Education in Poland: school stages, the Matura and university entry

In short

Education in Poland is set by the Ministry of Education, and the national school-leaving exam, the Matura (egzamin maturalny), is prepared by the Central Examination Board (CKE) and carried out through regional examination boards. Schooling is compulsory, and most children begin primary school at about the age of seven after a preparatory year at age six. Most students who want a place at a university take the Matura at about nineteen and apply directly to the universities they choose. Vocational schools and further training are a well-used second route.

School stages

1. Pre-school and preparatory year: Children attend a year of preparation for school at age six, usually in a kindergarten or a school.
2. Primary school: Eight years, in two cycles. Pupils study Polish, mathematics, a foreign language, history, science and arts subjects, and at the end they sit a national exam for pupils finishing year eight in Polish, mathematics and a foreign language.
3. Upper secondary school: Pupils choose between a four-year general school (liceum), a five-year technical school (technikum) that adds a vocational qualification, and a branch vocational school with a shorter course that leads to work or further training.
4. Matura year: Students in the liceum and technikum prepare for the Matura in their final year.

The Matura and grading

The Matura is the main school-leaving exam and is the basis for most university applications. Every student must sit written exams in Polish, mathematics and a modern foreign language, and must also take at least one written exam in an additional subject at the extended level. Additional subjects are chosen from a list that includes history, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, a second language, computer science and the arts and humanities. The compulsory subjects are taken at the basic level, and mathematics, Polish and the foreign language can also be taken at the extended level for university courses that ask for it. Oral exams in Polish and the foreign language are held at school.

The papers are written and marked under the supervision of the Central Examination Board, using common criteria across the country. Scores in each subject are reported as results on a scale, not as letter grades, and a candidate must reach a minimum result in each compulsory subject to pass. The results are issued in summer, and graduates receive a certificate of maturity that records every subject and level. A student who fails one subject may retake it, and a retake can be taken in later years.

University entry

There is no single national application system. Each university or college publishes its own recruitment rules and runs its own online registration. Most courses calculate a score for each applicant from the Matura results in the subjects the course specifies, and the level of the subject matters, so an extended-level result generally counts for more than a basic-level one. Some courses add an additional test, a portfolio, a practical test or an interview, for example in art, music, architecture or physical education. Applicants should read the recruitment page of each university carefully, because the required subjects and the dates differ from course to course.

Higher education has a two-stage structure. A first-cycle degree, called licencjat or inzynier, takes about three to four years. A second-cycle master's degree follows, and some fields, such as medicine, law and pharmacy, offer a single long master's programme. Public universities usually teach full-time courses in Polish free of tuition for those who qualify, and offer some programmes in English for which fees apply.

Vocational and further education

Students from branch vocational schools and technical schools can obtain vocational qualifications, and technical-school students who pass the Matura can go on to higher education. Post-secondary schools offer one- to two-and-a-half-year programmes in many occupational fields. Employers often cooperate with schools on training and apprenticeships, and adults can obtain qualifications in vocational training centres.

Studying in Poland as an international student

Students from outside Poland who plan to study at a Polish university usually need to show a recognised school-leaving qualification and, for courses taught in Polish, a certificate of Polish language skills. For courses in English, universities ask for proof of English. Rules differ between universities, so always check the course page and the international office of the university where you want to study.

Practising on GetMyMockTest

These are practice questions we wrote for study. They are not the official exams, and we do not claim they match an exam's current format. Free practice for Poland:

• Matura: mathematics, Polish language and literature, and the history of Poland, with timed tests and flashcards.
• Eighth-grade exam (egzamin osmoklasisty): mathematics, Polish language and English at the end of primary school, with timed tests and flashcards.
• Polish general knowledge: history and politics, geography and nature, and science, arts and culture.
• IELTS, Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma: international exams that many Polish students and international applicants also take.