Study in Poland without IELTS in 2026

Many universities require students to present an English certification upon application, like the IELTS or TOEFL, just to mention a couple of them. It takes quite some time to prepare for those and they can be costly. An IELTS certificate usually costs around $225, it lasts only two years, and you should pass it right away. If that does not happen, you have to pay once again in order to retake it. Now, did you know that you could study in Poland without IELTS? If you did not, today is your lucky day. Want to study Business in Poland? Find which universities are the right ones for you.

University of Wroclaw

67 Reviews

Katarzyna

"I’m a graduate of the University of Wrocław. I studied geography for five years and..."

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Studying in Poland without IELTS

Student Visa Requirements

Before we dive into today’s topic, let’s have a look at the visa requirements. If you come from the EU, you have to legalize your stay in the Republic of Poland through registration. Students coming from outside the EU must obtain a visa from the Polish consulate in their resident country before arrival. They can also extend their stay by applying for a Temporary Stay Card 45 days before their visa expires.

English Proficiency TEST

Now that we covered the visa requirements, we can move on to something just as important: language certifications. In Poland, on the contrary of other countries, an IELTS or a TOEFL certification is not mandatory. However, proof of English knowledge is needed. So, how does that work? For a Master’s Degree in International Business taught in English at the University of Warsaw, for example, your knowledge of the English language can be certified by the following documents:

• TOEFL or IELTS;
• IB or EB diploma;
• Maturity Certificate, if passed in English;
• High School Diploma or Higher Education Diploma, if the language of instruction was English;
• English exam at the University of Warsaw passed with at least B2;
• Graduation diplomas in English Philology, Applied Linguistics (English), or English Teacher Training College.

However, if the candidate does not hold any of the above-mentioned documents, he or she can participate in the Central Foreign Language Proficiency Examination administered by the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching UW in cooperation with CKC UW (Digital Competence Centre UW). Further information can be found on the University of Warsaw website.

Universities in Poland

In the previous paragraphs, we only mentioned one of the many Polish universities and business schools. In fact, here’s a list of the top universities in Poland according to QS Top Universities:

• University of Wroclaw;
• Jagiellonian University;
• Warsaw University of Technology;
• Nicolaus Copernicus University;
• Wroclaw University of Economics;
• Vistula University.

Cost of Living in Poland

Life in Poland is below the European average, which is also why a growing number of students are choosing to study there. To work while studying, students must be enrolled in a University. They can work for up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time for three months during holidays. Students can also stay and work beyond graduation if they wish to do so, as long as their stay permit is in order. Moving on to accommodation options, one bedroom in a shared apartment in Warsaw can range between €150 and €300, depending on how big the room is and where the flat is located in the city. Student dorms are normally cheaper. For example, the monthly rent at one of the six dorms owned by the University of Warsaw ranges between €75 and €160. The cost changes according to the type of room.

University of Wroclaw

67 Reviews

Elena

"The University of Wroclaw is a crossroads of cultures and offers challenging exams that integrated..."

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Conclusion

Poland is one of the largest countries in the EU, with beautiful nature, starting with forests, mountains and lakes to beaches and deserts. It has a complicated history, its constitution was the second in the world, and its name means “people living in open fields”. If you’re interested in taking a look at some of the best business schools in Poland, take a look at this article. In conclusion, yes, there are a lot of things that can be learned about Poland, so we hope that you will now consider it as your next home abroad.

Also read: Where to study in Europe without IELTS.

Editor’s note: This article was first published on the 30th of September 2019. We’ve updated it for current readers.

North-West University

364 Reviews

Njabulo

5

"Studying at North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom has been an enriching and transformative experience that..."

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