RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATES

NOTE: does not apply to eligibility to apply for admission to higher education

BY OPERATION OF LAW

Pursuant to Article 93 of the Act on the education system of 7 September 1991, secondary education in the Republic of Poland is confirmed by:

1. certificates and other documents issued by a school or educational institution operating within the education system of a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or a Member State of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area;
2. IB (International Baccalaureate) diplomas issued by the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva;
3. EB (European Baccalaureate) diplomas issued by European Schools in accordance with the Convention defining the Statute of the European Schools, drawn up in Luxembourg on 21 June 1994 (Journal of Laws of 2005, items 10 and 11).

RECOGNITION OR CONFIRMATION THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

As a result of administrative proceedings, the Education Superintendent may recognise a foreign school leaving certificate as a document confirming primary, lower secondary, basic vocational and secondary education or the right to continue education, excluding the right to apply for admission to first-cycle or uniform master's degree programmes, taking into account the scope of rights in the country where the certificate or other document was issued.

If the submission of the original or duplicate of the school leaving certificate or other document, or the authentication of that certificate or other document, encounters obstacles that are difficult to overcome for a person who:

1. has been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection or who holds a temporary residence permit granted in connection with the circumstances referred to in Article 159(1)(1)(c) or (d) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners, or
2. has obtained this certificate or other document in a country which has terminated an international agreement with the Republic of Poland on the mutual recognition of such certificates or other documents issued abroad, or
3. has suffered as a result of armed conflicts, natural disasters or other humanitarian crises caused by nature or man

- the education obtained by that person abroad or the qualifications held by that person to continue their education obtained abroad, with the exception of the right to apply for admission to first-cycle studies or uniform master's studies, may be confirmed in the Republic of Poland by way of an administrative decision as primary, lower secondary, basic vocational, basic trade, secondary trade and secondary education or the right to continue education in the Republic of Poland.

The proceedings are conducted by the Education Superintendent responsible for the applicant's place of residence or, if the applicant does not have a permanent address in Poland, by the Education Superintendent responsible for the location of the institution where the applicant intends to submit the certificate or other document issued abroad.

The addresses of the Education Superintendents can be found on the website of the Ministry of National Education: Education Superintendents  

RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATES
FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

NOTE: this applies to the recognition of diplomas and school leaving certificates for the purpose of applying for admission to first-cycle or long-cycle Master's degree programmes.

From 1 July 2025, the Director of the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) is responsible for issuing information about certificates or other documents confirming eligibility to apply for admission to first-cycle or long-cycle Master's degree programmes.

Detailed information on the procedure for the recognition of documents for the purpose of applying for admission to first-cycle and long-cycle Master's degree programmes can be found at: Recognition for adacemic purposes - NAWA

The Minister responsible for higher education and science supervises the activities of NAWA.