Recognition of qualifications

Recognition of qualifications means recognition of higher education documents (academic diplomas, degrees or titles) required for the purpose of further education, employment and career development in Poland. In general, it is the employer who decides whether to accept your documents at the recruitment stage. If the employer is not certain about the validity of your diploma/certificate, they can request a confirmation of your educational qualifications from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). 

Scientific degrees awarded by an authorised institution operating in one of the EU, EFTA and OECD countries are recognised as equivalent to a corresponding Polish scientific degree. However, it should be noted that there is no system of automatic recognition of academic diplomas and degrees, even within the European Union. It is therefore advisable to make sure that your diploma will be recognised in Poland.

For this purpose, NAWA has created a free database called KWALIFIKATOR, available in Polish and English. It enables automatic checking of general information on selected diplomas, degrees and certificates. It allows you to assess the level and status of your qualifications in the country where they were awarded and to find out how a particular foreign diploma or degree is recognised in Poland. It also indicates a specific legal basis on which the holder of the qualifications derives specific rights.

In addition, you can also obtain the information on how your diploma/degree is recognised in Poland through the NAWA on-line system called SYRENA. The search result, known as a recognition statement, can be saved as a PDF document (issued in Polish) signed electronically and submitted to a Polish university or employer. The reliability of the information is guaranteed by NAWA's electronic signature.

The equivalence of a foreign academic degree with the corresponding Polish degree may be established either on the basis of international agreements or, in the absence of such agreements, on the basis of Polish national legislation. If, after verification of the diploma in the KWALIFIKATOR system, it turns out that the diploma or professional title cannot be recognised as the Polish equivalent on the basis of an international agreement, this means that the nostrification procedure is required. During the procedure the foreign qualification is compared with its Polish equivalent. However, the foreign title of professor can be recognised in Poland only on the basis of an international agreement. In the absence of such an agreement, the Polish equivalence cannot be obtained through the nostrification procedure.

A degree and title awarded by an accredited institution outside the European Union, OECD or EFTA and not recognised as equivalent under international agreements is subject to nostrification. It is initiated at your request and carried out by a higher education institution with an academic category of A+, A or B+ in the relevant discipline. The institution will charge a fee for carrying out the procedure and issuing the certificate. The certificate states that the submitted diploma/degree obtained abroad is equivalent to a specific Polish diploma/degree.

Regulated professions are those for which it is necessary to have a special certificate, qualification or licence (special training, exams passed, etc.).

Professional qualifications are recognised on the basis of EU regulations. Each EU Member State decides how to regulate access to a given profession. Therefore, the same profession may be regulated in one EU country and not in another. Examples of regulated professions in Poland - out of 361 jobs - are archaeologists, lawyers, teachers, speech therapists or mountain guides.

Automatic recognition of qualifications and/or training obtained in EU/EFTA countries applies to seven regulated professions: doctor (general and specialist), dentist, pharmacist, general nurse, midwife, veterinary surgeon and architect. If you have a relevant qualification as defined by EU rules (including, for example, a diploma or professional title), you meet the conditions for having your qualification recognised to start working.

If the profession is regulated in Poland, a person who has obtained a qualification in another Member State must have it officially recognised by the competent Polish authorities. Recognition of a professional qualification is a prerequisite for the full right to practise your profession.

In the case of non-regulated professions, it is up to the employer to employ you with a qualification obtained in another EU Member State. They may require an opinion on the foreign diploma, proof of education at the corresponding level or a certificate of equivalence of the foreign document with its Polish equivalent.

You can fill in a questionnaire on the European Commission's website to find out whether you need to apply for recognition of your professional qualifications and what you need to do to prepare an application.

If your qualifications were obtained in an EU or EFTA country or in Switzerland, they have to be recognised by the competent authority in that country. If there are significant differences between the qualifications required, you will need to complete an adaptation period or take a test in Poland. The recognition procedure has to be initiated by you. You should submit an application for recognition of your qualifications to a Polish organisation competent for the recognition of qualifications for the particular regulated profession.

If the qualifications were obtained outside of the above countries, they will be recognised in Poland in accordance with Polish national legislation. This means that if you are interested in practising a regulated profession in Poland, you should first have your diploma or certificate recognised by the relevant Polish authority, either by nostrification or by the international agreement. Then you can apply for professional rights according to the regulations of the given profession.