Poland, admittedly, is not the first place most people think of when they consider studying in Europe.
The problem is twofold: Its European neighbors, like Germany and France, are much more glamorous; and the toll the 20th Century took on Poland is still rather fresh in the collective memory of the western world. But the truth is that Poland is a country on the up-swing: Its economy is strong, its people are famously friendly and hard-working, and its government is not only stable but strong.
Add to this a natural landscape as beautiful as any in Eastern Europe, bustling cities and charming rural areas, and a history that is both fascinating and more relevant today that ever before, and you have a country that is perfect for students looking for a foreign adventure as well as an excellent education.
These days, students from all over Europe are drawn to Poland, and this phenomenon is beginning to manifest itself with non-Europeans, too. In fact, studying in Poland is likely to be as international an experience as it is a Polish one. This, of course, is the nature of Poland today, and a country as exciting and promising as this one is sure to continue to improve and grow in the coming years. And as a student, there can be nothing more exciting than to be a part of this growth.
There are no limits in today’s Poland. Experience it for yourself.
Popular Places to Study in Poland
- Warsaw
- Łódź
- Krakow
- Wrocław
- Poznan
- Gdańsk
- Szczecin
- Bydgoszcz
- Lublin
- Katowice
- Bialystok
- Gdynia
About Poland
The history of Poland is both long and fascinating: “Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty. Poland’s first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I, was baptized in 966, adopting Catholic Christianity as the country’s new official religion, to which the bulk of the population converted in the course of the next century”. The country didn’t stay united for long, however, and over the course of the next 1,000 years, Poland was a land ravaged by various conquering groups. Occasionally, however, Poland found itself enjoying peaceful times, and when it did, such as during its so-called Golden Age in the 16th Century, its artistic and cultural contributions to Europe were unrivaled. The horrors of the 20th Century, of course, always seemed to find their way to Poland, but today, it is not only a free country, but a prosperous one, as well.
Where to Study
Students and visitors alike tend to find themselves torn between spending their time in the cities and in the countryside. Poland’s most famous urban areas are Krakow and Warsaw, which today are experiencing popularity greater than any they have ever had. And with good reason.
Krakow “has traditionally been one of the leading scientific, cultural, and artistic centres of the country. It was once the national capital and is considered by many to still be the heart of Poland, due to its history of more than a thousand years. Krakow is also a major centre of local and international tourism, with more than two million visitors annually”. Those visitors enjoy world-class museums, breathtaking architecture, exciting street-life, and a hustle and bustle much like that of most major urban centers in the Western world.
And Warsaw “is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. The investment boom is visible everywhere you look. The city has become one big construction and renovation site. The office and commercial buildings commissioned in the recent years accommodate hundreds of businesses, research institutions, banks, and international organisations. Scores of new ones are going up in Warsaw, and the demand for high-class office space is still enormous. Keys have been handed to thousands of new flats and luxury apartments. The underground line is currently being extended, and the construction of waste treatment plants is in progress. Each year sees the opening of new hypermarkets and shopping centres. Industrial facilities in the automotive, electronics, and food-processing sectors have been undergoing refurbishment”.
Travel and Free Time Activities
Outside the cities, Poland is breathtakingly beautiful. “There are 23 national parks in Poland. They protect the charm and natural uniqueness of areas by the sea and lakes, and also the invaluable primaeval forests, the river estuaries unlike anything else in Europe, the chalk cliffs and limestone caves, and the mountains”. The Tatra Mountains in the south are every bit as awe-inspiring as the more famous Alps, the culture of the countryside is both charming and fascinating for those who are unfamiliar with it, and the extent of the natural beauty of the landscapes is nothing short of gorgeous.