⇒ With official procedures, you often have to make certified translations from English into Polish. When applying for studies in Poland, there is usually no access to sworn translators based outside Poland or there is simply not enough time for having the translations done. That is why, you are asked to go to your Dean’s Office after 2-3 weeks’ time to take your original documents and take them to the translator if you do not have them translated already.
The following credentials need certified translation for education recognition in Poland:
- High School Certificate with grade sheet
- Bachelor’s Degree Certificate
- Transcript of Records (Statement of Result)
⇒ After having the documents translated, you need to bring the translations and the original documents back to the Faculty as well as a copy of translations to IRO. If you are BA student, please read about RECOGNITION PROCEDURE. Also, when applying for a Residence Permit, you may be asked for certified translation of your foreign-language documents. The Polish language is the (only) official language in Poland.
♦ Candidates who have documents issued in Uzbekistan are asked to contact the Polish Embassy in Baku in order to have their diploma/Attestat translated officially into Polish. After arrival to Poland candidates will be asked to apply for the sworn translation into Polish at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Warsaw.
NOSTRIFICATION
FOR BACHELOR’S DEGREE STUDENTS ONLY
This does not apply to MA and PhD students.
Also, this step may be skipped by students from countries where Poland has agreements on mutual recognition,
that is
⇒ all EU and EFTA countries,
⇒ Australia,
⇒ Belarus,
⇒ Canada,
⇒ Chile,
⇒ Colombia,
⇒ Costa Rica,
⇒ Israel,
⇒ Japan,
⇒ Mexico,
⇒ New Zealand,
⇒ South Korea,
⇒ Turkey,
⇒ Ukraine,
⇒ USA.
In short, students from the countries mentioned above, do not have to recognize their certificates.
♦ Recognition is the final step to make your credentials work in Polish education. Make sure you already have the Legalization / Apostille from the Polish Embassy to the country you were educated in (obligatory!), and (if so told by admission officers) an Eligibility Confirmation from the relevant national or regional education authorities (some certificates are OK without this).
WHY DO YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR RECOGNITION?
♦ This is the requirement of the Polish legal system. If you get no recognition of your admission credentials, the UL will deny you the degree certificate you should get at the end of your studies. You must have your high school certificate recognized to receive a BA (or any first-cycle) diploma in Poland.
► Bachelor’s degree first year students apply for recognition at the Lodz Board of Education, and submit the outcome to the UL till the end of the first semester. You must do that – otherwise the University of Lodz will not be able to issue you a BA diploma.
Start: late October (after all the Dean’s Office, Student ID, USOS registration, signing up for elective and PE classes, etc. is done) but perhaps not later than mid-November. Then, you are to submit the recognition letter to the UL, deadline: 31 January.
- Go to the DEAN’S OFFICE at your Faculty and ask for your original documents. The set should contain the high school leaving certificate1, the transcript of grades2 and the eligibility statement confirmation3.
- Contact a CERTIFIED TRANSLATOR, also known as a sworn translator (find the list on page 27) and make certified translations of your set of credentials.
- Take your credentials and their certified translations to the LODZ BOARD OF EDUCATION(120a, Kościuszki Street). Attach all the documents required by recognition procedures. You will need to have a copy of your Passport. Ask when you can collect your recognition letter.
- Collect your recognition letter from the Lodz Board of Education. Make photocopies of your credentials, certified translations, and the recognition letter.
- Bring the originals of credentials, translations, and recognition letter back to your DEAN’S OFFICE. Then, bring all the photocopies to the IRO.
More detailed information about what documents you need to take with you to the Board of Education can be found at this website (this guide is made by Warsaw branch of the Board; please make sure you visit the Board in Lodz).
1: High school leaving certificate: Legalized (by stamp or attachment) original (or official duplicate) of secondary education certificate(s) that you submit for admission to tertiary studies in your country (Polish equivalent: Matura).
2: Transcript of grades: documentary evidence of learning (here: high school) containing a list of classes, and grades received – this only applies to cases when it is not included in the previous document.
3: Eligibility confirmation: a document stating that the submitted certificate entitles to apply for admission to higher educational institution of each type in the educational system of the country where the certificate has been issued – this only applies to cases when such a statement is not included in the certificate itself.
Every student can apply for Rector’s scholarship (for good grades). There are additional points for scientific, sport or art achievements. This scholarship is available from 2nd year of studies.
The unit responsible for scholarships is Social Affairs Centre for Students and Doctoral Students (in Polish: Centrum Obsługi Spraw Społecznych i Socjalnych Studentów i Doktorantów).
RULES OF STUDY
Our academic community is made up of people who respect one another, respect the dignity and beliefs of others, and protect the good name of the University of Lodz. After all, being a student of the University of Lodz obliges! From the moment you join our community, you will have to follow a few rules. However, this also means that we as a university have obligations towards you! All this is set out in the Rules of Study at the University of Lodz.
One of student's obligation is to submit credit assignments, e.g. in the form of an essay or a report. Please remember that such works must be written by students on their own - copying other people's work is forbidden (quoting fragments is allowed, but in such case it must be clearly indicated). The lecturer has the right to upload your assignment work to the anti-plagiarism system in order to compare it with works available on the Internet or with works prepared by other students. The detection of plagiarism (i.e. using another person's work and giving yourself as the author) may result not only in failing the course, but even in a formal reprimand from the Rector!
LEGAL STAY (RESIDENCE PERMIT)
CHECK YOUR VISA
Please make sure you always carry with you your identification document while living in Poland. It is good to know how long you can stay in Poland without residence permit. If you plan to travel outside Poland (e.g. as a weekend or holiday trip) first check the type of visa you have. Not all kinds of Polish visas allow you to travel freely in the EU – some of them are just for your trip to Poland and back home, with no stops on the way.
