Admission Stories: Our Students at Polish Universities

I can start by saying that "Centrum Polonijne" was recommended to me by a friend who had already been studying there for about a year. I didn’t spend much time choosing because of the convenient location for me and the glowing reviews from my friend. I started with a summer intensive course, which might not be for everyone — 4 hours, 3 times a week… It was tough, but the results were noticeable very quickly. And then we got the A2 certificate, followed by B1 level courses, which, upon completion, gave me the coveted B1 language level. I took the exam for a certificate recognised by UAM.

What I liked was that during the learning process, we didn’t just focus on grammar; we used a lot of conversational language, watched YouTube videos and analysed them. I remember participating in a big event dedicated to Poland’s Independence Day — I’d never had the experience of speaking on stage (especially in a foreign language), but it was very cool.

Now I’m studying at the University of Physical Education in Kraków ("Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego"), specialising in sports coaching. It’s not the most popular specialty among our students, but it’s perfect for me since I’ve been playing hockey since childhood. As soon as I arrived, the "language tricks" we learned in class came in handy. It turned out that in my programme, and probably in the entire institute, there are only about 5 Russian speakers. After adapting, my classmates even noted my language level, which was, of course, nice to hear. "Centrum Polonijne" helped me personally; it gave me the opportunity to learn the language in a relatively short time and move to pursue a European education. My advice to all the kids reading this: try to spend more time on your specialised subjects; it will make studying easier. My advice to parents: help your children by giving them the opportunity to choose what they want to do in life.

My Polish journey began with Centrum Polonijne, which I chose on the recommendation of my mom’s friend, who was studying for the Polish Card. The teachers are true masters of their craft; I was never bored in class, and we discussed relevant topics, had discussions and held conferences. At the end of my studies, I took a language exam, and the certificate from the Center was a great help — it was accepted without any issues at my university. In the end, all I needed was my school certificate, the certificate from the Center and my sports achievements. I’ve been involved in equestrian sports since childhood, I’m a Candidate for Master of Sports, and I decided to tie my future to this.

I’m grateful to the Center: it wasn’t easy to find the right programme and resolve the many issues related to confirming my sports achievements.

Now I’m studying in Lublin at the University of Life Sciences (Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy), majoring in Hippology and Horse Riding. It’s not as scary as I thought it would be. Overall, I like how the curriculum is structured at the university. There aren’t too many introductory courses. I wouldn’t say that studying is easy, but there are moments when you don’t have to stress out — unfortunately, there aren’t too many of those…

As for adaptation, when I first moved into the dormitory and found out that my roommate was Polish, I was really worried that my Polish wasn’t good enough, but it turned out to be unnecessary.

The living conditions are good, and I’d like to highlight the wide selection of food and the ability to eat well and affordably, which is a huge plus. There are a lot of students from Belarus and Ukraine in Lublin, and of course, now I have many Russian-speaking friends.

I ended up at Centrum Polonijne by chance, as it was the first Polish language course I came across. However, I never regretted my choice throughout the entire course. The people here are professionals, experienced not only in teaching but in life in general. Everyone I interacted with was always ready to give valuable advice, whether it was about language learning specifically or about the upcoming university admissions process. I also appreciated the high level of organisation: a huge variety of courses, frequent informational meetings, various trips to Polish universities and assistance with gathering the necessary documents for admission.

As advice, I would recommend everyone to participate in the various competitions and events that the Center regularly organises. Of course, these events often feature important guests from Poland, who don’t forget to bring valuable prizes for the best participants, such as a GRANT for free education in any of the top universities in Poland.

I’m currently studying at the University of Warsaw in the Faculty of Management. The level of education is high, so to keep up, you have to constantly organise yourself and push forward — nobody here is going to babysit you. I also want to give some advice to those who are applying through the NAWA programme. If you need more time to recover from the intense final year of high school, or if you have things you need to wrap up soon, or if you’re not 100% sure about the specialty you’ve chosen, it’s definitely better to go for a "zerówka" (preparatory year). If you decide to go straight to the first year, I want to assure you that you won’t have time for unfinished business, because you’ll likely need to fully commit to your studies just to stay afloat. That’s my small piece of advice. I don’t want to scare anyone or discourage you from going straight to the first year, I’m just telling it like it is.

When choosing a city, prioritise universities that best meet your educational aspirations, but don’t forget about your sense of aesthetics. Not everyone can live in the labyrinth of a metropolis like Warsaw, though some people might love it. Personally, I always wanted to study and live in Warsaw because it’s the capital and the centre of Poland. And it really is, though, like any big city, it has its typical downsides, such as unappealing residential areas like South Praga, where I live. The air in Warsaw is also quite polluted, and unfortunately, you’re unlikely to see much of winter here. On the other hand, it’s a paradise for motorcyclists because most of the roads are in excellent condition, and as I mentioned, winters here are almost non-existent.

