Poland

About Country

Poland, a country the size of New Mexico, is in north-central Europe. Most of the country is a plain with no natural boundaries except the Carpathian Mountains in the south and the Oder and Neisse rivers in the west.

The north of Poland, stretching to the Baltic Sea, consists almost entirely of lowlands, while the Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra range) form the southern border. The Masuria region forms the largest and most-visited lake district in Poland.

The Polish state is over 1 000 years old. In the 16th century Poland was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. With victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, King Jan III Sobieski of Poland was able to break the Ottoman siege of Vienna and end the threat of a possible occupation of western Europe.

Poland is rich in natural mineral resources, including iron, zinc, copper and rock salt. The Wieliczka salt mine, constructed in the 13th century, contains an entire town below ground with a sanatorium, theatre, church and café! Everything from stairs to chandeliers is made from salt.

Poland's current constitution dates from 1997. The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The 460 members of the lower house of parliament (the Sejm) and the 100 members of the senate, are directly elected by a system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms.

Poland's traditional dishes include beetroot soup, cabbage rolls (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice) and pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms, for example).

Why Study in Poland

At higher education level, there are more than 500 universities and institutions, both public and private, covering many fields of study. These include:

• Public Universities
• Medical Universities and Colleges
• Universities of Technology/Polytechnics
• Higher Schools of Pedagogy
• Music Academies
• Agricultural Universities
• Universities of Economics.

International students have access to numerous scholarships offered by the Polish government, through international agreements or under the decision of the minister of science and education. There is also often funding available from specific HEIs, but you will need to make sure you ask your chosen institution what is on offer before applying.

As with many other EU countries, Poland offers inexpensive and sometimes free tuition to EU students. For example, English language courses offered at the University of Warsaw cost between £1,300 and £2,500 per year. The majority of course in Poland cost significantly less than in the UK, with the notable exception of medical courses, which have fees of around £10,000 per year.

In addition, the cost of living in Poland is far lower than in Western or Northern Europe, which means that the total cost of a university education is significantly less in Poland than elsewhere in Europe. For example:

• Monthly student bus ticket: £9
• Pint of local beer: £1.20
• One kilogram of cheese: £4
• Loaf of bread: £0.50
• Take-away kebab: £1.50
• Meal in an inexpensive restaurant: £3.80

Universities and college

• University of Wroclaw
• Skarbek University
  
• Collegium Civitas