TOP 10 BEST REASONS TO CONSIDER STUDYING IN POLAND THIS YEAR

In the topic of "study abroad", European countries are mostly overlooked. Many see Europe as a tourist destination, not a place you go get a degree or settle in. Although, I must say, that mindset is changing nowadays. Having lived in Europe for years now, I can categorically attest to the beauty and serenity of living here. 

Among the most talked about countries in the Europe, Poland is rarely mentioned. I guess it's because people still think of it as a communist or third world European country. In-fact, I have seen people say they have never heard of Poland, some others think it's in Asia. Well, I can write without any doubt that Poland is now one of the most developed countries in Europe, the rate at which this place went from bottom of the barrel to being one of the most sought-after destinations for IT and other international companies should be acknowledged. 

Without further much-ado, here are some reasons to consider studying in Poland this year.

Piotrowska street in Lodz Poland BY Charming Toyin

IT IS AFFORDABLE

One of the major perks of studying in Poland is that you get to pay for your studies at an affordable price. In other words, you pay less for quality education. It is so surprising that many students would rather pay high, for the same quality teaching but in a more popular country. In Poland, tuition prices range from 1500-5000 Euros for international students and students from EU/EEA countries, pay no tuition at all or pay much less to study. 

The cost of living is also not very high, you can live off 600 Euros every month and be very comfortable, that's if you are not a lavish spender. 

IT IS CONDUCIVE 

Most Polish institutions are built in a serene and conducive environment. They are usually close to bus-stops, metro stations or tram stops. The public universities like University of Warsaw, University of Wroclaw etc contains bigger classrooms compared to private universities like Vistula University, Lazarki University, that contains mixture of both, but mostly smaller classrooms. They also have cafeterias and vending machines on each floors of the building. 

Physical health education and activities is a huge part of the Polish education system, so it is mandatory for every student to take part in sport or Gym classes. Of course, with the exception of students with health issues. If you are lucky enough, your school of choice can possess a radio and TV studio for creative students but if the school doesn't have one, the students are taken on school trips to Polish radio and TV stations to learn and test their skills and demeanour in a real life working studio. In addition, Polish universities, contain libraries, computer rooms, art rooms and architecture rooms. It all really depends on what programmes the school offers. 

 

YOU GET TO VISIT NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

Oh my favourite perk of all on the list is this one lol. As a huge travel enthusiast, it gave me great pleasure to discover that I could use my Polish visa and temporary residence card to travel to other countries within the EU and Schengen area. So far, I have travelled to five countries, namely, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Czech Republic and Belgium. Or six countries if we want to add Poland lol. This year, I plan on travelling to even more countries, did I hear someone say SPAIN--- wait, please, I'm comingggg.

 

IT IS ALL-EMBRACING AND MULTI NATIONAL

Poland has been welcoming and accommodating to foreigners and expats of different backgrounds and skin colour. There was a time you could rarely see or hear English speakers around you as Russian was the second major language but now, it's a different case. Apart from lots of English speakers, there are also large numbers of multi-national companies that are always on the look-out for people with multiple languages. In addition, you get to experience different cultures in Poland, as there are many Africans, Asians, Indians, Turks etc., living, studying or working here and they conventionally celebrate their festivals or cultural days. So, it doesn't matter what country you are from, you will always find someone that you connect with in Poland. Although, sometimes you need to look harder but eventually, you'll find someone.

YOU CAN WORK WHILE STUDYING

It is so great that the Polish government made working while studying easy for international students. If you come from a country that is not part of the EU/EEA, you are free to work for as long as you like while studying, as long as it does not negatively interfere with your studies. Furthermore, you do not need to apply for a separate work permit in order to get a job while studying, your Type D visa and subsequent temporary residence card already permits you to work.

 

TRANSPORTATION IS FANTASTIC 

This is another big perk for me, I have been to six European countries so far, and I can attest to the fact that Poland has one of the best transportation systems in Europe. I didn't know night bus was a thing until I got to Poland 😆. The buses usually arrive on time, except when there's a huge traffic or some road construction going on. There is an app to help you check the arrival times of the transports. It is called jakdojade.pl, you can also purchase your bus ticket on the app and validate it once you get into transport system. If you do not want to download the app, you can just use Google Maps, however, you cannot purchase the ticket on that. Apart from buses, there are trams, intercity trains, inter-country trains and numerous metro stations and I hear more is in the works. I always tell people, you do not really need to own a car in Poland, you have all accessible transport at your finger tips. The only con here is that the buses takes longer to arrive at night (that is 12:00, upward), but if you are too impatient or stressed out to wait for a bus at night, you can always grab a regular Taxi or an Uber, Taxify, Bolt and I think Free Now.

IT IS HISTORICAL

Poland is a country filled with lots of history, while some are sad, some are happy memories. If you are not aware, Poland was the main victim of the world war two(WWII) attack and at some point it was completely wiped out from the map. In fact, Warsaw, the capital city, was also completely destroyed and the ruins was used to re-build the new old town. But, due to the resilience and courage of Polish soldiers, they were able to get their country back. So, while Warsaw and some other cities like Katowice, Poznan etc were totally renovated with new building materials, some others, like Krakow etc remains intact, as they were not affected by the war. However, if you want to experience Polish history, there are many cities, museums you can visit that'll help you achieve that.

IT IS SAFE

Perhaps, one of the safest in Europe. I believe due to its little popularity and conservativeness, it is not looked upon as a place where chaos and evil would thrive. This is really good news for those of us living here, as we do not always have to look over our shoulders or worry about something bad suddenly happening. This doesn't permit you to be careless though, and this doesn't mean there are no bad/mean people here. I know the drunkards can be violent at times and there have been issues of violent racist attacks and cat callings but compared to other European countries, Poland has it easy security-wise. You are free to walk out alone at night and wear what you want but of course be vigilant of your surroundings.

IT HAS TOP RANK UNIVERSITIES

According to webometrics.info, Jagiellonian University in Krakow and University of Warsaw in Warsaw rank number 4 and 5 respectively on the list of best universities in Central Europe. While other universities like Warsaw university of technology and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan are also on the top 20 list. My point is, Poland possesses some of the best institutions for academic excellence. Ignore the cheap or affordable cost of tuition, just know that, if you study in Poland, you will be getting quality education. I know this, I experienced this, come and thank me later. Some good private universities I can vouch for are Kozminski University, Lazarki University, SWPS and Vistula University.

 

IT HAS A UNIQUE TEACHING STYLE

Polish universities make use of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Your assessment comprises of the combination of written/oral exam, graded credits, attendance credits. The highest grade point is 5%, unlike in many foreign countries that it is 100%. Most of the lecturers are PHD holders and highly experienced in their field. I also like that you are allowed to miss class twice for each classes in a semester and you also have direct access to your lecturers either via email or social media. 

Honourable Mention

OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FOR WORK AFTER STUDYING

Poland is one of the few countries that permits international students to look for a job after completing their studies. Not until recently, did the UK join the bandwagon. If you plan on settling in Poland and your temporary residence card expires towards the end of your studies, you are allowed to extend it by applying for a job-seeker permit. You get a chance to look for a job for one year and trust me, one year is enough to get a job in Poland as there are numerous employment opportunities.