Documents

These documents have to be printed out from candidate’s IRK account and signed. Scans of signed printouts have to be attached in Enrollment applications section – ‘Enclosure of the scanned documents’.

• An application form;
• A statement on the delivery of letters in electronic form;
• Optional – a declaration of parents/legal guardians in respect of minors undertaking studies at the University of Opole (to be signed if a candidate is underage while applying for studies);

In case of application to first (BA) or long-cycle (MA) studies – the original of secondary school (maturity) certificate or another document (with a full list of final grades), entitling to undertake university-level study in country in which the certificate / document was issued.

In case of application to second-cycle (MA) studies – the higher education diploma (MA, BA, engineer diploma or equivalent) with a full list of grades obtained during the course of study, entitling to continue university-level study in country in which the diploma was issued.

This document is only required in case of applications for BA and long-cycle (MA) programmes.

Candidates for undergraduate programmes should submit an eligibility letter, issued by the appropriate authority in a particular country (e.g. Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in some particular cases schools).

The eligibility letter should confirm the candidate’s right to pursue higher education in their country of origin.

The document should consist of the following information: the candidate’s full name and surname, the candidate’s passport number, date of birth, the number/series of the secondary school leaving certificate, the country where the document was issued and its purpose (i.e. the applicant’s right to apply for admission to higher education in the country of issue).

The document is obligatory for the process of recognition of education obtained abroad, conducted in Poland by Education Superintendent, however the admission committee might also require the document in the case there are doubts regarding the candidate’s right to enroll into university.

The above-mentioned procedure is not implemented in case of documents issued in: Australia, Austria, Belarus (until 3.11.2023), Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, United Kingdom.

In addition to the above-mentioned countries, the following documents are recognised by law:

– IB (International Baccalaureate) diplomas, issued by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva;
– EB (European Baccalaureate) diplomas awarded by the European Schools in accordance with the Convention defining the Statute of the European Schools, drawn up in Luxembourg, on 21 June 1994 (Dz. U. z 2005 r. Nr 3, poz. 10) [Polish Journal of Laws of 2005, No. 3, item 10].

You must have your high school certificate/diploma legalised (authorised) and recognised in Poland.

Legalization / Apostille is the official confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp on a public document is genuine.

Apostille

If a country in which a given document was issued is a party to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded in The Hague, 5 October 1961, the document’s legalisation is replaced by an Apostille certificate attached to it. The list of countries – parties to the Convention and the institutions authorised to issue the Apostille is available here.

Legalization needs to be made in the case of documents issued in states that are not parties to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.

The legalization is done by the consul of the Republic of Poland having jurisdiction with respect to the state in the territory of which, or in the education system of which the given certificate was issued.

Recognition of documents

Recognition of documents for BA or long-cycle (MA) programmes:

Foreign school certificates, diplomas or other educational documents may be recognized in Poland automatically or as a result of an administrative recognition procedure done by a province education superintendent.

Automatic recognition

Certificates, diplomas or other educational documents that confirm the completion of secondary education in the European Union, European Economic Area (EEA) or OECD member states as well as the right to apply for higher education programs in the country of issue shall be recognized in Poland by operation of law (i.e. automatically). The recognition by operation of law (automatic recognition) means that the owners of certificates, diplomas or other documents that are recognized in Poland by operation of law may be filed directly with a university, HE institution or employer without being asked by a Polish authority for an additional recognition confirmation or proceedings.

Recognition proceedings by province education superintendents (legalization)

Legalization needs to be done in case of documents issued in states that are not parties to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. Legalization is done by the consul of the Republic of Poland having jurisdiction with respect to the state in the territory of which, or in the education system of which the given certificate was issued.

Recognition of documents for second-cycle (MA) programmes

Your BA degree gives access to second cycle programmes if it fulfills at least one of the below listed criteria:

• gives access to second cycle programmes in the country where it was obtained;
• confirms completion of a joint programme provided by foreign higher education institutions and gives access to second cycle programmes in at least one of the country in the education of which it was provided;
• is recognised on the basis of an international agreement.

If your diploma fulfills at least one of the above listed criteria, your diploma is recognized automatically (applies only for candidates for second cycle studies). For more information, check NAWA website.

Non-legalized documents will not be accepted.

Original cerified translations into Polish language (or English language if a candidate undertakes studies provided in English) of all the documents listed issued in a language other than English/Polish.

Please note! If you school certificate needs to be recognized by province education superintendents, it should be translated to Polish!

List of documents certifying the knowledge of English (for English language study programs) is available here.

List of documents certifying the knowledge of Polish (for study programs conducted in Polish) is available here.

If the candidate does not have an English/Polish language certificate or diploma, an oral online exam is scheduled.