The University of Bialystok is one of the youngest in Poland, but at the same time it has already confidently declared itself in the international arena as a major scientific, research and training center. Today this institution of higher education prepares specialists in various fields not only for Poland, but also for other countries of Europe, America, Asia and Africa. The Bialystok University diploma is recognized in almost all countries of the world and is highly valued.
The history of the emergence and development of the university
This educational institution appeared not so long ago and has no ancient medieval traditions. The small town of Bialystok has passed from hand to hand more than once in its long history; it belonged to Lithuania, Poland, or Russia, and its rulers did not see the point in founding a university here.
Everything changed in the second half of the twentieth century, when the city began to develop rapidly, became the center of the voivodeship and it needed qualified specialists.
For about 30 years, a branch of the Warsaw University existed in Bialystok, which in 1997 was transformed into the University of Bialystok, and already on October 1 of this year, the educational institution accepted the first students in this very status.
Since that time, the history of the university begins, which over the past 20 years has become the center of higher education in the north-east of the country, has a foreign branch in Vilnius and accepts foreign students for training, not yielding as education to the famous educational institutions of the country.
In 2021, at the annual competition of higher educational institutions of the country, the university received the certificate "Good university - good job" in the nomination "The most innovative and creative university in Poland."
Faculties and specialties
The official website of the university provides comprehensive information about 9 faculties of the university, one of which operates in Lithuania. These are the faculties:
- jurisprudence,
- Economics and management,
- history and sociology,
- philology,
- biology and chemistry,
- physics,
- mathematics and computer science,
- pedagogy and psychology,
- economics and informatics (in Vilnius).
At the same time, Bialystok State University trains specialists in more than 20 specialties, including management and administration, health care, European studies, marketing, training of philologists in Russian, Polish, English, Belarusian, Romanesque departments.
However, further education in graduate school is possible only at the historical-sociological, biological-chemical, legal, economic, philological faculties.
Infrastructure of the university
Students who study at the university have the opportunity to use the well-developed infrastructure of this university. Faculty buildings are located mainly in the central districts of the city and are connected by public transport routes. At the service of students - an extensive library, which is located in the center of Bialystok. There are several reading rooms, separate booths for individual work, and book rental is provided.
For students and applicants, a cheap comfortable hostel is equipped, and access to a computer library is provided. Braille computers are provided for visually impaired people.
About 70 student organizations and scientific circles are trying to make the life of students more eventful, while the desire of young people for social activity and research work finds all kinds of support and understanding.
University students can often be found on the streets of the city, in shopping and entertainment centers in Bialystok, at the performances of the local opera house, in cinemas, pubs and cafes. At the same time, the prices for services here are relatively low and are available even to not very wealthy students.
International contacts of the university
Modern education is impossible without cooperation and broad international cooperation with other educational institutions. At present, the University of Bialystok has signed more than 50 agreements on cooperation with various universities on the conduct of research, both humanitarian and natural science.
The university takes an active part in the European educational program LLP-Erasmus +, Leonardo da Vinci and other programs of the European Union, providing for the possibility of student exchange and study at universities in other countries.
Among the partners of the university in Bialystok are more than a hundred higher educational institutions from 22 EU countries, as well as from Switzerland, Croatia, Turkey. The Bialystok University has especially close ties with leading universities in Germany, France and Italy.
Scholarships and other programs offered by the university
Scholarship programs are provided for foreign students.
Students who study on the same basis as Polish citizens can apply for a social scholarship intended for the best students from the rector, as well as from the minister for those who have achieved the highest results.
Students who study on a paid basis can apply for several types of material assistance in the following programs:
- Visegrad scholarship program;
- scholarship program them. K. Kalinovsky;
- CEEPUS - Central European Student Exchange Program;
- scholarship program them. Lane'a Kirklanda;
- scholarship program them. S. Banach;
- box office them. Y. Myanovsky;
- scholarships to them. K. Skubishevsky;
- A. Mitskevich Foundation in Canada;
- Fulbright Polish-American Commission;
- the Kosciuszko Foundation;
- scholarships from the government or the Vspulnota Polska society.
Like Polish citizens, foreign students studying at the University of Bialystok are entitled to internships and student exchange trips within the framework of various educational programs of the European Union.
