Many foreign applicants are striving to get an education in one of the higher educational institutions in Poland due to the availability, prestige and high quality of education. Diplomas from Polish universities are recognized in all countries of Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. The universities of Gdansk (there are 14 of them) occupy an important position in the educational system of Poland and provide modern European education to everyone. Many opportunities open up for university graduates, and the education they receive helps them develop and do what they love, both in Poland and in any European country.
A little about Gdansk and the benefits of Polish studies
The most beautiful old city of Gdansk is located in the north of Poland and is located on the banks of the Gdansk tributary of the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Vistula River. The city is a cultural, historical, administrative and academic center, and even the most powerful transport hub in Northern Poland.
Gdansk is constantly developing, many interesting festivals, fairs, sports events are organized in it, which makes student life interesting, varied and informative.
What are the advantages of studying at one of the prestigious universities in Gdansk:
- affordable tuition fees in comparison with other European countries;
- the opportunity to learn at least two languages (Polish and English);
- you will be able to actively participate in student exchange programs, complete a paid internship and, accordingly, visit other countries;
- after graduation, students are issued a residence permit (for a period of 12 months), which makes it possible to find a job in Poland and extend the residence permit for another 3 years;
- the opportunity to get a second higher education in Poland or in another European country;
- the opportunity to enroll in a master's program regardless of the specialty received at a bachelor's degree;
- a fairly simple procedure for obtaining a visa;
- you can apply twice a year - in summer or winter;
- all universities have a well-developed infrastructure, which provides students with comfortable conditions for learning, living and spending time.
Which public universities are located in Gdansk
In Gdansk, you can choose 6 state universities for higher education.
Gdansk State University
The largest and most prestigious university not only in the city, but throughout Northern Poland is considered the Gdansk University. It was founded on March 20, 1970 and is included in the 5% of the international ranking of the best universities.
More than 26 thousand students study here. The teaching staff of the scientific staff numbers about 1700 employees who conduct scientific research at the world level.
The university is a leader among other universities in Poland in such areas of study as biology, biotechnology, oceanography, philology, psychology, chemistry, pedagogy and quantum physics. But the main advantage of the educational institution remains the maritime direction, thanks to such international research stations as the Marine Station of the Institute of Oceanography in Hel, the Station for the Study of Bird Migration and the Biological Station.
In the learning process, students actively participate in research work (almost 200 scientific circles) and visit organizations of interest at the university.
Thus, the Academic Choir of the University of Gdansk regularly takes part in international competitions and wins high awards; the song and dance ensemble of the Academic Cultural Center "Jantar" is a successful organizer of cultural projects and promotes the culture of the entire Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland and abroad; the teams of the Academic Sports Union and Physical Culture win medals in the most important sports competitions not only in Poland, but also abroad.
Gdansk Polytechnic University
The prestigious state technical educational institution is the Gdansk Polytechnic University (Politechnika Gdańska). It was founded in 1904 and is considered one of the oldest state universities in the territory of modern Poland.
According to the international ranking for 2021, it ranks 7th among the best universities in Poland and is included in the ranking of the 50 best European technical universities.
Since October 2021, Gdansk Polytechnic University belongs to the European Organization of Polytechnic Universities CESAER (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research).
The educational institution is very popular among foreign students. About 25,000 people from 30 countries of the world (Spain, China, Yemen, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, India, Nepal, Iran, Vietnam, etc.) study here.
Some laboratories and faculties of the university have certificates that confirm the high quality of education and research. During the academic period, students have the opportunity to attend 20 sections of the Academic Sports Center - swimming, football, athletics, volleyball, judo, tennis and table tennis.
Medical University
Another well-known state university in Gdansk is the Medical University (Gdanski Uniwersytet Medyczny), founded in 1945. Today, 6000 students study here, and 19% of them are foreigners.
According to the rating of the Education Foundation "Perspectives" for 2021, the university is ranked 8th among all universities in Poland and 2nd among Polish medical universities.
Thanks to the active development of scientific research, the educational institution has a leading position in the ranking of the Ministry of Science and Education, and employees from scientific centers receive numerous distinctions.
The Faculty of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine of the University has become a leading state research center (KNOW) and this fact is confirmed by additional funding from the state for research in the amount of PLN 50 million.
The Medical University is constantly improving the clinical and didactic base.
In 2021, the construction of the Center for Invasive Medicine was completed with state funding. Now this main hospital of the university is one of the most modern in Europe.