I don’t know if it’s fortunate or not, but I ended up in a group with only Poles. I can confidently say that they are quite friendly and understanding people who are easy to talk to. You definitely shouldn’t be afraid to speak with them — practice is the best thing you can give yourself while learning the language.

And finally, I want to say that Centrum Polonijne is not just a place, but people who are willing to dedicate a huge amount of their time to helping their students on this thorny path to knowledge. And they do it wonderfully.

My name is Darya. I am currently studying in a zerówka programme at UPH in Siedlce, a small city near Warsaw, under the NAWA programme for the Polish diaspora in the preparatory year. After that, I will be studying in Warsaw or Kraków, majoring in programming. Many people think that a zerówka is a waste of time, but having spent some time in the programme, I cannot share that opinion. If you use your time wisely, it can offer a lot. Firstly, it provides additional time for language learning in a country with native speakers.

Secondly, starting university is a stressful event because it completely changes everything that has surrounded you throughout your life. Zerówka allows you to ease the transition into adult life, to see yourself in non-standard situations and to make useful… pleasant connections.

Music has always helped me in learning Polish, and fortunately, the teachers at Centrum Polonijne have great musical taste. Listening to songs in Polish helps you not only remember new words and phrases but also learn the correct pronunciation and the melody of the language. Cartoons, films and YouTube videos are also highly recommended. Since there is almost always some background noise, it becomes more difficult to understand speech. Such training will be very helpful in the future because listening comprehension at higher levels is made more challenging by these factors (radio, phone conversations, background voices, etc.). If I had been smarter, I would have listened earlier to the advice that Pan Jerzy had been giving us for two years. I always liked that in class, we didn’t just study from textbooks but also read various texts, often much more difficult than what was provided in the materials, discussed interesting topics, watched and analysed videos. The course programmes are very diverse. In preparation for the exam at Centrum Polonijne, during the last two months, we had to bring small essays to almost every class and do a lot of grammar work. I was completely exhausted by this, but during the exams, and even now in class, it’s not difficult for me to write a lengthy text. Despite the considerable workload, Polish classes often felt like a breath of fresh air, with an atmosphere much more pleasant than in school.

At Centrum Polonijne, there’s no pressure; you can say what you think, joke around and not worry about getting in trouble for it. And when knowledge isn’t forced down your throat, and you understand that you’re here for yourself and your future, studying yields much more fruitful results. I want to believe that efforts always pay off, so you need to try your hardest, even when you feel like giving up. So don’t be afraid of your ambitions and turn your dreams into reality.

Hello everyone. My name is Irina, and I want to share a bit about my studies, my admission thanks to "Centrum Polonijne" and what I have gained from it so far. Let’s start with the fact that I found "Centrum Polonijne" online back in the summer of 2018, when I had already decided that I would apply to a university in Poland. If we consider the entire institution, the strongest aspects of "Centrum Polonijne" are the ability to choose your time, group and teacher, as well as enjoy trips to Poland and cool events. Moreover, they help with any question and are open to everyone. Recently, in collaboration with WSB, Centrum Polonijne launched a "Polish from scratch" programme with guaranteed admission, without the need for entrance exams or grades from your school certificate — I highly recommend it. During my studies, there were many great events, competitions and trips.

I am currently a full-time student at WSB in Gdańsk, studying Law in Business in my first year. I’m happy that I chose WSB and this faculty because every day brings something new and interesting. We have various promotions, events, parties, and we just don’t have time to get bored. The classes are insanely interesting, and many professors often joke, seek interaction, and it’s a pleasure to communicate with them — classes fly by in a second. If we’re not satisfied with the class time, we can arrange with the professors to change it to another day or time. The schedule appears in the personal account 10 days before the start of the semester. As for whether studying is easy, I’ll simply say: "As long as you study and want to learn, it will be easy," and the professors explain everything so clearly that only those who don’t attend at all wouldn’t understand.

Speaking of assistance, "Centrum Polonijne" not only provided me with valuable knowledge of the Polish language, opportunities to see Poland at different times of the year and to meet great people, but also helped me get into university. The translation of documents, communication with university representatives and much more was all done thanks to the staff at the Center. And a little advice from me to the future generation: "Never doubt yourself and keep moving forward towards your dream!"

