Student Visa for Poland 2026: Rules by Country

StudyU editorial team

To study in Poland you need a national D visa marked "student" and, after arrival, a temporary residence permit for studies, which since 27 April 2026 can only be filed online through the MOS portal. The consular fee for a D visa is EUR 200 ($227); Belarusian citizens applying in Belarus pay a reduced EUR 60 ($68) until the end of 2026, and the Embassy in Minsk lists pupils and students travelling to study among those exempt from the fee. Russian citizens face a special situation: according to the Polish Embassy in Moscow, consular posts in Russia accept visa applications from Russian citizens only for humanitarian, urgent or specially justified reasons until further notice, and since 1 April 2026 Poland no longer recognises ordinary non-biometric Russian passports. Below is what applies as of 1 October 2026: documents, timelines and the procedure for each country.

At a glance	Russia	Belarus	Kazakhstan
Where to apply	Embassy in Moscow or Consulate General in Irkutsk, by place of residence	VFS Global visa centres in eight cities	Embassy in Astana or Consulate General in Almaty
Study applications accepted	Only in exceptional cases	Under the general rules, via a waiting list	Under the general rules, via e-konsulat
D visa fee	EUR 200	EUR 60 until 31 Dec 2026, students exempt; visa centre service fee of about EUR 18 for everyone	EUR 200
Decision time	Up to 15 working days, up to 30 if further checks are needed	Up to 15 working days, up to 30 with checks	15 days, up to 30 if needed
Special conditions	Biometric passport required; entry restriction since 2022	Registered residence in the consular district; at least six months for the Minsk district	Apply no later than two weeks before travel

An elevated view of a snow-covered city with wide streets, high-rise towers and the spire of the Palace of Culture against a pink sky — Winter sunrise over central Warsaw with the Palace of Culture and Science and high-rises. Photo: Quintin Soloviev / source, CC BY 4.0.

Which visa you need and what it allows

You cannot study in Poland on a Schengen C visa or visa-free: programmes longer than 90 days require a national D visa. The "student" annotation is given only to full-time students and participants of a preparatory course; part-time students do not qualify. A D visa is valid for up to one year and allows travel in other Schengen states for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

The consul decides on the visa, and the Polish Border Guard decides on entry. The consul may assess whether your command of the language of instruction is sufficient and may invite you to an interview.

Documents for a D study visa

The core package is the same everywhere; booking methods and proof of local residence differ.

Application form completed in e-konsulat, printed and signed.
Colour photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, no older than six months.
Passport issued within the last ten years, valid for at least three months after your planned departure from Schengen, with two blank pages, plus a copy of the data page.
Health insurance valid in the EU with cover of at least EUR 30,000 until you join the Polish system.
Proof of residence in the consular district.
University certificate of admission or of continued study.
Proof of tuition payment for a fee-paying programme (semester or year).
Proof of funds for living costs, the return journey and tuition: bank statement for three months; if a parent pays, their statement, proof of relationship and a sponsor letter (in Kazakhstan a notarised undertaking).
For the first year of a bachelor's or long-cycle programme: NAWA's written statement that your school certificate entitles you to study in Poland, or a superintendent's recognition decision. Without it the visa is refused.
For minors: notarised parental consent, birth certificate and parents' passports.

NAWA issues the statement free of charge through the SYRENA system; no translation is needed for documents in Russian, Belarusian or English. How to obtain it, and why university entrance exams are now mandatory, is explained in our guide to applying to universities in Poland.

How much money to show

Polish rules require that, after housing costs, your monthly funds exceed the income threshold for social assistance, which since 1 January 2025 is PLN 1,010 ($262). For the return journey you need PLN 200 ($52) if you arrive from a neighbouring country (Belarus, Russia) and PLN 2,500 ($650) from Kazakhstan. Example: with a PLN 500 dormitory, a year requires about PLN 18,120 ($4,710) plus paid tuition. The full budget is in our guide to the cost of studying in Poland.

