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**POLAND -- DATA SHEET**

**Mobility statistics:** According to Open Doors 2006 Poland with 3.020
Polish students in US universities/colleges ranks on the 3^rd^ place in
Europe for total increase of students and has a 5.6% growth as compared
to 2005. 59.6% of students are Undergraduates, 31.2% - Graduates and
9.5% are other students.

  ---------- ------------------------ ------------- --------------- ----------------
  **Rank**   **Country of origin**    **2004/05**   **2005/2006**   **Total
                                                                    increase**

  1          Serbia and Montenegro    391           971             580

  2          Germany                  8.640         8.829           189

  **3**      **Poland**               **2.861**     **3.020**       **159**

  4          Ireland                  976           1.100           124

  5          Sweden                   3.106         3.212           106
  ---------- ------------------------ ------------- --------------- ----------------

Polish students study in 604 US universities/colleges all over United
States

the most popular destinations according to Open Doors 2006.

+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| **Rank** | **State**           | **Students     | **\# of           |
|          |                     | \#**           | colleges/**       |
|          |                     |                |                   |
|          |                     |                | **universities**  |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 1\.      | New York            | 355            | 63                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 2\.      | Illinois            | 266            | 34                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 3\.      | Michigan            | 199            | 26                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 4\.      | California          | 196            | 55                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 5\.      | Massachusetts       | 149            | 31                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 6\.      | New Jersey          | 130            | 18                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 7\.      | Connecticut         | 116            | 13                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 8\.      | Florida             | 116            | 32                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 9\.      | Texas               | 96             | 29                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 10\.     | Pennsylvania        | 92             | 31                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 11\.     | Ohio                | 72             | 22                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+
| 12\.     | Virginia            | 70             | 10                |
+----------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------+

**Type and number of students I advise:**

E-mail/total and walk inns are **12,685** students during **2005/2006**
academic year

Outreach/college fair: **2,850**

Web visitors: **41,070.**

**Types of questions** (there is no 100% total, because they ask various
types of questions): scholarships -- 95%, Exams - 90% , Field of study -
80%, Visas - 45 %, successful application -- 70 %

**Undergraduate students** -- about 55% of all contacts.

**Favorite undergraduate majors**: Business Administration, Political
Science, Media/Communication, Computer Science, Biotechnology,
Microbiology, Fine Arts, Music, Physics. Above 30% of Undergraduate
students begin their education in Community Colleges.

**Graduate students** **usually choose**: Masters or PhD programs. in
Political Science, Psychology, Computer Science, Biotechnology,
Microbiology, Media/Communication. MBA programs are less popular in
Poland now than 5 years ago. There are also special and short term study
applicants for Intensive English Programs. 95% of visitors look for
extensive financial aid. It is visible that the number of advisees who
can finance their studies in the USA is growing every year.

**Advising Center Profile:**

Advising Center at the Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission is operating
Monday-Friday 9:30-17:00 as one of 400 State Department supported
information offices on study USA. It is one adviser office that provides
unbiased information on the system of higher education, study
opportunities, application procedures, financial aid standardized tests.
Both individual and group advising are available. Students usually call
the office or e-mail their questions and make appointments to learn all
they should know before they apply to US institutions of higher
education. Adviser organizes over 20 outreach sessions a year in major
Polish high schools/universities/colleges in collaboration with partner
universities and local authorities, College fair professionals in
collaboration with American Embassy and Consulate General.

Our center library is well equipped with hard copies of directories and
individual view books and electronic devices that we provide to the
students.

Adviser facilitates recruiting in Poland for all interested
representatives of US universities/colleges. Adviser writes articles and
gives interviews to media.

Local educational authorities and public administration as well as media
are continuously

informed on study opportunities and all what concerns higher education
and academic

exchange between Poland and the United States.

**Higher Education System in Poland.**

[Former system of higher education:]{.underline} Until 1990 only public
HE institutions offered uniform 5 or 6 year studies, on graduation
issued ***Dyplom Magistra*** in a given discipline. In technical
disciplines the title of Engineer was given after 4 year studies. In
professional fields like medicine, a title of ***lekarz medycyny*** or
in dentistry ***lekarz dentysta*.** All HE institutions were supervised
and centrally administered by the Ministry of Science and Higher
Education. Military Schools, Fine Art and Medical Schools have been
supervised by appropriate Ministries (Departments).The autonomy of HE
institutions was more than limited. No credit system. Grading scale from
5 to 2 where 5 was the highest grade.

[Current system:]{.underline} Poland has 1,845,400 students and 71,6%
(1,320,800) in public HE institutions and 28,4% (524,600) at the private
ones. Entrance conditions for the HE institution is Maturity Certificate
-- a secondary education final examination diploma.

In 1990 The Higher Education Law opened a door to private institutions
of HE. Public HE also started to charge tuition fee from [evening and
part time]{.underline} students. Day time students do not pay tuition at
the public HE.