One of the biggest advantages of Centrum Polonijne is its collaboration with the best universities in Poland. This was the main reason I chose this school, especially since a friend of my father took courses here for the Polish Card. The teachers are wonderful and responsive, answering even the seemingly most foolish questions. I started the courses from scratch, but thanks to the interesting way the lessons were conducted, I quickly got the hang of it and became fascinated with learning the new language. The information was always clearly structured, and despite the large amount of material, it was immediately well organised in my mind, making me eager to learn more and more. What I remember most are our trips to universities in Poland. This is what helped me choose the place for my further studies. I think everyone can find the course they need because the programme is diverse.

Now I live in the city of Poznań and study at Poznań University of Economics. My expectations were fully met. I won’t lie — it’s challenging to study here, sometimes very much so, but it’s worth it! I want to give special thanks to my teacher, Pan Jerzy, for his support, guidance and practical advice. It really helped! And a huge thank you to all the staff at Centrum Polonijne — you gave me the opportunity to fulfil my dream.

Hi, my name is Anya, and I’m studying at the University of Gdańsk (Uniwersytet Gdański) in the Faculty of Biotechnology (Międzyuczelniany Wydział Biotechnologii), which is combined with the Medical University of Gdańsk.

I studied Polish at Centrum Polonijne (with Pan Jerzy as my teacher) and also attended additional classes in my specialised subjects (chemistry, biology). Since I studied the language in more than one place, I have something to compare it to. The classes are held in a good and cosy atmosphere; all the teachers and administration are very responsive and always ready to answer any question. In the classes, we used textbooks, but my teacher constantly shared interesting information with us about life in Poland, its traditions and everything that you won’t find in books. He would print out interesting texts for translation and retelling, come up with unusual homework assignments and games to learn new words, and recommend Polish music and even Polish bloggers! All of this not only speeds up the language learning process but also generates a huge interest in the classes and the country where you will be studying. (TIP: Read Polish books, listen to Polish music and watch Polish YouTube. LISTEN to Polish speech! Speaking cleanly is great, but in real Polish there’s a lot of slang that you won’t find in textbooks.) Thanks to all of this, I now have absolutely no problems with the language, understanding the material, studying or communicating.

Centrum Polonijne also often organised educational trips to different cities in Poland to familiarise us with various universities. On one of these trips, we visited my university, and I realised that this was exactly the place where I wanted to study. My faculty and the entire university are quite modern; the main campus is located in Gdańsk, but some faculties are also in Sopot and Gdynia. If any part of the information was unclear, you could always go to a free consultation with your teacher — they always understand that, as a foreigner, it might be difficult for you, and they are willing to help. I also receive a social scholarship and a place in a dormitory from my university.

The dormitory is a 5-minute walk from the university and is very comfortable and clean (cleaners clean almost every day). The dormitory is home to people from almost every corner of the world (through the ERASMUS programme, and this is an AMAZING experience), as well as many Poles from different parts of Poland. (TIP: When moving into the dormitory, they often ask who you would prefer to live with. Definitely say that you would like to live with a Pole. By resolving everyday issues and simply communicating, you will quickly overcome your language barrier, which will greatly help with your studies.) Personally, I believe that living in a dormitory has far more advantages than renting an apartment (and it’s much cheaper too!)

POWODZENIA!!! (Good luck!)

When I found out that I have Polish roots, I became interested in learning Polish. I started taking language courses at Centrum Polonijne. During the classes, I quickly became friends with the Polish language, and I believe that’s thanks to the teachers. I really enjoyed reading and listening to texts, trying to speak Polish and learning new things about the country and its culture. At that time, I wasn’t planning to apply to a Polish university — I just enjoyed attending the classes. Later, I realised that this was my chance. Now I’m studying interior design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk.

I’m thrilled with my studies because the academy is located in the oldest part of the city among historic townhouses. The teachers have a good attitude towards students and take an individual approach to each one, which pleasantly surprised me. I also like the academy building itself. It’s half historical (Wielka Zbrojownia) and half modern construction, which harmoniously blends into the old town’s architecture. I’m enjoying my studies, and I like that my life has changed radically, even though not everything is perfect. Of course, I’m talking about moving to a foreign country and dealing with everyday life without close family and friends. It can be sad at times. But I understand that this is another opportunity to broaden my horizons, meet interesting people and grow in a field that will bear fruit in the future. And it all started with Centrum Polonijne, which gave me the great opportunity to do what I love. I’m grateful for the time spent with people united by the desire to achieve and develop their dreams.

Greetings, my name is Maxim, and this is my story.

