Recognition/nostrification is the process of recognizing a foreign certificate as equivalent to a Polish one. If your high school diploma was issued outside of Poland, you may need to have it officially recognized by an educational authority in Poland. This confirms that your certificate meets the necessary standards for further studies.
In most cases, recognition is handled by the Polish Agency for Academic Exchange. However, some diplomas are recognised automatically. Process of recognition applies to candidates for Bachelor and Master studies.
Legal basis: the Act of 4 April 2025 (Ustawa o zmianie niektórych ustaw w celu wyeliminowania nieprawidłowości w systemie wizowym Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej)
Countries (origin of certificate) that do not need to recognise certificates
You do not need to go through the recognition process if your certificate was issued by:
- certificates or other documents issued by schools operating in educational systems of EU, OECD or EFTA members, which allow access to higher education institutions in those countries (at present:Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA).
- IB diplomas (International Baccalaureate) issued by International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva
- EB diplomas (European Baccalaureate) issued by European Schools in accordance with the Convention drawn up in Luxembourg on 21 June 1994;
- certificates issued in countries with which Poland has signed bilateral agreements concerning the recognition of education (certificates issued under the agreements which expired will still be recognized on the basis of those agreements) - check list of agreements
List of secondary school certificates recognised automatically: NAWA WEBSITE
Procedure for Bachelor candidates, from 1.07.2025
Information on the NAWA website: visit.
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To obtain a recognition statement on a foreign secondary school certificate:
- read the instructions given in the SYRENA - User Manual below, before submitting the application,
*SYRENA - User Manual -Secondary school certificate
*SYRENA - Instrukcja Użytkownika - Świadectwo szkoły średniej
- prepare scans of required documents - in PDF or JPG format, with maximum size of each file of 3 MB. Please pay attention to step 2 and step 3 described in the instructions to enter the document data correctly and attach properly:
- secondary school certificate giving the access to higher education on which the recognition statement you wish to obtain
- transcript of records / supplement / list of subjects and grades attached to the certificate (if applicable)
- previous document of education - document which was the basis for the admission to secondary school
- certified translations of all the abovementioned documents (unless they are issued in: English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian)
- identity card (passport)
- document stating the change of surname
- declaration filled in and signed by a parent or a legal guardian authorizing to submit the application (in the case of a minor applicant)
oświadczenie-PL declaration-EN - in the case of refugees – a refugee status document
- fill in the application form and add scans of the required documents in the SYRENA System,
- to submit the application correctly click the individual activation link generated in the SYRENA System and sent to the e-mail address provided in the application form,
- check the status of your application in the SYRENA System at any time,
- download the individual recognition statement after receiving a notification sent via the SYRENA System.
Procedure for Master candidates
Information on the NAWA website: visit.
-
To obtain a recognition statement on a foreign diploma
- read the instructions given in the SYRENA - User Manual below, before submitting the application,
- prepare scans of required documents - in PDF or JPG format, with maximum size of each file of 3 MB. Please pay attention to step 2 and step 3 described in the instructions to enter the document data correctly and attach properly:
- fill in the application form and add scans of the required documents in the SYRENA System,
- to submit the application correctly click the individual activation link generated in the SYRENA System and sent to the e-mail address provided in the application form,
- check the status of your application in the SYRENA System at any time,
- download the individual recognition statement after receiving a notification sent via the SYRENA System.
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- diploma on which the recognition statement you wish to obtain
- transcript of records / supplement / list of subjects and grades attached to the abovementioned diploma
- previous document of education - document which was the basis for the admission to studies
- transcript of records / supplement / list of subjects and grades attached to the previous diploma (if applicable)
- translations of all the abovementioned documents (unless they are issued in: English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian). Translations should be done by a sworn translator.
- identity card / passport
- document stating the change of surname
- in the case of refugees – a refugee status document
Link
In case of technical problems, please contact them via e-mail: syrenahelp@nawa.gov.pl
We advise also to check the section FAQ – frequently asked questions https://nawa.gov.pl/en/recognition/recognition-for-academic-purposes/faq-frequently-asked-questions.
Help with procedure - Berelocated
Please be informed that University of Wroclaw signed a co-operation agreement with a Berelocated company that helps with this procedure. Our candidates and students may use service of this company in case of being unable to proceed with this requirement by themselves (for example due to being abroad). This service is avaliable with a fee.
BeRelocated have extensive experience in assisting students from various countries and a deep understanding of educational systems worldwide.
We guarantee professionalism, timeliness, and a personalized approach to every candidate.
We operate in compliance with legal regulations and standards set by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Due to the changes in regulations from August 2024, candidates applying for a student visa to Poland must present a diploma recognition to the embassy.
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