II. Qualifications, diplomas and academic degrees

1. Qualifications giving access to higher education

Candidates are required to present their matriculation certificate (świadectwo dojrzałości) or its foreign equivalent recognised in Poland.

Świadectwo dojrzałości may be awarded by a secondary school which offers general education (liceum ogólnokształcące), vocational education (liceum zawodowe), technical education (liceum techniczne, technikum), medical education (liceum medyczne) or artistic education (liceum plastyczne, liceum muzyczne, etc.). It is the only document issued by the secondary school which provides access to higher education in Poland. Any type of secondary school in Poland may be completed without taking a matriculation examination. In this case, the school awards a certificate of completion of education in the secondary school (świadectwo ukończenia szkoły średniej) which does not entitle its holder to enrol in a higher education institution in Poland.

However, the matriculation examination is only a prerequisite for admission to higher education. Each year higher education institutions define their own requirements for candidates. They must pass an entrance examination or obtain a passing mark in the admission procedure. In most institutions, the prospective student is required to gain a certain minimum number of points. Points are awarded for results in a competitive entrance examination as well as for secondary school matriculation grades or other requirements, some of which are listed below.

The entrance examination (i.e. a test, written or oral examination) is based on the material covered by secondary school curricula.

The Senate of a higher education institution sets the maximum enrolment limit and determines in advance the number of candidates to be admitted finally to each department (faculty).

Winners of national “Olympics”, held in various subjects (related to the chosen field of future studies), are freely admitted to higher education institutions or are not required to take entrance examination in some subjects.

All examinations are organised according to a competition-based procedure.

Detailed information concerning required documents and entrance examination rules may be obtained from individual higher education institutions.

In addition to the general prerequisites (the matriculation certificate or an equivalent) for admission to certain higher education courses, institutions introduce specific entry tests/examinations which are outlined below.

A. Schools of fine art, music, theatre, film and TV

• Candidates for academies of music (except those applying to the vocal art department) are required to have musical skills and qualifications at the level of secondary music school.

• Candidates for academies of fine art are required to submit a portfolio of their works prior to an entrance examination, and are admitted to this examination subject to the favourable assessment of these works.

• Candidates for theatre, film or TV studies are required to submit, prior to an entrance examination, a fragment of a play they have directed or a production in related areas (film, photography, screenplay or painting).

Competitive examinations comprise several stages designed to verify candidates’ artistic abilities and their knowledge of culture, history and related areas of art.

B. Academies of medicine

• Candidates for departments of medicine and dentistry must obtain required results (points) in competitive entrance tests in biology, physics, chemistry and a foreign language, these tests being set by the Council for Medical Academies’ Entrance Tests (Międzyuczelniana Rada Programowa Testowych Egzaminów Wstępnych na Akademie Medyczne).

• Candidates for departments of pharmacy, medical analyses, public health and nursing take a competitive written entrance examination (biology, chemistry, a foreign language).

C. Academies of physical education and tourism

The entrance examination consists of several stages designed to assess the fitness of candidates, their competence in theoretical subjects as well as their health.

Prior to the entrance examination, candidates are examined by a medical board, and a disqualified candidate is not admitted to the subsequent stages of the entrance examination procedure.

D. Merchant navy schools

Candidates must be below the age of 23, or below the age of 25 if they have completed the obligatory military service, and have no criminal record.

They must have successfully completed an initial practical placement, be in good health and remain unmarried during the first year of study.

During the enrolment procedure, candidates undergo psychological tests and medical check-up.

E. Military academies

Candidates should fulfil the following conditions:

• to have only the Polish citizenship,

• to be at least 17 and below 23 years of age at the beginning of studies,

• to be unmarried, and mentally and physically fit for professional military service.

During the enrolment procedure, candidates undergo psychological, technical and physical fitness tests, and have an interview.

F. Fire service school

Eligibility criteria for candidates:

• the age below of 25, no criminal record,

• excellent health condition and approval certificate from a psychological board.

The entrance examination comprises tests in mathematics, physics and foreign language as well as a physical training test. Following the enrolment procedure outlined above, candidates undergo a specialist medical check-up and a training course.

 

2. Intermediate qualifications in higher education

No intermediate qualifications are awarded by higher education institutions in Poland.

 

3. Final qualifications in higher education

Upon completion of courses and final examinations, graduates are awarded diplomas of completion of higher education studies (dyplom ukończenia studiów wyższych) which certify that they hold a respective professional title and are qualified to take up employment and/or research.

 

3.1. Final qualifications in non-university higher education

Schools of higher vocational education award the professional titles of inżynier (engineer) and licencjat (bachelor), depending on the field of study.

The professional title of inżynier is awarded in technical and agricultural fields after 3.5 to 4 years. The professional title of licencjat is awarded in all other fields of study after 3 to 4 years.

Students who successfully complete the first cycle of studies may continue their education in the second cycle which leads to a magister diploma or its equivalent.

 

3.2. Final university qualifications

University-type higher education institutions award the following professional titles:

• licencjat

• inżynier

• magister or equivalent.

All types of professional titles at the master level are listed below:

• magister (universities, academies of economics, academies of medicine [pharmacy, nursing, medical analyses or public health], academies of physical education and academies of theology),

• magister edukacji (higher education schools and academies of pedagogy and some faculties in universities),

• magister sztuki (academies of arts),

• magister inżynier (technical and military academies, academies of agriculture, merchant navy schools and some faculties of economics),

• magister inżynier architekt (technical academies, departments of architecture).

Medical academies award the following professional titles (there is no final dissertation) equivalent to magister:

• lekarz (physician - medicine),

• lekarz stomatolog (dentist - stomatology).

Veterinary faculties of agricultural academies award the title of:

• lekarz weterynarii (physician – veterinary medicine) which is also equivalent to magister.

Subsequently, graduates may continue their academic career in order to obtain the following academic degrees in a specified discipline as defined by the Central Commission for Academic Title and Degrees (Appendix III):

• doktor,

• doktor habilitowany.

Holders of the professional title of magister and its equivalents are qualified to take up jobs as a specialist in a defined area, teach in primary and secondary education (in a specified subject) or follow university education and research.

 

3.3. Academic recognition of final qualifications of higher education for purposes of further study

Holders of the first professional title of licencjat/inżynier (3-4 year bachelor-level courses) may also continue their academic education in order to obtain the second professional title of magister or its equivalent (1,5-3 years).

The academic degree of doktor can be awarded to a person who holds the professional title of magister or its equivalent.

In order to obtain the degree of doktor, the candidate is required to write and defend in a public examination a doctoral dissertation which is assessed by two reviewers.

The equivalent of the degree of doktor in artistic disciplines are kwalifikacje pierwszego stopnia (first degree qualifications).

The next stage in academic career is the degree of doktor habilitowany. To obtain this degree, the candidate is required to produce a dissertation/book (rozprawa habilitacyjna), have some previous academic publications and teaching achievements, and receive a favourable assessment from three reviewers. The final stage is an examination (kolokwium habilitacyjne).

The degree is awarded subject to the acceptance of the Central Commission for Academic Title and Degrees (Centralna Komisja ds. Tytułu Naukowego i Stopni Naukowych).

In artistic disciplines, the equivalent of doktor habilitowany degree are kwalifikacje drugiego stopnia (second degree qualifications).

Holders of the degree of doktor habilitowany may obtain the academic title of profesor (professor) which is conferred by the President of the Republic of Poland.