree does not give access to further studies in a country where it was obtained, and you still wish to continue education in Poland, you have to have your degree “nostrified”.
“Nostrification” is a procedure whereby a foreign educational qualification is compared to its Polish equivalent and their equivalence determined. The competent authorities to conduct the nostrification procedure are higher education institutions holding scientific categories A +, A or B + in the discipline to which the application for “nostrification” applies.

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Other important information

A foreign secondary school (maturity) certificate / higher education diploma must be accompanied by a document (information) stating that the certificate / diploma entitles to undertake or continue university-level study in country in which the diploma was issued (such proof should be issued or certified by the school or educational institution which issued the certificate / diploma or by educational authorities of the country which issued the certificate or in which system of education the school operates).

When a foreign secondary school (maturity) certificate, a higher school degree or other document obtained abroad is recognized by way of nostrification, the candidate is required to submit a certificate stating its equivalence with the relevant Polish maturity certificate / diploma of higher education.