Poland in Canada

Please be kindly advised that due to legal amendments introduced to Polish law as a result of the Act on the elimination of the irregularities in the visa system providing the reform of the national student visa system, effective as of July 1, 2025, a foreigner who does not hold a secondary school diploma or other equivalent document entitling them to apply for admission to study issued by educational institution in one of the following:

1. European Union Member States,
2. Member States of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),
3. Member States of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) - parties to the agreement on theEuropean Economic Area,
4. an IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma issued by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva, or
5. a certificate issued abroad by secondary schools or equivalent educational institutions recognized by the country on whose territory they operate, and recognized under the principles set out in relevant international agreements,

in order to apply for a student visa as of July 1, 2025 is obliged to:

• retrieve an additional document from National Agency for Academic Exchange (Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej) called “wrtitten information” to the effect that the high school diploma being in his/her possession entitles the person indicated in the diploma to study in Poland,
• the aforementioned written information document has to be submitted along with the application for a student visa as well as other required documents by foreign students admitted to the 1st year of study at the first degree studies or to the 1st year of study at the uniform master's studies.

Inability to present the document indicated above will result in refusal of the student visa.

Foreigners who already hold the administrative decision issued by the Education Superintendent on recognition of their high school diploma present it instead of the written information.

Consuls do not participate in the process of recognizing secondary school diplomas. They do not provide assistance in this regard, nor mediate between a foreigner and an university or National Agency for Academic Exchange in the transfer of documents.

For your convenience, please find enclosed the e-mail address of the National Agency for Academic Exchange which may be reached at: dyplom@nawa.gov.pl, as well as the link to their official website: Secondary school certificate - NAWA.