Full-time studies

You should apply for a temporary residence permit if you wish to stay in Poland for a period exceeding 3 months and your primary purpose of stay is undertaking or continuation of full-time studies:

• in the higher education institution approved by the Minister of Interior, unless this institution is not subject to mandatory approval,
• or in the higher education institution, which is not subject to mandatory approval  for which no decision on the prohibition of accept the foreigners was issued,

provided that the circumstances justify your residence at the territory of the Republic of Poland for the period exceeding 3 months.

If you submit your application on time and it does not contain any formal deficiencies — or if you correct any deficiencies within the deadline indicated by us — your stay in Poland will remain legal from the date of effective submission via MOS until the decision in your case becomes final.

Before submitting your application, read our tips on completing the application forms

1. Go to mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl via login.gov.pl and create an account.
2. Read the requirements for the specific type of permit and purpose of stay, and gather all documents needed to complete the application in MOS.

3. Complete the application for a temporary residence permit by following the instructions displayed on the screen.
4. In the application, provide an email address where you will receive an access code to check the status of your case once your application has been registered by the Office.
5. You must attach a digital biometric photograph, scans/photos of all pages of your travel document, and confirmation of payment of the stamp duty fee.

6. Provide the university’s email address to which a message containing a link to the online form will be sent.

7.  You will receive a message confirming that the university has been invited to complete the appendix, and the university will receive a link allowing it to complete the form.

8. The university completes Appendix No. 5 to the application in MOS, signs it via login.gov.pl, and submits it in MOS. The appendix will be automatically added to your application.

9. After the university signs Appendix No. 5, you will receive an email notification. Your application is now complete and ready to be submitted.
10. Log in again to MOS to open the application and check whether it contains any errors. Sign the application using a Trusted Profile and submit it in the MOS system.
11. After submitting the application, download the Official Acknowledgement of Receipt (UPO), which confirms that your application has been submitted. Keep this document safe.

The next step will be an in-person appointment to submit your fingerprints. During the visit, you will also complete other documents required to obtain a stamp in your passport.

Learn how to submit fingerprints.
Learn how to track the status of your case.

• Online application completed in the Case Handling Module,

• Appendix No. 5 to the application in MOS, completed and signed by the University via login.gov.pl,

• 1 digital photograph,

• Scans/photos of all pages of a valid travel document (original available for inspection). In particularly justified cases, if you do not possess a valid travel document and are unable to obtain one, you may scan another document confirming your identity,

• confirmation of the payment of stamp duty. 

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  Documents required to be granted the residence permit:

  First year student

  If you are a first year student, the permit will be granted for the period of 15 months. If your studies in Poland do not exceed one year period, first residence permit will be granted for the period of an academic year or of studies, extended by 3 months. Below you will find a list of documents necessary to be granted a temporary residence permit for studying purpose:

  • Current certificate from university signed by the Rector or authorized person and presented on the up-to-date form (please find the example in the attachment),
  • An authorised copy of the evaluation card (when continueing studies on second semester)
  • Proof of payment of the tuition fees for the given academic year if you undertake or continue paid studies or proof of exemption from the tuition fees,
  • Proof of health insurance,
  • Confirmation of having sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay in Poland for at least 15 months period (after deducting the housing costs), return ticket to the country of origin and costs of studies (sufficient financial resources for students)
  • Declaration regarding housing costs (download here)*

  Please remember to submit all of the documents in original or in certified copy.

  *Declaration regarding housing costs does not apply to citizens of Belarus

  If you submitted your application before April 27th 2019, you perform work and you are a first-year student, the temporary residence permit for studying purpose will be denied.

  Subsequent-year student

  If you are a student of the subsequent year, temporary residence permit for studies will be granted for the period of studies, extended by 3 months however in any case not exceeding 3 years.

  Below you will find a list of documents necessary to be granted a temporary residence permit for studying purpose:

  • Current certificate from university signed by rector or authorized person and presented on the up-to-date form (please find the example in the attachment),
  • Authorised copies of the evaluation card
  • Proof of payment of the tuition fees for the given academic year if you undertake or continue paid studies or proof of exemption from the tuition fee,
  • Health insurance,
  • Confirmation of having sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay in Poland with the reference to the period of studies however not exceeding 3 years period (after deducting the housing costs), return ticket to the country of origin and costs of studies (sufficient finacial resources for students),
  • Declaration regarding housing costs (download here).*

  Please remember to submit all of the documents in original or in certified copy

  *Declaration regarding housing costs does not apply to citizens of Belarus

  Preparation course for full-time studies in Poland

  You will be granted the temporary residence permit for studying purpose if you are taking part in a preparation course for full-time studies in Poland. The permit will be granted for the period of the preparation course extended by 3 months.

  Below you will find a list of documents necessary to be granted a temporary residence permit for preparation course purpose:

  • Current certificate from university signed by the Rector or authorized person and presented on the up-to-date form (please find the example in the attachment),
  • Proof of payment of the tuition fees for the given academic year,
  • Proof of health insurance,
  • Confirmation of having sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay in Poland with the reference to the period of preparation course (after deducting the housing costs), return ticket to the country of origin and costs of studies (sufficient financial resources for students),
  • Declaration regarding housing costs (download here).*

  Please remember to submit all of the documents in original or in certified copy

  Attention! The country whose citizens taking a preparation course for full-time studies in Poland are granted a temporary residence permit for the purpose of studying, is the Republic of Belarus. Citizens of other countries should apply for a permit due to other circumstances, i.e. course (education) in Poland.

  *Declaration regarding housing costs does not apply to citizens of Belarus

  EU programme studies (e.g. Erasmus) or multilateral programme studies

  If you continue or complete studies taken up in the other EU Member State or if you are a student of EU programme/multilateral programme studies covering the mobility measures or an agreement between two or more higher education institutions providing for the intra-EU mobility, you will be granted the residence permit for 2 years if you are a first-year student or for the for the period of studies, extended by 3 months but not exceeding 3 years.

  Below you will find a list of documents necessary to be granted a temporary residence permit for studying purpose:

  • Current certificate from university signed by rector or authorized person and presented on the up-to-date form (please find the example in the attachment),
  • Authorised copies of the evaluation card
  • Proof of payment of the tuition fees for the given academic year,
  • Proof of health insurance,
  • Confirmation of having sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay in Poland (after deducting the housing costs), return ticket to the country of origin and costs of studies (sufficient financial resources for students),
  • Declaration regarding housing costs (download here).*

  Please remember to submit all of the documents in original or in certified copy

  *Declaration regarding housing costs does not apply to citizens of Belarus

Read our guide

After obtaining a permit, you can work in Poland without the need for a work permit.

 Temporary residence permit

It is your responsibility to inform the Governor who issued your permit, within 15 business days, of the cessation of the reason for granting the permit, e.g. about removing you off the student list, resigning from studies or changing universities.

The residence card is issued after you have received your decision with your permit.

Read more: How to receive a card