Russian citizens: the position on 1 October 2026

Acceptance of applications. The Polish Embassy in Moscow states that, owing to a substantial reduction in staff, Polish consular posts in Russia do not accept Schengen or national visa applications on the previous terms until further notice. Only applications from Russian citizens for humanitarian reasons, in urgent and specially justified situations, or where Poland's interest requires, are currently accepted; the embassy gives spouses of Polish citizens and Karta Polaka holders as examples. The embassy ended its cooperation with a visa centre on 27 March 2023, so those whose applications are accepted contact the consulate directly.

Consular districts. The Embassy in Moscow covers Moscow, St Petersburg, Kaliningrad region and most of European Russia, the Urals and Tyumen region; the Consulate General in Irkutsk covers Siberia and the Far East. You apply according to your place of permanent residence. In Moscow, e-konsulat slots are released on Fridays at 17:00.

Entry restriction. A regulation of Poland's Minister of the Interior and Administration of 19 September 2022 (Dz.U. 2022 item 1963) restricts entry of Russian citizens across the EU external border until revoked: at land crossings from 19 September and at air and sea crossings from 26 September 2022. The exceptions are set out in the consolidated text of the regulation (Dz.U. 2023 item 1403, § 3a) and include foreigners with a right of permanent or temporary residence in Poland, Karta Polaka holders, family members of Polish citizens, and holders of visas issued on humanitarian or national-interest grounds. Since 5 April 2023 the exception for students and doctoral candidates studying in Poland applies only to those holding a Polish temporary residence permit. The 2025 amendments changed the regime at crossings on the Belarusian border and left the restriction on Russian citizens unchanged. Whether a traveller falls under an exception is decided at the crossing by the Polish Border Guard (Straż Graniczna).

Passports. Since 1 April 2026 Poland has not recognised ordinary non-biometric Russian passports (diplomatic and service passports since 1 January 2026). A chipped passport is needed for the visa and for entry.

In practice. A Polish university can admit a Russian citizen, but there is currently no standard study-visa route from Russia. If you live lawfully in another country, you may apply at the Polish consulate there, subject to its rules and to the general entry restriction. Our overview of study abroad for Russian citizens can help you compare other destinations.

Belarusian citizens

Where to apply. Poland is represented in Belarus by the Embassy in Minsk (Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev and Gomel regions) and the Consulates General in Brest (Brest region) and Grodno (Grodno region). Applications are lodged at VFS Global visa centres in Minsk, Gomel, Mogilev, Brest, Pinsk, Baranovichi, Grodno and Lida, which charge a mandatory service fee equivalent to EUR 18 in Belarusian roubles.

Booking. Since 8 June 2026 the weekly slot release has been replaced by a waiting list on the VFS Global website and app: when slots open, applicants receive an email and choose a date themselves.

Registration. To apply at centres in the Minsk district, you need at least six months of registered residence there.

Fee. Until 31 December 2026, Belarusian citizens applying for a D visa in Belarus pay a reduced consular fee of EUR 60 instead of EUR 200. The embassy's list of fee exemptions includes pupils and students travelling to study and children under 18; the visa centre's service fee still applies.

Language. For the first year of a bachelor's programme the Embassy in Minsk asks for a certificate in the language of instruction, and the consul may assess whether your command of it is sufficient.

Karta Polaka. Card holders in the Minsk district book visa appointments by email with the embassy and pay no visa fee. See tuition-free study in Poland for the card's study benefits.

Kazakh citizens

Where to apply. The consular section of the Polish Embassy in Astana or the Consulate General in Almaty, according to your place of residence.

Booking. Through e-konsulat, under "Wiza krajowa – studia". New slots are released in Astana on Wednesdays 15:00–16:00 and in Almaty on Mondays 9:00–10:00 local time; if demand exceeds supply, slots are allocated by random draw. You must apply no later than two weeks before travel.

Local requirements. Proof of residence is a screenshot of your egov.kz profile plus a property document or rental agreement. Bank evidence must be an account statement for the last three months, not a bank letter.

