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Language competence

Language of instruction for the vast majority of courses run at University of Warsaw is Polish, however several faculties offer a selection of programmes or courses taught in foreign languages, mainly in English (studies in English at UW).

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In order to undertake studies:

  • in the English language – candidate must prove his/her English language skills (at least at B2 level) by submitting accepted by the University of Warsaw document confirming English language knowledge or (in case it is specified in admission procedure for particular field of study) taking part in exam checking his/her language skills at the University

Please check new requirements regarding documents confirming the knowledge of the Polish and English language published in the section “Additional requirements for candidates with foreign documents“.

 

DOCUMENTS CONFIRMING ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027

Polish citizens holding foreign secondary school leaving certificates/higher education diplomas, as well as foreigners being citizens of an EU/EFTA member state or the United Kingdom and holding certificates/diplomas issued in one of the EU/EFTA/OECD countries or recognized as equivalent on the basis of an international agreement or through the nostrification procedure (applies to higher education diplomas), pursuant to § 16 of Resolution No. 107 of the Senate of the University of Warsaw of 21 May 2025 on the conditions, procedures, and deadlines for admissions procedure at the first-cycle studies, long-cycle studies, and second-cycle studies at the University of Warsaw in the academic year 2026/2027, who apply for admission to programmes taught in English, confirm their knowledge of the English language (at least at B2 level) by submitting one of the following documents*:

  • University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations: B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficiency (CPE), B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage), C1 Business Higher, Certificate in English for International Business and Trade (CEIBT);
  • University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations, British Council, IDP IELTS Australia: International English Language Testing System IELTS – minimum 5.5 points;
  • Trinity College London: ESOL Skills for Life – Level 1 (B2) or above, Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – ISE II or above, ISE Digital – above 80 points (B2);
  • Educational Testing Service (ETS): Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT) version – minimum 72 points, Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) – minimum 785 points in Listening & Reading and 150 points in Speaking and 160 points in Writing;
  • Pearson Assessment English: Pearson English International Certificate – taken in the test centre or online (previously Pearson Test of English General (PTE) or London Tests of English) – Level 3 (Edexcel Certificate in ESOL International Level 1 – note Pass, Merit, Distinction) or higher, Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) taken in the test centre or online – minimum
    59 points;
  • LanguageCert (PeopleCert Qualifications (PCQ)): LanguageCert International ESOL – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing) (Communicator B2), also known as: LanguageCert International ESOL Communicator B2 Listening, Reading, Writing or above together with LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Speaking) (Communicator B2), also known as LanguageCert International ESOL Communicator B2 Speaking or above, LanguageCert Academic – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) (LanguageCert Academic B2) or above, LanguageCert Test of English – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) (LanguageCert Test of English B2) or above;
  • Education Development International (EDI), London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations (LCCI): English for Business Level 2 or above, Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE);
  • European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages – Level B2 (Vantage) or above;
  • telc GmbH, WBT Weiterbildungs-Testsysteme GmbH: Certificate in English, Certificate in English for Business Purposes, Certificate in English for Technical Purposes, telc English, telc English Business, telc English Technical, telc English University;
  • certificate issued by the University Council for the Coordination of Foreign Language Teaching and Language Proficiency Certification UW – at least B2 level;
  • IB diploma, provided that English was a primary language (the language of instruction and examination);
  • EB diploma, provided that English was the first (L1) or second language (L2) and was the language of instruction and examination;
  • Polish maturity exam diploma (new maturity diploma) or a certificate of maturity examination results showing a result in the English language examination at the advanced level of at least 60%, unless a higher score threshold has been specified in the detailed rules for a given field of study set out in Appendix No. 1 to the resolution;
  • a secondary school leaving certificate containing information that English was the language of instruction, and in case the certificate does not contain such information – additionally, a certificate confirming the language of instruction (does not apply to secondary school completion certificates from a country where English is an official language; however, in case of doubts, the recruitment committee may require the candidate to submit a certificate confirming the language of instruction);
  • a diploma of completion of first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies or long-cycle studies in the field of English philology or applied linguistics issued by a university operating within the higher education and science system of the Republic of Poland or a foreign university, together with a diploma supplement or certificate confirming that the number of hours of classes in the English language was at least 500, subject to Article 326(3) of the Act – Law on Higher Education and Science and § 29(5) of the resolution;
  • a diploma of completion of first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies or long-cycle studies conducted in English issued by a university operating within the higher education and science system of the Republic of Poland or a foreign university, containing information about English as the language of instruction, and in case the diploma does not contain such information – additionally a diploma supplement or a certificate confirming the language of instruction of the studies, subject to Article 326(3) of the Act – Law on Higher Education and Science and § 29(5) of the resolution (does not apply to diplomas of completion of first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies, or long-cycle studies from a country where English is an official language; however, in case of doubts, the admission committee may require the candidate to submit a certificate confirming the language of instruction);
  • a certificate of completion of the Foundation Year course at the University of Warsaw at a level of at least B2;
  • a certificate of completion of a preparatory course for studies referred in Article 60 (4) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, lasting no less than 9 months, confirming the knowledge of the English language in four language skills: comprehension, reading, speaking and writing at the language proficiency level B2, C1 or C2;
  • a certificate of acquisition of qualifications to practise as a sworn translator of the English language issued by the Minister of Justice, as referred to in Article 5 (2) of the Act of 25 November 2004 on the profession of a sworn translator, or a certificate confirming entry on the list of sworn translators of English.

