Aknowleding education obtained abroad
Bilateral agreements
In , higher education credentials are recognized based on bilateral agreements. Please, keep in mind that your higher education diploma could be recognized in despite a lack of bilateral agreement if such agreement existed at the time of your graduation.
To find out whether your credentials can be accepted based on international agreement, please, visit the website of the Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange at http://www.buwiwm.edu.pl/rec/index-rec.htm
The Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange recommends using a Supplement Diploma which indicates that the diploma obtained abroad is legally recognized by Polish higher education institutions as equal to a diploma obtained at a higher education institution in . There are two ways of applying for the Supplement Diploma (both free of charge):
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Through the Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange – send by mail or fax a copy of your original diploma and transcripts to the Bureau asking for its recognition. Within 2 weeks, the Bureau will send back an official letter informing you about its equivalency within the Polish education system.
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Through the Ministry of Education – although through the Ministry you still need to apply at the Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange where you need to bring the following: original diploma and transcripts, translation of the diploma and transcripts, 2 copies of the diploma and transcripts, as well as filled out application available at the Bureau. The Ministry will inform you about the decision within 4 weeks.
Nostrification (recognition)
If a bilateral agreement was not signed than the diploma needs to be nostrified. “Nostrification” is a different road of recognizing credentials, where a diploma is recognized by an educational authority or a basic organizational unit of education institution in such as the council of faculty.
Recognition of School Certificates
In order to nostrify (recognize) school or maturity certificates obtained abroad, the certificates need to be presented to the local educational authority (kuratorium oświaty). The local education authority is that of the individual’s place of residence or, if the individual resides abroad, of the location of the school. For example, if an individual residing aboard would like to apply to the
In general, certificates are recognized when the curriculum of the foreign institution is similar to that of a Polish school. The following is a list of foreign school certificates that will be accepted as equivalent with the Polish schools certificates:
Elementary school certificate – if the foreign school required a minimum of 6 years to obtain the certificate and child’s age in first grade is not less than 6.
Middle school certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 9 school years to obtain the certificate and child’s age in first grade is not less than 6.
Vocational school certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 11 school years to obtain the certificate, the child’s age in first grade is not less than 6, and the academic and vocational curriculum are equivalent to that in the Polish school.
Please, note that if these requirements cannot be met then vocational school certificate could still be recognized based on a proper examination.
High school with general curriculum certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 11 school years to obtain the certificate, the child’s age in first grade is not less than 6, and the general academic curriculum is equivalent to that in the Polish school.
Please, note that if these requirements cannot be met then high school certificate could still be recognized based on a proper examination.
High school with specified curriculum certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 11 school years to obtain the certificate, the child’s age in first grade is not less than 6, and the general academic curriculum and the major subject curriculum are equivalent to that in the Polish school.
Please, note that if these requirements cannot be met then high school certificate could still be recognized based on a proper examination.
Technical high school certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 12 school years to obtain the certificate, the child’s age in first grade is not less than 6, and the academic and vocational curriculum are equivalent to that in the Polish school.
Please, note that if these requirements cannot be met then the technical high school certificate could still be recognized based on a proper examination.
Post high school education certificate - if the foreign school required a total of 12 school years to obtain the certificate, the child’s age in first grade is not less than 6, and the academic and vocational curriculum are equivalent to that in the Polish school.
Please, note that if these requirements cannot be met then the post high school education certificate could still be recognized based on a proper vocational examination.
The recognition of the certificates from the vocational school, technical school, post high school education, also acknowledges the vocational qualifications of the individual.
Recognition of Maturity Certificate
A maturity certificate obtain in a foreign country is recognized as equivalent of the Polish maturity certificate if it authorizes a student to apply to all higher education institutions in a given country. The following maturity certificates will be accepted without the need to nostrify them:
International Baccalaureate issued by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva
European Baccalaureate issued by the European schools, according to the Luxemburg convention from the 21st of June 1994 regarding the status of the European schools.
Practical suggestion on the nostrification process:
In order to proceed with the nostrification (recognition) process an individual needs to fill a proper application and provide the following documentation:
A written statement notifying that the certificate in question has never before been a subject of nostrification (according to Polish law, the same certificate cannot be nostrify more than once).
The original certificate or its legal copy. The legal copy needs to be recognized by the Polish consul. If the certificate was issued in a country that signed the convention disregarding the need to legalize foreign documents (from October 5th 1961), then Polish consul is not required to recognize the duplicate as a legal binding copy.
A detailed academic transcripts (including information such as number of hours per subject) if nostrifing a high school, technical school or vocational school certificates.
When recognizing a maturity certificate, an annotation that the certificate in question authorizes applying to all higher education institutions in a given country (only if this information is not included on the certificate already).