The university has a student club "Medic" and a modern scientific library. The Medical University is an active participant in the international student exchange between universities in the framework of the Erasmus + program and takes part in the work of the Baltic Sea Region University Network (BSRUN) and ScanBalt.
The university regularly conducts events aimed at improving health for residents of neighboring regions and the whole of Pomorie, and also popularizes knowledge about a healthy lifestyle.
Below is an overview of all public universities in Gdansk. At the moment, each university has an official website where you can get acquainted with more detailed information.
| Quantity faculties / specialties | Distance learning | Study in English or another language | Cost of education in year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Politechnical University | 41/130 | + | + | 2000-3000 euros |
| Gdansk State University | 11/201 | + | + | 2000-3800 euros |
| Medical University | 4/24 | + | + | 5400-30000 PLN |
| Academy of Physical Education and Sports. Jedja Snadatski | 2/10 | + | + | payment upon application for admission - PLN 85-100 |
| Academy of Fine Arts | 5/14 | + | 7200 (correspondence course) | |
| Music Academy named after Stanislava Monyushka | 4/12 | + | 7200-22320 PLN |
Which private universities offer training in Gdansk
Higher education in Poland is provided not only by universities, but also by higher schools, institutes and academies.Regardless of the name and type of university, (public or private), a graduation diploma is equally prestigious, and education is provided at a high level.
A well-known highly specialized university in Gdansk is the Higher School of Tourism and Hospitality. And although the university was founded not so long ago, in 1996, it managed to establish itself as one of the best in training future specialists in the tourism industry. This is demonstrated by high positions in the ratings: in 2021, the educational institution was recognized by Wiadomości Turystyczne as one of the top 3 in training professional personnel.
I would also like to draw your attention to the Wysza Szkoła Bankowa Universities, which are the largest group of private business schools in 11 cities in Poland. One of these schools is located in Gdansk.
The Graduate School of Banking (WSB) is a representative of one of the best private universities in Poland. Since its founding in 1998, the Graduate School of Banking has regularly led the rankings of universities in providing quality education.
Thanks to contacts with the Polish business community through the Career Office, the Business Council and other organizations, the university improves the level of educational programs and significantly expands them.
The management of the educational institution is also actively investing in international development. As a result, 44 agreements were signed with partner institutions in Europe and with the United States.
There is a great opportunity for students to get two diplomas. The second in such universities:
- Universita degli Studi del Sannio - Benevenuto (Italy);
- California International Business University (USA);
- Groupe ESC Troyes's INBA (France).
The university is also a member of the expanded Erasmus + program, within the framework of which a significant number of cooperation agreements have been signed with educational institutions throughout Europe.
Below is the information you need to know about all private universities in Gdansk.
| Quantity faculties / specialties | Distance learning | Study in English or another language | Cost of education, PLN per year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate School of Banking (WSB) | 12/60 | + | + | 3650-5300 |
| Higher School of Tourism and Hospitality | 2/5 | + | 6000-8800 | |
| Graduate School of Management (Management) | 3/7 | + | 3400-6800 | |
| Higher school socio-economic | 2/10 | + | 2400-3200 | |
| Higher humanitarian school | 1/4 | + | 3360-4200 | |
| Graduate School of Administration | 9/29 | + | 4200-6000 |
Conditions for admission to universities in Gdansk
According to changes in the educational system of Poland, since the 1989-1990 academic year there are no uniform requirements for applicants for admission. Any university has the right to independently determine the selection criteria and establish the rules for the admission of applicants.
Still, there are norms common to all universities:
- It is imperative that you need a document that confirms the presence of previous education: at least a certificate of secondary education upon admission to a bachelor's degree or a bachelor's degree with the attachment of a domestic university - upon admission to a master's degree.
- All documents must be translated into Polish and certified with a special seal - apostille.
- To enter a Polish university, you must prove your knowledge of the language in which you plan to study. To do this, you need to provide a certificate of knowledge of written and oral Polish or English of the appropriate level (at least B2), which is confirmed by an international certificate recognized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland. But it is also possible that the university will offer to complete the Polish language courses with them before the start of their studies, and then pass the internal exam.
Possibility of free training
Foreign citizens in 2021 have the opportunity to enroll in free education only at a Polish state university. Private universities and higher schools are paid for both Polish citizens and foreign students.
