PolandStudy residence permit

Study residence permit in Poland

A temporary residence permit for foreign nationals admitted to full-time higher education programmes or doctoral schools at accredited institutions. It requires proof of financial means, health insurance and documents on enrolment. Holders may work without a separate work permit, which makes it easier to combine study and earnings. It applies to citizens of all countries without exception.

Source: gov.pl — Studia i absolwenci

Two routes: the first year and renewal

Different terms and conditions apply to first-year students and to those continuing their studies.

First-year student

The first permit runs for exactly 15 months
You confirm financial means for the whole period (tuition + accommodation + travel)
The decision is taken by the office in your own region

On renewal (second year onwards)

The permit is issued for the period of study plus three months, but for no longer than three years
The requirements on funds are recalculated for each academic year
Three years is the maximum overall duration of the permit

When this programme will not suit you

You plan to study part-time

Apply on the basis of 'other circumstances' (nauka) — a separate category with different requirements

You have already finished your studies and are looking for work

Graduates are given a separate nine-month job-search arrangement; to take up employment you need to move to a work permit

What it costs

State fee for examining the applicationPaid when the application is filed; not refunded even if it is refused	340 PLN
Residence card (on a positive decision)Paid after a positive decision, when the card is collected	50 PLN
Proof of financial means (701 PLN a month)701 PLN × 15 months; an account statement is required as at the date the application is filed	10 515 PLN
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	10 905 PLN

Paid separately

Consular fee for issuing the visa — A passport is not required, but a valid travel document is compulsory; visa fees do not form part of this programme

Documents to gather

The application is filed in two copies. All documents in a foreign language require a certified translation into Polish. The passport is copied in full — every page, including blank ones.

The application in 2 copies in Polish (the office provides ready-made forms)
Four colour photographs measuring 45×35 mm, taken no more than 6 months before filing
A valid travel document (passport) with copies of every page (including blank pages and those with stamps)
A certificate from the university on the terms of enrolment or on continuation of full-time study; for doctoral candidates — a certificate from the doctoral school
A receipt for payment of tuition for the current academic year
A health insurance policy (foreign or Polish)
A document confirming accommodation: a tenancy agreement, a certificate of ownership, a certificate from the hall of residence or a letter from the landlord
An account statement showing at least 701 PLN × 15 months + the cost of tuition + the return journey (as at the date the application is filed)
Where necessary: certified translations into Polish of all documents in foreign languages

How the process runs

The process starts with gathering the documents and ends with a personal visit to the office to collect the residence card.

1
Preparing the documents and obtaining certificates
2-4 weeks
Gather all the required documents: the university certificate, the bank statement, the insurance and proof of accommodation. Send foreign documents for certified translation in Poland. Make sure the passport is valid for the whole period of study (at least 15 months from the date of filing).
2
Filing the application at the regional office (Urząd Wojewódzki)
by the last day of lawful stay in Poland
File the application in person or by post (registered letter) at the office for your region. If you file in person, pay 340 PLN for the examination. Check that the package is complete — an incomplete application will halt the process.
3
Checking that the documents are complete
several days
The office checks that everything has been attached. If anything is missing, they will send a letter requiring you to supply it within a set period. The reply may be sent by post or brought in person.
4
Examination and checks (including requests to the police, the Border Guard and counter-intelligence)
depends on the circumstances; may be 30-60 days on top of the administrative timetable
The office may request information from the National Police, the Border Guard or the Internal Security Agency (ABW). Those bodies reply within 30 days, sometimes up to 60 days. The clock starts again if further clarification is needed.
5
Receiving the decision (pozytywne or negatywne)
once the checks are complete
The office issues a written decision (uchwała wojewody). If it is positive, you go to collect the residence card. If it is negative, you have 14 days to lodge an appeal with the Head of the Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (Office for Foreigners).
6
Collecting the residence card (mieszkańca)
a personal visit to the office
Attend the registration office in person with the positive decision and pay 50 PLN for the card. The card takes several days to prepare. It carries the note 'dostęp do rynku pracy', which means you may work without a separate permit.

Timelines and rights

Validity

The first permit for a first-year student is 15 months. Subsequent permits cover the period of study plus 3 months, but no longer than 3 years.

Work

The residence card carries the note «dostęp do rynku pracy» — work without a separate work permit.

Residence

There is no minimum residence requirement, but there is a trap in the counting. Years on a study permit count towards the 5 years for EU resident status only at half rate, and part-time study does not count at all.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Study residence permit	Karta pobytu	Blue Card
Visa term	The first permit for a first-year student is 15 months	Karta czasowego for 1-3 years, renewable; karta stałego is open-ended (the card is replaced every 10 years)	Up to 3 years (the term of employment plus 3 months), renewable
Money	For maintenance: 701 zł × 15 months = 10,515 zł as the minimum balance in the account	Salary not below the minimum wage; funds for living costs and accommodation; for business — income	Salary not below 150% of the average annual salary in Poland (indexed by GUS)
Work	The residence card carries the note «dostęp do rynku pracy» — work without a separate work permit	On a card issued on employment grounds — with the named employer; permanent residence — full access	Yes, in the highly qualified occupation with the employer
Residence	There is no minimum residence requirement, but there is a trap in the counting	For permanent residence: absences of no more than about 6 months in a row / 10 months over 5 years	Intention to stay for longer than 3 months

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

There is no direct route, and the arithmetic works against you: to accumulate 5 years through study alone you would have to study for 10 — only half is counted. It is quicker to move to a work or business permit.

Route to citizenship

First permanent residence or EU long-term resident status, then 3 years on it — and an application for recognition as a citizen. A Polish B1 certificate is compulsory.

Frequently asked questions about Study residence permit

Can I work while holding this type of permit?

Yes, fully. The residence card carries the note «dostęp do rynku pracy» (access to the labour market), which means you may work in Poland without a separate work permit. This applies to students from all countries just as it does to Polish citizens.

What sums must I have in my account when I file the application?

At least 701 PLN for each month for which you are applying. For the first permit (15 months) that is 10,515 PLN. Add to that the full amount of tuition for the academic year and the approximate cost of the return journey (200–2,500 PLN depending on the country). All these sums must be visible on the account statement as at the date the application is filed.

What happens after I finish my studies? Will I be able to stay and look for work?

Graduates are issued with a special nine-month permit to look for work or to start their own business. Note, however, that this permit does not in itself confer the right to work. If you have graduated from a Polish full-time university course, you do not need a separate permit to work in your field. All other graduates must obtain a standard work permit.

How long does it take for the application to be examined?

The time taken depends on the Code of Administrative Procedure and on the circumstances of your case. The office may request additional information from the National Police, the Border Guard or counter-intelligence — they reply within 30 days, sometimes up to 60 days. The exact timeline cannot be predicted in advance, but complete and correct documents speed up the process.

What should I do if the application is refused?

You have exactly 14 days from receiving the refusal to lodge an appeal (odwołanie) with the Head of the Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (Office for Foreigners), through the regional office where you filed the application. The appeal is examined afresh from the beginning.

What does the 701 PLN a month cover? Is it only accommodation?

No, this is '701 PLN for maintenance in Poland' — that is, living costs: food, transport, utilities, medicines, clothing and so on. For this permit you separately need: proof of payment of tuition for the year (whatever the amount), the cost of accommodation (proof of a tenancy or a certificate of ownership of a flat) and the sum for the return journey. All of this together must be visible in your account.

Other ways to move to Poland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Poland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.