Articles
Explainers on Polish science and higher education: how universities, degrees, research evaluation and R&D funding work – built on public data.
The articles answer specific questions about Polish science and studies: how to get a PhD, where research categories come from, where to study medicine or how much Poland spends on research. Each text is based on public data – the POL-on register, Statistics Poland and Eurostat – and its figures are updated together with the data. Sources are listed at the end of each article.
6 November 2026
Public and private universities – how many are there and how do they differ?
A comparison of public, private and church higher education institutions based on the POL-on register: numbers, type and range of degree programmes.
6 November 2026
Academic or vocational university – what is the difference?
The division into academic and vocational higher education institutions is set by law. We explain what it depends on and what it means for applicants.
6 November 2026
Doctoral schools – how do you earn a doctorate today?
Since 2019 doctoral candidates have been trained in doctoral schools. How many there are, who runs them and where to find them.
6 November 2026
Studying in English in Poland – where and at what level?
How many degree programmes Polish universities teach in English, in which cities and at what level – according to the POL-on register.
6 November 2026
Which fields of study are most commonly offered in Poland?
Fields of study with the largest number of programmes at Polish universities and the groups of fields with the most graduates.
6 November 2026
Who can award a doctorate? Degree-granting rights of universities and institutes
Doctoral and habilitation degrees are awarded by units holding an A+, A or B+ category in a discipline. How many there are and which have the most rights.
6 November 2026
Scientific categories A+, A, B+, B and C – what do they mean?
A scientific category rates a discipline at a specific university or institute. We explain where it comes from and how to read it.
6 November 2026
How do you obtain a habilitation and the title of professor?
Habilitation and the title of professor step by step: requirements, who awards them and how long each stage of the procedure takes – according to the Act.
6 November 2026
Polish Academy of Sciences, Łukasiewicz and research institutes – what is the difference?
Three types of institutes that conduct research outside universities: who supervises them, what they do and how many there are.
6 November 2026
How much does Poland spend on research and development?
R&D expenditure in Poland: amounts, share of GDP, comparison with the European Union and who funds the research.
6 November 2026
Where to study medicine? The medicine programme (kierunek lekarski) in Poland
Medicine is offered by 39 institutions in 30 cities. Where, at which institutions, and where you can study it in English.
6 November 2026
Where do people study? Students by voivodeship
How students are distributed across voivodeships, and where there are the most foreign and full-time students – GUS data.
6 November 2026
Where to discover science? Science centres, planetariums and festivals in Poland
An overview of science outreach venues in Poland: science centres, planetariums, observatories, technology museums, festivals and trails.
6 November 2026
Where in Poland are there the most A+ categories?
In the 2022–2025 evaluation, 106 disciplines at 58 entities received the highest scientific category. Which universities and institutes have the most.
6 November 2026
Branch campuses and off-site faculties – where universities teach outside their main seat
Many universities also run degree programmes in other cities. How many such branches there are, where they operate and how to find them in the directory.
6 November 2026
Research evaluation step by step – where the A+, A, B+, B and C categories come from
Who is covered by the evaluation of the quality of research activity, which criteria are used, how a category is determined and what the evaluation for 2022–2025 produced.
6 November 2026
International students at Polish universities – how many are there and where do they study?
The number of foreign students in Poland, their distribution across voivodeships and the range of programmes taught in English – data from Statistics Poland (GUS) and POL-on.