Higher education

Poland has about 100 public higher education institutions, where no tuition is charged for full-time programmes, and ca 300 non-public higher education institutions where both full-time and part-time students pay tuition fees. The academic year is officially inaugurated on 1 October, lasts 30 weeks, and is divided into winter and summer semesters which end with an examination period. Depending on the level, higher education programmes last between 3 and 6 years. Students may be enrolled  in full-time or part-time programmes.

Higher education institutions offer programmes at the following three levels:

• 1st level: Bachelor’s degree (first-cycle) programmes, open to holders of the secondary school leaving certificate, which last between 6 and 8 semesters, leading to the degree of licencjat, or between 7 and 8 semesters, leading to the degree of inżynier. The duration of the programme and the degree awarded depends on the field of study.
• 2nd level: Master’s degree programmes which are open to holders of the Bachelor’s degree and last 3 to 4 semesters (second-cycle programmes), and Master’s degree programmes which are open to holders of the secondary school leaving certificate and last between 9 and 12 semesters (long-cycle programmes). In both cases, students are awarded the degree of magister or an equivalent degree, depending on the field of study.
• 3rd level: 4-year doctoral (third-cycle) programmes open to holders of the Master’s degree or an equivalent degree.