How to enter the university for a foreigner
The admissions office is open from July to September. By this time, try to prepare all the documents that must be provided for admission to the university:
- a matriculation certificate for admission to a bachelor's degree or a bachelor's degree for admission to a master's degree. The documents must be translated into Polish. If this is done in Poland, then there will be no problems; if at home, they will need to be certified by the embassy or by a Polish notary;
- medical certificate with Polish translation. In Russia, this is a certificate in the form of 086-y. For training, you will also need medical insurance, which can be obtained at home or already in Poland in any insurance company, for example, the state NFZ;
- for citizens of countries outside the EU, a student visa is required, which can be obtained from the embassy or consulate in the place of residence for a period of 1 year. Basically, it is a Polish national visa of category D.
What the cost of studying
Here are the approximate figures for the cost of training at different faculties.
Bachelor's degree (inpatient), term of study - 3 years (6 semesters).
Master's degree (stationary), duration of study - 2 years (4 semesters).
Average tuition fees are given per year, in euros.
| Faculty | Bachelors | Masters |
|---|---|---|
| Biological-chemical | 4100 | 3550 |
| Economic and Informatic | 2950 | 3250 |
| economics and Management | 2200 | 2000 |
| Philological | 2200 | 2000 |
| Physical | 4250 | 4450 |
| Historical-sociological | 2700 | 2850 |
| Mathematics and computer science | 2750 | 4000 |
| Pedagogy and Psychology | 2100 | 2050 |
| Legal | 2550 | 2050 |
We will also present the average prices for popular goods and services in Bialystok in euros:
| Drinking water 1 l | 0,43 |
|---|---|
| Milk 1 l | 0,73 |
| Bread, loaf | 0,54 |
| Eggs, 12 pcs | 1,46 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | 0,46 |
| Beer 0.5 l | 0,65 |
| Complex order at McDonald's | 4,46 |
| Cigarettes, pack | 3,07 |
| Directions: 1 trip around the city | 0,44 |
| Rent a 1-room apartment for a month dormitory area | 180 |
Experts believe that Bialystok is one of the most affordable cities in Poland in terms of the cost of living and studying, where many people from the CIS traditionally study.
Other notable universities in Poland
Annually, about 200 state universities in Poland take part in the ranking of the Perspektyvy educational foundation. The first lines in it are occupied by the University of Warsaw, the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan.
The top ten famous universities in Poland also constantly mentions universities from Wroclaw, Torun, Gdansk, which are characterized by modern approaches to the organization of education, the introduction of new technologies and significant achievements in research work, which is organized at the departments of educational institutions.
Find out more about how to apply to the University of Wroclaw.
Every year, universities located in small towns are becoming more and more popular among applicants: the tuition fees are usually lower in them, and the prices for accommodation, meals, utilities and transportation are more democratic.
Find out more about what the University of Silesia offers to applicants.
What are the most frequently asked questions related to admission to the University of Bialystok?
Young people who are going to enter Polish universities often ask about the same questions regarding admission and study in Poland. We have tried to answer some of them.
Is there a correspondence department at the University of Bialystok?
Yes, there is, but not in all faculties and not in all specialties. You can study in absentia in the following areas:
- administration,
- economy,
- organization of animal brood,
- European studies,
- philology,
- Polish philology,
- physics,
- history,
- scientific information and library science,
- computer science,
- informatics and econometrics,
- maths,
- international economic relations,
- environmental protection,
- pedagogy,
- social work,
- sociology,
- international relations,
- control.
Are classes taught at the university in Russian?
Currently, the main language of instruction at the university and its branch in Vilnius is Polish. However, some programs are read in Russian. Thus, training in the specialty "International Economic Relations" is conducted in English and partly in Russian. Also in Russian is taught in the specialty "Russian Philology".
Is a dorm room given to a foreigner?
Upon a written application from a student, the university is obliged to allocate a place in the hostel. Foreigners enjoy the priority right to live in a hostel, since they do not have the opportunity to travel from their hometown to study in Bialystok every day.
How much does a hostel cost?
The cost of living depends on the building, the size of the room and the number of people living in it. A single room will cost PLN 400, accommodation in a double room - PLN 310-360, in a triple room - PLN 270. Dormitories are equipped with kitchens, laundries, gyms, TV rooms, study rooms.
Conclusion
Today the State University in Bialystok is the most dynamically developing university in Poland. Applicants choose it because it is the largest scientific center in the region, almost 12.5 thousand students study in it, there is a huge selection of specialties and areas of study.
For residents of the CIS, the advantage is that the university is conveniently located near the border with Belarus and Lithuania, it has relatively low prices for education and accommodation. At the same time, graduates who graduated from this educational institution receive a European-style diploma, which is recognized in all countries of the European Union, as well as by many countries of the world. This gives graduates additional opportunities for further successful employment.