Please, keep in mind that all submitted documents need to be translated into Polish by a certified translator or recognized by a Polish consul. Also, each individual educational authority (kuratorium oświaty) can request additional documentation, such as: copy of all submitted documents, personal ID, and a letter signifying a power of attorney (if someone other than the individual is filling the documents).
The local educational authority issues a document signifying the nostrification (recognition) of your credentials. The document will include the following information:
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Title of the certificate obtained abroad.
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The name of the institution which issued the certificate abroad
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The country where the institution is located
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Name of the certificate owner
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The name of the Polish degree equivalent to the particular certificate including the name of the vocation when it is appropriate
This document is legally binding only when presented together with the original certificate or a copy of the original certificate.
Application forms can be found on the websites of the appropriate local educational authority. For contact information to educational authorities go to http://www.cdr.gov.pl/informator/kuratoria.htm
3) Recognition of Higher Education Diplomas
A higher education diploma is recognized by a basic organizational unit of an academic institution in Poland, such as the council of faculty. Please, keep in mind that only a council of faculty at academic institutions, which have right to award a doctorate degree, have a legal power to nostrify (recognize) higher education diplomas.
For example, in order to recognize a Master Degree in Sociology completed at a foreign university, an individual could petition to the council of faculty at the Sociology department of the University of Warsaw.
If you are nostrifying a diploma from interdisciplinary studies the council of faculty will include representatives of multiple disciplines acting in accordance with the appropriate departments.
In order to start the nostrification process, an individual must petition to the council of faculty with the following documentations:
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The original certificate/diploma
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A copy of the maturity certificate or any other document that permits the individual to apply to the higher education institutions that issued the certificate
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Resume/CV in Polish
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A written statement notifying that the certificate in question has never before been a subject of nostrification (according to Polish law, the same certificate cannot be nostrify more than once).
The council of faculty might also request the following:
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Legalization of the certificate/diploma by the Polish consul
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School transcripts
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Polish translation of all documents
The council of faculty might request completion of additional courses in order to have the certificate/diploma recognized in Poland (please, keep in mind that courses usually end with a comprehensive exam).
The nostrification process ends within 3 months from the application date or within a month from the end of the additional recommended courses.
If the certificate is recognized by the council of faculty, then the academic institution issues a document signifying the nostrification (recognition) of your credentials. Please, keep in mind that such document is legally binding only when presented together with the original certificate or a copy of the original certificate.
If the petition for nostrification is dismissed by the council of faculty altogether, an individual can appeal the decision to the head of the academic institution.
Who is exempt from the nostrification process?
The basic organizational unit of an academic institution where an individual applies to can exempt this individual from the nostrification of certificates obtained in foreign academic institution. An individual needs to place an official petition to the basic organizational unit. The petition should include documents similar to those required in the nostrification process (see documents listed under the nostrification process).
Also, individuals applying for PhD programs are exempt from the nostirfication if the certificate they possess was issued in EU or EFTA Member State country and authorized them to apply for the PhD programs in the country where it was issued.
Fees: the head of the basic organizational unit of the higher institution calculates the fee for nostrification process. The fee might include costs of required additional courses and has to be paid regardless of the result of the nostrification process. The head of the basic organization unit can lower or disregard the fee due to difficult financial situation of the petitioner.
4) Recognition of Academic Degrees
An academic degree is recognized by a basic organizational unit of an academic institution in Poland, such as the council of faculty, authorized to award a doctorate degree. Please, keep in mind that the PhD completed at the European University Institute is automatically recognized in Poland.
In order to start the nostrification process, an individual must petition to the council of faculty with the following documentations:
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The original certificate/diploma
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A copy of the maturity certificate or any other document that permits the individual to apply to the higher education institutions that issued the certificate
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Resume/CV in Polish
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A written statement notifying that the certificate in question has never before been a subject of nostrification (according to Polish law, the same certificate cannot be nostrify more than once).
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A copy of the PhD paper
The council of faculty might also request the following:
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Legalization of the certificate/diploma by the Polish consul
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School transcripts
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Polish translation of all documents
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A list of publications
If the certificate is recognized by the council of faculty, then the academic institution issues a document signifying the nostrification (recognition) of your credentials. Please, keep in mind that such document is legally binding only when presented together with the original certificate or a copy of the original certificate.
If the petition for nostrification is dismissed by the council of faculty altogether, an individual can appeal the decision to the head of the academic institution.
Fees: Fee for the nostrification process is calculated by the head of the basic organizational unit of the higher institution and includes cost of the overview of the PhD paper. The fee has to be paid regardless of the result of the nostrification process. The head of the basic organization unit holds power to lower or disregard the fee due to difficult financial situation of the petitioner.