In 1997 Higher Vocational Schools both public and private were
established.

In 2005 New Higher Education Act introduces universal and equal access
to education and the right to study. It also defines principles of
autonomy of HEI and regulatory functions of the Minister of Science and
Higher Education who consults Council of Higher Education, Conference of
Rectors of Academic Schools or State Accreditation Committee.

**[Bologna process implementation will be continued as strategic point
of the reform:]{.underline}**

-   **from** 2005 obligatory **[two-cycle degree system]{.underline}**:
    3 year -- bachelor's (***Licencjat***) degree, and 2 -- year
    complementary master's degree (***Magister**)* in 100 fields of
    study. Only six fields of study, i.e.: medicine, veterinary
    medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, psychology and law will last for 5 or
    6 year and give masters degree.

-   **[Third cycle of the studies]{.underline}** -- new regulations,
    doctoral programs can be full time or part time now

-   **[ECTS]{.underline}** points and [**Diploma
    Supplement**]{.underline} are obligatory in all HEI in Poland

> and it improved [student mobility]{.underline} factor -- the number of
> Polish students in EU countries under Socrates/Erasmus program is
> growing

-   **quality assurance** -- **State Accreditation Committee** makes
    assessment and gives accreditation to HEI. All HEI are subject to
    accreditation.

-   [E**NIC/NARIC**]{.underline} Office of Recognition of Foreign
    Diplomas and Credentials -- the office

> informs about legal acts under which foreign diplomas and credentials
> and qualifications are recognized
>
> **[Future plans:]{.underline}**

-   life-long education system for all citizens by 2010

-   teacher's education/ upgrading status of academic teacher

> \- intensifying student mobility/internationalization of higher
> education

-   upgrading education quality

-   more places for foreign students -- more programs with English as
    the language of instruction

-   introduction of new labor market oriented fields of study

-   more HE institutions cooperation with private and public economic
    sector

> **Academic calendar:**
>
> **1^st^ October --** beginning of the academic year
>
> **1^st^ October -- 15^th^ of January -** Fall semester
>
> **1^st^ February -- 30^th^ June -** Spring semester
>
> **30^th^ of June -** End of the academic year
>
> **30^th^ June -- 1^st^ October --** summer vacation
>
> **15^th^ January -- 1^st^ of February --** winter break
>
> **[Useful vocabulary]{.underline}**
>
> **Matura --** Secondary Education Final Examination
>
> **Egzamin --** examination
>
> **ECTS --** European Credit Transfer Points
>
> **Dyplom --** diploma
>
> **Zalacznik do dyplomu --** Diploma Supplement
>
> **Dyplom Licencjata --** 3 year Bachelor's Degree
>
> **Dyplom Magistra --** 5 year uniform program of studies
>
> **Dyplom Doktora Filozofii -** PhD
>
> **Państwowa Komisja Akredytacyjna --** State Accreditation Committee
>
> **Akredytacja --** accreditation
>
> **Szkoła podstawowa --** primary school
>
> **Liceum ogólnoksztalcące --** high school
>
> **Sesja egzaminacyjna --** examination session
>
> **Student --** student
>
> **Rector --** President of the University
>
> **Rectorat --** Rector's office
>
> **Dziekan --** dean
>
> **Professor --** professor
>
> [**Skala ocen --** scale of grades --]{.underline}
>
> 5 -- ***bardzo dobry** -* A Very Good (Excellent),
>
> 4- ***dobry*** -- B Good,
>
> 3 ***dostateczny*** - 3 sufficient ,
>
> 2 - ***niedostateczny*** -- failure
>
> **Uniwersytet** -- University
>
> **Kolegium Nauczycielskie** -- teacher's college (usually 3 yr program
> for the teachers of foreign languages)
>
> **Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa** -- Vocational Institution of Higher
> Education
>
> **Akademia Ekonomiczna** -- University of Economics
>
> **Akademia Medyczna** -- School of Medicine
>
> **Akademia Sztuk Pięknych** -- University of Fine Arts
>
> **Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego** -- University of Physical Training
>
> **Useful links:**
>
> **[www.buwiwm.edu.pl](http://www.buwiwm.edu.pl/)**
>
> **[www.mnisw.gov.pl](http://www.mnisw.gov.pl/)**

**[www.poland.pl](http://www.poland.pl/)**

**[www.paiz.pl](http://www.paiz.pl/)**

[**www.fulbright.edu.pl**](http://www.fulbright.edu.pl/)

**Ola Augustyniak**

**Educational Adviser**

**Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission**

**ul. Nowy Swiat 4**

**00-497 Warsaw, Poland**

**Tel.+48-22 628 7950**

**Fax:+48-22 628 7943**

[**www.fulbright.edu.pl**](http://www.fulbright.edu.pl/)

**E-mail: <ola.augustyniak@fulbright.edu.pl>**

 

 

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