Poland Student Visa Requirements for International Students

If you need a student visa or not, depends on which country you apply from. The general rule is that you need a visa to enter Poland. The good news is that there are a number of countries that are free of this requirement. You can check if your country is on the list.

Poland is a part of the Schengen zone, so you can apply for a Polish visa and travel all around Europe (excluding the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and states outside of the EU). The requirements to study, however, are another story. Read on to find out if you need to apply for a student visa and how to finish the process without any issues.

EU/EEA Students

Generally, students from EU/EEA countries don’t need to apply for a student visa but they need to register their stay in Poland. You have to do this if you intend to stay for longer than three months. This is very important if you wish to continue studying in Poland so make sure to remember to do it!

To register your stay in Poland you have to do it at the Voivodship (Provincial) Office. There are sixteen offices, and they are located in major Polish cities. So, one for each administrative region in Poland.

Upon arrival in Poland, you apply at the Voivodship Office in the city in charge of your region within 90 days of your arrival. The process is cost-free and you will get a certificate of registration that proves your right to stay in Poland. (For example, if you study in Krakow - within 90 days of your arrival you should apply at the Lesser Poland Voivodship Office in Krakow).

You can find the rest of the Voivodship Offices and their addresses here.

NON-EU Students

Non-EU students have to apply for a student visa to study in Poland. The process is pretty straightforward. Follow these easy steps to apply for a visa:

• Find a Polish consulate that can process your application. You can use the MFA’s search engine.
• Read carefully ALL the information concerning visa application on the consulate’s website and follow ALL the instructions.
• Make a visa appointment with the consulate. In most cases, you will have to register through their website.
• Prepare the necessary documents, including application form, travel document (passport), biometric photo, health insurance, sufficient means to support yourself, documents confirming the purpose of your stay - in your case the purpose is to study.
• The specifics of the required documentation may vary among consulates, so confirm them with the consulate’s website.
• Submit all the documents including a printed and signed application form and the visa fee. Your visa application is complete. It will take up to 15 days for it to be reviewed.

Once you arrive in Poland, it is important to apply for a Temporary Stay Card. Again, time is of relevance! So make sure you apply for a Temporary Residence Permit 45 days before your visa expires. When you receive the permit you will be issued a Temporary Residence Card, a type of ID card that proves that you have a residence permit. You can use this, together with your travel document to cross the Polish border as many times as you wish. Pretty convenient if you wish to explore neighboring countries or visit family over the holidays!

The first residence permit is issued for a period of 15 months. It can be renewed for periods of up to 3 years but for no longer than the period of your studies. REMEMBER: You should apply for the Temporary Residence Card after you arrive in Poland, but before your visa expires!

Application

You have to apply for a Temporary Residence Permit with the local Voivodship Office in charge of the region you live and study in.

The documents you will need to legalize your stay include:

• An application form Photos and documents proving your identity and citizenship
• An address
• Purpose of stay (a certificate from your school)
• Health insurance and possession of sufficient funds

This procedure will cost 390 PLN (102 USD) in total.

While the requirements differ all students wishing to study in Poland, EU and non-EU alike have to have a:

• A valid passport
• Official letter of acceptance to a school in Poland
• Confirmation of having funds to studying and living in Poland
• Health insurance

If you are wondering about health insurance - it is suggested to sort this out before you come to Poland, so you are insured during your studies.

EU students who possess and European Health Insurance Card have the right to healthcare services free of charge.

If you don’t own this card, you can get health insurance in your home country or buy health insurance in Poland. The cost of it amounts to 40 PLN per month, which roughly translates to 10 US dollars.

For non-EU students, it is recommended to purchase their own international medical insurance before arriving in Poland. Otherwise, they are required to sign a voluntary health insurance agreement with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia – NFZ) and pay their own insurance fees, which amount to about 17 USD a month. With insurance, you are entitled to free medical care and can use university health care clinics and health centers if you need to.