For free admission, there are the following conditions and reasons:
- The presence of a Pole Card, with which you can apply to the budget on a general competitive basis and on an equal footing with Polish applicants, as well as receive scholarships. Each university has its own selection rules, but most often it is a competition of certificates in specialized subjects or an interview.
- Opportunity to take part in special scholarship programs or grants from funds of individual universities or cities.
- The opportunity to apply for free places, for which some universities announce a competitive selection - this is the University of Silesia in Katowice, Lodz Polytechnic, Wroclaw University, Higher School of Banking in Wroclaw, Maria Curie University in Lublin, etc.
As a rule, this is a competition within 1-2 places for the faculty. It is worth considering that the number of applicants for one free seat can reach up to 70 people.
The competition is very tough, but the winner is the applicant who has a high certificate score (at least 10), has successfully passed the university entrance exams and confirmed the knowledge of the Polish language at the B2 level (if there is a B1 level certificate issued by the Polish State Commission, then other tests for knowledge of the language does not need to be passed).
- Rector's scholarship, which can be obtained only after admission and training for at least 1 semester at the chosen university. It is worth knowing here that this scholarship does not provide for the payment of real money to the student in his hands, but can cover a partial cost of training or completely free him from paying for university tuition. The possibilities for obtaining such a scholarship and the amount of its payment are individual, and everything depends on a particular university.
Only:
- students with very good academic results that are above the average;
- students, families who have a difficult financial situation and can document this;
- participants of repeated sports competitions for the university with significant results.
How much will living expenses in Gdansk cost
Living in Gdansk, as in any Polish city, is much cheaper when compared to other European cities. There are quite affordable prices for food, rental housing and entertainment. An important caveat: when renting a home, you should pay attention to the cost of utilities (they are not cheap) and immediately clarify which utilities are included in the rent and which ones will need to be paid separately.
Recently, joint rent of 2- and 3-room apartments for 4-6 people, the so-called cavalier, has become popular among students.
As for paying for travel in public transport, its cost depends on the type of ticket (temporary, one-time, short-term and long-term), the amount of time spent on the trip, and the time of the trip (it is weekdays or weekends).
Prospective students, when moving to a new city, need to understand and take into account possible costs other than tuition fees.
To do this, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the cost of living expenses in Gdansk, which are indicated in the table below.
| Category | Price range in Gdansk, PLN |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | |
| hostel for 2 or 3 people | from 200 per month |
| 1-room apartment | from 1200 per month |
| rent of a separate room | from 400 per month |
| separate apartment, cavalier, for 4-6 students | from 430 per month |
| Nutrition: | |
| self-cooking | about 300 per month |
| in canteens, cafes and restaurants | about 900 per month (12 PLN for lunch, at least 10 PLN per day for breakfasts, dinners, snacks) |
| Public transport: | |
| student pass | 40 per month |
| A one-way ticket | 2,40-4.40 |
| weekend ticket (from 19.00 on Friday to 8.00 on Monday) | 24 |
| Taxi 1 km at regular rate | 2.00-4.10 |
| Polish language courses | from 200 per semester |
| Mobile communications and internet provider services | about 25 per month |
| clothing | 65 - 250 per season |
| Recreation and sports | 60 - 230 per month |
| Visit to the doctor | about 150 |
Other famous higher education institutions in Poland
To get a higher European education in Poland, you can choose among a sufficient number of prestigious and affordable educational institutions.After all, Poland is considered the leader in the number of universities among European countries - today there are 470 operating universities, 132 of which are state-owned.
In 2021, the top five universities included such well-known state universities in Poland:
- Warsaw University;
- Jagiellonian University of Krakow;
- Warsaw Polytechnic University;
- Wroclaw University of Technology;
- Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan.
From private universities, according to the ranking, the best in 2021 were:
- The Leon Kozminsky Academy in Warsaw;
- University of Psychology in Warsaw;
- Polish-Japanese Higher School of Information Technology in Warsaw;
- Lazarski University in Warsaw.
All these educational institutions meet the criteria of prestige, efficiency, innovation and scientific potential, which once again proves the high level of the entire educational system in Poland.
Conclusion
It was once believed that only public universities in Poland offer quality education. Today, private educational institutions actively occupy high positions in the ratings, and sometimes even outstrip state universities. Therefore, there is no need to focus too much on the type of educational institution. The main thing is to correctly determine the direction that will help in the future to realize your potential and be successful.
