POLAND has been a little behind the rest of Europe when it comes to attracting international students. But now, all that will change as Polish universities aim to more than double their student numbers between now and 2020, going from 46,000 to 100,000 in just four years.
The country’s new goal was announced at the beginning of this year, and will be set in motion with a 57.5 million Euro fund. The Polish government will be using this to develop more international programmes, courses taught in English, summer schools and internationally trained staff. A further 112 million EUR will go towards recruiting world-class academics from around the world with new doctoral and post-doctoral opportunities in Poland, making its universities ones to watch in terms of research and quality.
This is great news for any student who wants to gain an education overseas. Poland’s huge investment in higher education will mean there are more courses available, and more courses taught in a language more accessible than Polish. If you want to go to postgraduate study, which 80% of Poland’s students do, there will also be more funding for this. The new strategy will makestudying in Europe that much easier for everyone, boosting the appeal of an untapped and, most importantly, affordable study destination.
Why study in Poland?
Poland is already an appealing choice for students who want to save money on their education. As we covered in our article on up-and-coming European study destinations, tuition fees there are rarely over 3,600 EUR, and for EU students it’s relatively easy to access a Polish education through schemes like Erasmus+. A significant percentage of the population also speaks English, meaning you don't need to be a native Polish speaker to fit in. Studying in Poland is particularly popular for Ukrainian and Belarusian students, but Polish universities now want to look further afield to make their universities more international, both throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
Poland itself is a unique place to study, with some historic universities and cities that are quickly becoming some of the trendiest travel spots in Europe. Its largest cities, Krakow and Warsaw, are a fascinating mixture of old and new, with medieval architecture, Jewish quarters and relics of World War II. During term time Krakow hosts 200,000 students, so there are plenty of people to meet; the increasing number of bars, clubs and restaurants in city centres means there’s also plenty to do.
Low living costs are another feather that Poland has in its cap. Unlike Scandinavian countries, where tuition fees are similarly cheap, Poland’s students can live comfortably for around 280 EUR per week in the bustling city centre. That includes everything: accommodation, food, transport and bills. If you choose to live in a shared student dorm, it’s even cheaper. For students in countries whose fees have been raised like the UK and Sweden, studying in Poland could be an effective solution to save money.