* does not apply to foreigners subject to additional recruitment requirements introduced under the Act of 4 April 2025 amending certain acts in order to eliminate irregularities in the visa system of the Republic of Poland [more]

DOCUMENTS CONFIRMING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INCLUDED ON THE LIST OF DOCUMENTS SPECIFIED BY THE REGULATION OF THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION:

Documents certifying proficiency in the English language at a level not lower than B2 are a certificate, diploma, or other document certifying the knowledge of English in four language skills: listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing, at B2, C1, or C2 level of linguistic proficiency, issued by the following institutions:

  1. University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations:
  •  B2 First (FCE),
  •  C1 Advanced (CAE),
  •  C2 Proficiency (CPE),
  •  B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage),
  •  C1 Business Higher,
  •  Certificate in English for International Business and Trade (CEIBT);
  1. University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations, British Council, IDP IELTS Australia: -International English Language Testing System IELTS – minimum 5,5 points;
  2. Trinity College London:
  • ESOL Skills for Life – Level 1 (B2) or above,
  • Integrated Skills in English (ISE) – ISE II or above,
  • ISE Digital – above 80 points (B2);
  1. Educational Testing Service (ETS):
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT) -minimum 72 points,
  • Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) – minimum: 785 points in Listening & Reading, 150 points in Speaking and 160 points in Writing;
  1. Pearson Assessment English:
  • Pearson English International Certificate – taken in the test centre or online (previously Pearson Test of English General (PTE) or London Tests of English) – Level 3 (Edexcel Certificate in ESOL International Level 1 – note: Pass, Merit, Distinction) or above,
  • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) taken in the test centre or online – minimum 59 points;
  1. LanguageCert (PeopleCert Qualifications (PCQ)):
  • LanguageCert International ESOL – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing) (Communicator B2), also known as: LanguageCert International ESOL Communicator B2 Listening, Reading, Writing or above together with LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Speaking) (Communicator B2), also known as LanguageCert International ESOL Communicator B2 Speaking or above,
  • LanguageCert Academic – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) (LanguageCert Academic B2) or above,
  • LanguageCert Test of English – LanguageCert Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) (LanguageCert Test of English B2) or above;
  1. Education Development International (EDI), London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations (LCCI):
  • English for Business Level 2 or above,
  • Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE);
  1. European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages – Level B2 (Vantage) or above;
  1. telc GmbH, WBT Weiterbildungs-Testsysteme GmbH:
  • Certificate in English,
  • Certificate in English for Business Purposes,
  • Certificate in English for Technical Purposes,
  • telc English,
  • telc English Business,
  • telc English Technical,
  • telc English University;
  1. A certificate of completion of a preparatory course for studies referred in Article 60 (4) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, lasting no less than 9 months, confirming the knowledge of a given foreign language in four language skills: comprehension, reading, speaking and writing at the language proficiency level B2, C1 or C2;
  1. A diploma of completion of first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies or long- cycle studies in the field of English philology or applied linguistics issued by a university operating within the system of higher education and science system of the Republic of Poland or a foreign university, together with a diploma supplement or certificate confirming that the number of hours of classes in the given foreign language was at least 500;
  1. A diploma of completion of first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies or long- cycle studies issued by a university operating within the higher education and science system of the Republic of Poland or a foreign university, containing information about the language of instruction of studies, and in case the diploma of completion of studies does not contain such information – additionally, a diploma supplement or a certificate providing information about the language of instruction of studies;
  2. International Baccalaureate Diploma – in relation to the primary language;
  3. European Baccalaureate Diploma- in relation to the first (L1) or second (L2) language;
  4. A certificate of acquisition of qualifications to practise as a sworn translator of a foreign language issued by the Minister of Justice, as referred to in Article 5 (2) of the Act of 25 November 2004 on the profession of a sworn translator, or a certificate confirming entry on the list of sworn translators of English.