General information

A degree awarded by an institution functioning in an EU, OECD, or EFTA nation after completion of:

• A degree awarded by an institution functioning in an EU, OECD, or EFTA nation after completion of 3-year studies or first cycle studies with a nominal period of min. 3 years - confirms possession of a first cycle degree in Poland
• second cycle studies or long cycle studies with a nominal duration of min. 4 years - confirms possession of a second cycle degree in Poland

A foreign degree conferred by a non-Polish institution can be accepted as equal to a Polish degree either by a mutual arrangement or (if no such agreements exist) by nostrification.

Nostrification is a process that allows an international diploma to be recognized as equal to a Polish diploma. An acceptable Polish academic degree may be used after good nostrification.

Organizational divisions of higher education institutions authorized to grant the academic degree of a doctor (doctor) in a given field of science or in a given field of art are the competent authority to perform the nostrification process with respect to higher education diplomas (university degrees).

International degrees are recognized for the purpose of higher education.

If a diploma confirming completion of studies grants entry to the next level of higher education or enables its holder to qualify for a doctoral degree in the country of the question, it also gives the right to access education at the following level (second-cycle studies, doctoral school) or to begin proceedings leading to the acquisition of a Polish academic degree in Poland.

The list of regional educational authorities (kuratoria owiaty) responsible for the acceptance of international maturity certificates or other documentation that may affirm the right to apply for admission to first-cycle or long-cycle studies in Poland can be found here.

You will use the KWALIFIKATOR (eng. qualifier) scheme to see how a certain international credential is recognized in Poland. 

For technical reasons, international degrees are recognized.

A certificate issued by a university in an EU, OECD, or EFTA member state's higher education framework that confirms completion of: 

• three-year research or at least three-year first-cycle studies – confirms completion of schooling at the first-cycle level in Poland;
• second-cycle studies or long-cycle studies of at least four years – confirms completion of schooling in Poland at the second-cycle level.

On the basis of an international agreement defining equivalence or, in the absence of such an agreement, nostrification proceedings, a diploma announcing the completion of studies overseas can be recognized as equal to the relevant Polish diploma.

Nostrification is a process that allows an international diploma to be recognized as equal to a Polish diploma. An acceptable Polish academic degree may be used after good nostrification.

The nostrification authorities for higher education diplomas (university degrees) are organizational units of higher education institutions that are approved to grant the academic degree of Doktor (doctor) in a particular area of science or art.

If you want to check how a particular foreign diploma is recognized in Poland, you can use KWALIFIKATOR (eng. qualifier) system.

A science degree conferred by an authorized institution in the education system of one of the EU, EFTA, or OECD countries is recognized as equal to the relevant Polish degree. 

A science degree obtained in another country can be accepted as equal to one earned in Poland, either by an international agreement or (if no such agreements exist) by nostrification.

An individual who holds a science degree from a country that is a signatory to the Lisbon Convention and wishes to begin habilitation proceedings in Poland may be excluded from nostrification.

The councils of the organizational unit authorized to award an academic degree of doktor habilitowany (doctor habilitatus) in a given academic field or in a given field of art within the framework of a given academic discipline or of a given arts discipline concerned with the academic degree are the competent authority to perform the nostrification process with respect to science degrees.

You will use the KWALIFIKATOR (eng. qualifier) scheme to see how a certain international credential is recognized in Poland.

Polish degrees are recognized according to the rules defined by the countries with which Poland has signed agreements. Polish degrees are accredited in other countries in compliance with the laws regulating the academic acceptance of international credentials in that country.

An ENIC/NARIC center or a country's ministry of education will provide information on the acknowledgment of Polish degrees: www.enic-naric.net. 

The Council of Europe and UNESCO developed the European Network of National Information Centres for Academic Recognition and Mobility (ENIC) for the European Region.

NARIC – National Academic Recognition and Recognition Centres – is a network established by the European Commission to foster efficient and strong collaboration between EU member states in the area of academic recognition, as well as to support the professional recognition scheme.