Intermediaries. The Embassy and Consulate General stress that they do not work with travel agencies or visa intermediaries and do not require any documents beyond those listed on their website. You can complete the form yourself.

See also our overview on studying abroad from Kazakhstan.

After arrival: the residence permit for studies

A D visa lasts at most one year, so students apply for a temporary residence permit for studies (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy w celu kształcenia się na studiach).

How to apply. Since 27 April 2026, only online via the MOS portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl), logging in through login.gov.pl. Paper applications are no longer accepted. File before your legal stay ends.
Fees. Stamp duty of PLN 340 ($88) and PLN 100 ($26) for the residence card, paid separately to the regional office's accounts, with proof attached to the application.
Conditions. Certificate of admission, proof of payment for the semester or year, health insurance, and funds for living and return. The university must be a public academic institution or approved by the Interior Ministry to admit foreigners.
Duration. The first permit for a first-year student is issued for 15 months; subsequent permits cover the period of study plus three months, up to three years.
Risks. The permit is refused or withdrawn if the purpose of stay is in doubt or the student is struck off the register. Universities must notify the consul when a student who entered on a "student" visa is removed.

The voivode decides on the residence permit. The order of steps is always the same: admission first, then the visa, because the consul will not accept an application without the university's certificate.

Common reasons for refusal

No NAWA statement for a first-year applicant.
Insufficient funds under Polish rules, or money deposited just before applying without an explained source.
No proof of payment for a fee-paying programme.
Insurance below EUR 30,000 or not covering the whole period.
A private institution that is not approved by the Interior Ministry.
Doubts about the purpose of travel, including insufficient command of the language of instruction.

You can request a re-examination at the same consulate within 14 days of a refusal; the fee is EUR 200. Only the applicant (or a parent for a minor) may file it; universities and intermediaries cannot.

FAQ

Can Russian citizens get a student visa for Poland?

There is no formal ban on study visas, but Polish consular posts in Russia currently accept applications from Russian citizens only for humanitarian, urgent or specially justified reasons, or where Poland's interest requires. The consul decides on the visa and the Border Guard on entry. A biometric passport is also required since 1 April 2026.

How much does a Polish student visa cost?

The consular fee for a national D visa is EUR 200 ($227). Belarusian citizens applying in Belarus pay EUR 60 until 31 December 2026, and students travelling to study are on the embassy's exemption list; everyone pays the visa centre fee of about EUR 18. Karta Polaka holders pay no consular fee. The fee is not refunded if the consul refuses the visa.

How long does a Polish student visa take?

Consulates decide within 15 days (in Moscow, 15 working days from payment), extendable to 30 days if further checks are needed. In Kazakhstan the application must be lodged at least two weeks before travel, but allow a month or more in practice.

Do I need the NAWA statement for the visa?

Yes, if you are starting the first year of a bachelor's or long-cycle master's programme with a school certificate from outside the EU, OECD and EFTA, for example from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan. It goes with the visa application and the certificate of admission; without it the consul refuses. An earlier superintendent's decision replaces it.

Can I study in Poland on a Schengen visa?

No. A Schengen C visa allows at most 90 days in any 180 and suits only short courses and trips. Degree study requires a national D visa marked "student", followed by a temporary residence permit for studies granted by the voivode.

How do I get a residence permit after arriving?

Apply for a temporary residence permit for studies through the MOS portal before your visa expires, attaching your certificate of admission, proof of payment, insurance and proof of funds, and pay PLN 340 stamp duty plus PLN 100 for the card. The voivode decides; the first permit is issued for 15 months.

Sources

Sources checked on 30 September – 1 October 2026. ECB reference rate of 30 September 2026: EUR 1 = USD 1.1355 = PLN 4.3690.

If you want to work through your route, send a request: preparation of study and visa documents is provided under an agreement with StudyU, the university makes the admission decision and the Polish consul decides on the visa.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

Student Visa for Poland in 2026: Rules for Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh Citizens