Poland is a coastal country situated in Central Europe, bordering Baltic Sea. It can trace its history back over 1,000 years, and today is home to almost 40 million people. Its rich history is reflected in its cultural diversity, with many world-class museums, art galleries, and theatres. For this reason, it is also one of the most visited countries in the world, with over 16 million tourists arriving each year to take in the culture, as well as the beautiful scenery of both the coastal and inland regions.

In total, there are 12 medical universities in Poland that provide medical education in English which, between them, admit over 1,300 students each year. All 12 of the universities offer 6-year undergraduate programmes for school leavers, while six of them also offer 4-year graduate entry programmes for students who have previously studied degrees in a relevant field. Fees are around 11,000 EUROS/year (though many of the universities charge their fees in Polish Zloty, the national currency of Poland).

Courses

Each of the Polish medical schools offers a 6-year programme, but the nature of these courses varies from institution to institution. Some, such as Wroclaw Medical University, require students to attend summer placements in the clinical environment, providing hands-on training to students even in the early years. Others, such as the Medical University of Silesia, place a greater emphasis on the preclinical sciences in the early years, providing a solid foundation of knowledge on which clinical expertise is built.

As well as offering 6-year programmes to undergraduate applicants, six of the Polish medical schools also offer a 4-year programme to graduate applicants. These allow students who have already gained a high level of scientific knowledge from previous degrees to enter the clinical part of the course more quickly, reducing the length and cost of the course. 

Academic requirements

Each university has different academic requirements. Some, such as the Pomeranian Medical University, have no minimum grades beneath which an applicant will not be considered, but still, use the grades achieved when selecting students for admission. Others, such as the Medical University of Silesia, rank students based on their performance on an internal admissions exam. As a rule, the schools do not have minimum grades but many do set subject prerequisites (e.g. Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), and several utilise internal admissions exams in the ranking of their students.

Admissions exams

For the undergraduate programmes, all but 3 of the schools require their students to sit an internal entrance exam. These exams are set but each individual school and vary in their nature, length, and location. They are designed to standardize the admission process, allowing applicants from all countries the same chance of entering onto the course.