D-type visas are the majority of student visas (C-type, or Schengen transit visas, are uncommon). If your D-type visa has a MULT instead of the number of entries, it allows you to travel to other countries of the Schengen Area (plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), if your stay there does not exceed 90 days per half year.
“02” as the number of entries (this is rare) mean you can only enter Poland twice during your visa validity (and you already entered it once), so be careful with travelling.
Caution: the number of entries can be 01 (one). This means that your D-type visa is only valid for your trip to Poland and back to your home country. Do not travel to neighbouring countries.
Last but not least: if your validity date happens to be before the end of your planned study period, do not panic but learn how to apply for a temporary residence permit in Łódź. Alternatively, you can apply for a new visa to cover the upcoming study period, at a Polish Consulate or Embassy abroad (in your home country, or where there is an Embassy appropriate for your citizenship).
Usually the whole process of temporary residence permit application takes about 6 months, or even longer. So it is better to apply for it about 3 months before your visa is going to expire. If your visa expires, but your residence permit application is being processed, the Governor’s Office (Urząd Wojewódzki) will stamp your passport with information about submission of your application. This stamp means, that you are stay in Poland is legal, but please be aware that you cannot travel anywhere outside Poland with this stamp! (it is allowed only with visa or residence permit).
After completing the first academic year (we strongly advise that you pass all exams in June at the latest!) you might plan visiting you home country for holidays. Some of you will apply for a new student visa (because the first one expires). Before you even go to your home country, you need to prepare the following documents (original paper versions) for the Polish Embassy (information as of September 2022):
- Student status confirmation with grade sheet and (if applicable) payment proof of tuition fee. Show the document from your Dean’s office that you are a student who already is accepted to the next academic year (or that you have re-take examinations in September), the transcript showing your grades in your study period to date. Also, the students who pay (tuition fees) for their studies need to show the payment proof issued by the Dean’s Office. It is important that you receive all these documents from the Dean’s Office by the end of June because July and August are holiday months.
- Proof of accommodation together with tenancy contract (specifying monthly rental fees). If you live in a dorm, ask the manager or reception desk for a document stating the address of the dorm and the amount of fees that you pay for accommodation each month.
- Proof of funds to cover the cost of getting back to home country, in the amount of:
200 PLN in the case of a country bordering Poland;
2500 PLN in the case of a non-EU country located farther away. - Proof of funds to cover living expenses:
Show a minimum of PLN 776 for each month of stay:
776 PLN * 12 (months of stay) = 9312 PLN; - Proof of funds to cover accommodation expenses:
The amount of monthly rent or dorm fee multiplied by the number of months of stay.
E.g. If your UL dorm fee is PLN 440 per month, the total cost of accommodation per year will be: PLN 440 * 12 months = 5280 PLN - A document that proves that you have financial means (e.g. credit card, sponsorship letter).
Please make sure to visit the website of the Polish Embassy in your country before applying for a visa. The information we are sharing is just to help you prepare for applying and should not be treated as any binding interpretation of legal acts – please always update your knowledge with the official source. There are other documents that you need to submit to the Embassy as well.
RESIDENCE PERMIT
RESIDENCE CARD (POLISH: KARTA POBYTU) IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT OF TEMPORARY STAY IN POLAND
If your visa expires before your planned departure from Poland, apply for a residence permit in Lodz. Best: 3-5 months before visa expiration.
Where: Migration Office, ul. Piotrkowska 103 (Łódzki Urząd Wojewódzki, oddział Cudzoziemców). You can submit your documents in person or by sending registered mail.
- Include all the documents required.
- Remember to get the grade sheet from the Faculty.
- Maintain the same mailbox and phone number over the next half year. You may decide for a different postal address than where you stay: attach it on a separate sheet.
- If you get an appointment, double-check your contact details.
How much money do you need? PLN 365 – fees (this is what you spend) + ca. PLN 16.000 (for dorm dwellers) – funds secured on your account or credit card limit (this is what you show)
MOODLE TRAININGS & P.E. CLASS
TRAININGS
Remember about the obligatory trainings:
- Occupational Safety and Health training,
- Protection of intellectual property course,
- Library instruction.
Finish them via the Moodle online platform: www.moodle.uni.lodz.pl Access the platform with your @edu.uni.lodz.pl log in data. In case of questions please ask your Dean’s Office.
By failing any of these trainings you may fail your first semester!
The PE class (Polish: WF) at the UL is a 30-hour-long course with ECTS. Check your first semester timetable for PE classes – if so: sign-up via USOS. For questions, contact the Sports Centre office (ul. Styrska 5).
If you feel ill or unfit to do regular sports, you may, after consulting your doctor, sign up for low-energy sports, e.g.:
- Bridge
- Yoga
- Relaxation Activities
- Nordic Walking
Please contact the Sports Centre and ask how to sign up for low-energy sports.
USEFUL GLOSSARY
Polish words used at uni → English translation
Przedmiot → Course/ Module
Kierunek → Programme/ Field of Study
Wydział → Faculty/ Department/ School of…
Zajęcia → Classes/ Course
Zaliczenie → Credit/ Pass/ Completion
Niezaliczony → Uncredited/ Failed/ Incomplete
Sesja → Exam session/ Period
Wykładowca → (Academic) Teacher/ Lecturer
Dyżur → Office hours/ Feedback slots
Rok → Study year/ Class group of the same starter year
Important! Generally, classes can be either a practice or a lecture. Check carefully how each class is conducted!
|
Ćwiczenia:
|
Wykłady:
|
