Tuition Fees and Cost of Living for Students in Poland
By Muntasir • Published Sep 09, 2024 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Study Abroad, Study in Europe, Country & City Guides, Money & Budgeting
EU/EEA students pay no tuition at Polish state universities if they study in Polish. Non-EU/EEA students and English-taught program applicants pay from EUR 2,000 a year, and a student needs roughly EUR 330 to 430 a month to live, excluding rent already counted in that range.
💶 Bachelor's, master's and long-cycle tuition for non-EU/EEA students starts around EUR 2,000 a year.
MBA programs run EUR 8,000 to 12,000 a year.
🏠 A dormitory room costs EUR 90 to 140 a month.
Food runs EUR 150 to 200 a month, transport EUR 11 to 13.
Total monthly living budget: roughly EUR 330 to 430.
Tuition fees by student category
Your tuition bill in Poland depends on citizenship and the language of your program, not on which city you study in.
EU/EEA citizens, Polish citizens and Karta Polaka holders pay no tuition for full-time programs taught in Polish at state universities, the same deal Polish students get. Students from outside the EU/EEA, and anyone enrolled in an English-taught program regardless of citizenship, pay tuition set by each institution.
| Program type | Typical annual fee |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's, long-cycle | from EUR 2,000 |
| Postgraduate and specialist internships | from EUR 3,000 |
| Preparatory Polish language course | from EUR 2,000 |
| General range across public and private schools | EUR 2,000 to 6,000 |
| MBA programs | EUR 8,000 to 12,000 |
These figures come from Study in Poland's tuition page , run by NAWA. Individual universities set exact fees within these ranges through their own framework agreements, so confirm the precise number with your chosen school before you commit. Doctoral study is a separate case: doctoral schools at university-type institutions offer tuition-free places with a stipend for full-time candidates, regardless of nationality.
Monthly cost of living
Poland runs cheaper than Western Europe on daily costs. Based on Study in Poland's cost of living breakdown , here is what a typical month costs a student.
| Expense | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Dormitory rent | PLN 400-600 (EUR 90-140) |
| Food and groceries | PLN 700-900 (EUR 150-200) |
| Public transport | PLN 50-60 (EUR 11-13) |
| Health insurance | PLN 40-60 (EUR 9-13) |
| Phone, internet, TV | PLN 80-100 (EUR 17-22) |
| Entertainment | PLN 150-200 (EUR 35-45) |
| Total | PLN 1,500-2,000 (EUR 330-430) |
Warsaw and other tourism-heavy cities push the top of these ranges, while smaller cities like Lodz or Katowice tend to sit toward the lower end. If you rent privately instead of living in a dormitory, your housing line rises well past this table, since dormitory rent is the cheapest option by a wide margin.
Compulsory fees beyond tuition and rent
Budget for a student ID card (legitymacja studencka), which most universities issue for a small one-off charge and which gets you discounted transport and museum entry across Poland. Non-EU/EEA students without an EU health insurance card need to arrange private health insurance or pay into the Polish public system, since study visas and residence permits require proof of coverage. EU/EEA students studying short-term rely on their European Health Insurance Card for basic public healthcare instead of paying separately.
Building your budget
Add tuition (if any) and the roughly EUR 330-430 monthly living estimate together to get your full-year cost. A non-EU/EEA bachelor's student paying the minimum EUR 2,000 tuition and living in a dormitory should plan for somewhere around EUR 5,000 to EUR 7,000 for a full academic year, tuition plus 9 to 10 months of living costs. Students studying tuition-free in Polish only need to cover the living cost side, which makes Poland one of the more affordable full-degree destinations in the EU.