In 2018, I was admitted to the University of Warsaw in the Faculty of Economics. I applied for the master’s programme after graduating from BSU in Minsk. Regarding the education system, I can note that UW is a leading university in Poland’s rankings. The infrastructure has been updated (in most faculties), and modern equipment is available for learning. The USOS system is quite flexible, and the freedom to add courses is also a great benefit (there are mandatory courses for the specialty, but additional courses can be added almost without restrictions).

Centrum Polonijne won me over with its pleasant interaction with the teachers and staff; you could feel the dedication and feedback. The teacher, Yuri, stood out with a modern approach to teaching, energy and positivity, in addition to being a highly qualified specialist (he graduated from UW). He also shared insights about life in Poland, his experiences and various details from daily life — all of which positively influenced my final decision to apply to a university in Poland.

Regarding Centrum Polonijne, I can say that they offer a wide range of courses: from basic language learning to university admission preparation (with courses tailored to specific fields of study). They offer intensive language courses, express courses and specialised courses for children. The price of the courses is reasonable and not inflated. Centrum Polonijne helped me understand the admission process, choose a university and acquire the necessary Polish language skills. The knowledge I gained was sufficient for studying at the university.

In the end, I’m very satisfied that I decided to study in Poland. Without a doubt, this experience elevates self-development and responsibility to a new level.

I studied Polish at Centrum Polonijne in Minsk. I chose this school on the recommendation of friends, and I don’t regret my decision at all. The classes always had a pleasant and friendly atmosphere. I really enjoyed the educational trips to various cities in Poland, getting to know the universities, teachers and students. This gave me great motivation to learn Polish and study abroad. And now I’m studying in Poland, and I’m very happy about it.

I’m studying at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań in the Faculty of International Relations. The university always hosts different events, meetings, conferences, etc. I also want to highlight the interesting learning process. I really like the electronic system USOS, where you can register for courses, check grades and create your schedule. While in Poland, I made many new friends and found new activities.

Thanks to Centrum Polonijne, I gained new connections, a sense of responsibility, new perspectives and life experience.

In my opinion, Centrum Polonijne is the best place for learning Polish in Minsk, with a price-to-quality ratio far superior to competitors.

I look back with nostalgia on the moments when each class started with a "social chat", where we discussed some news or events from our lives. What I remember most was the performance for the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence. I had the chance to take part in the production. Personally, watching regular videos in Polish helped me a lot. In my free time, I would watch something anyway, so why not do it in Polish? At first, these were videos we covered in class, but later I started finding them on my own. By the way, my younger brother is also now studying at Centrum Polonijne.

I am studying in Poznań at Adam Mickiewicz University in the Faculty of Computer Science. It’s still early to talk about expectations — it can be difficult at times, but it’s certainly manageable. I absolutely love Poznań. The public transport here is very convenient, and you can quickly get anywhere without any difficulties. A possible downside is the distance — it takes about a day to get to Minsk, so I can only visit home infrequently.

What did Centrum Polonijne give me? First and foremost, knowledge of the Polish language. Before that, I had tried learning it, but without much success. Here, everything was structured and sequential; besides the language itself, we also covered Polish culture and history in class. This knowledge was especially useful when I started living here and for obtaining the Polish Card. I think it’s also worth mentioning the connections I made — many of the people I met I still keep in touch with, and some even live in the same city or dormitory as I do.

My father brought me to Centrum Polonijne because he had a friend who completed the Polish language courses for doctors here. The teachers are very nice, genuinely interested in teaching, and every class was fascinating for me. I would always rush from school to Polish class. I have very fond memories of the December trip to Kraków on Christmas Eve and that magical concert. Now I’m studying in a zerówka programme in Łódź, focusing on medical subjects. I expected something different from the zerówka, thinking it would be much harder, but after the level at the Center, nothing seems too scary. Besides the core subjects — biology, chemistry, physics and Polish — we watch films, go on excursions to various museums, etc. Living independently is a bit tough; you have to clean, shop, cook and still find time to study. The dormitory is really great. Many people complain about bad roommates, but I got really lucky — I live with amazing girls from Brest, and we have a great relationship. Poland has fully met my expectations. Everyone is very kind and polite, always willing to help. The only thing that surprises me is how long the traffic lights last. My advice to anyone learning the language is to watch videos by Polish bloggers, listen to Polish music and watch films in Polish. This really helps with understanding and processing the language, and after watching, try to mentally recall what you read or watched.

In conclusion, thanks to Centrum Polonijne, I have mastered Polish excellently. I learned how to manage my time because, in addition to Polish, I also took biology and chemistry courses at the Center. And this place has simply given me many new connections and a ton of pleasant moments.