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Last modified: 2026-10-02

# Studying in Poland as a Russian Citizen: Entry Restrictions, the Pole's Card, the Attestat and Payments in 2026

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Polish universities have not closed admission to Russian citizens: the admissions committee still decides, and a Russian school certificate goes through the same NAWA procedure as a Kazakh or Belarusian one. The restrictions start after admission. Since 19 September 2022 Poland has restricted the entry of Russian citizens across the EU external border, and students are exempt only if they hold a Polish temporary residence permit. Polish consulates in Russia accept visa applications from Russian citizens only in humanitarian, urgent or specially justified cases, and since 1 April 2026 Poland no longer recognises non-biometric Russian passports. In practice, a workable route today exists mainly for holders of the Pole's Card (Karta Polaka), people already living in Poland on another basis, and Russians who are legally resident in a third country.

| At a glance | Position on 2 October 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| Admission | Decided by the university; nationality is not a ground for refusal |
| School certificate | Free written information from NAWA via the SYRENA system; Russian-language documents need no translation |
| Entrance exam | Mandatory for Russian school certificates (first-cycle and long-cycle programmes) |
| Language | Proof of the programme language at B2 or higher |
| D visa from Russia | Exceptional cases only; Pole's Card holders are named among accepted applicants |
| Entry | Decided by the Polish Border Guard; Russian students are admitted if they hold a Polish residence permit |
| Passport | Biometric only, since 1 April 2026 |
| Recognition in Russia | University of Warsaw and Jagiellonian University are on list No. 186-r |

The main gate of the University of Warsaw on Krakowskie Przedmieście, January 2013. Photo: Guillaume Speurt / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:University_of_Warsaw_(8511366736).jpg), [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0).

## What this guide covers and where the rest lives {#section-1}

This page covers what is different for a Russian citizen compared with any other non-EU applicant: who is allowed through the border, where to apply for a visa, how the certificate and language are proven, how to pay from Russia and how a Polish degree is recognised at home. General admission steps, registration periods and exams are in [applying to universities in Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-universities-in-poland); the full visa checklist and fees are in [the student visa for Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-for-poland). If you are still choosing a level, start with the guides to a [bachelor's degree in Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-poland) and a [master's degree in Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-poland).

## Which Russian citizens can study in Poland now {#section-2}

The rule that shapes everything else sits not in the higher education act but in an interior ministry regulation on border traffic. So the first question is not which university to pick but which group you belong to.

| Your situation | What the route looks like | What decides the outcome |
| --- | --- | --- |
| You hold a Pole's Card | Admission, then a national visa issued for Pole's Card purposes; entry allowed as an exemption | Consul (visa), Border Guard (entry), university (admission) |
| You already live in Poland on a temporary or permanent permit (work, family) | Admission and a change of residence basis to studies via the MOS portal, without leaving | Voivode (permit), university |
| You are the spouse or child of a Polish citizen | Family visa; entry as an exemption | Consul, Border Guard |
| You live permanently in a third country on a local residence permit (for example Kazakhstan or Armenia) | D visa at the Polish consulate in that country under its own rules; the general entry restriction still applies | Consul in your country of residence, Border Guard |
| You live in Russia and none of the above applies | Consulates in Russia accept applications only in exceptional cases | Consul in Russia |

For the last group the honest conclusion is that you can be admitted, but studies will not start without a visa, and there is currently no standard study-visa route from Russia. If that is your case, compare Poland with countries that process Russian students in the ordinary way; the overview of [studying abroad as a Russian citizen](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-study-abroad-for-russian-citizens) gives the wider picture. A Finnish student residence permit, for example, is completed with an identity check in Moscow (see [studying in Finland as a Russian citizen](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-in-finland-for-russian-citizens)), and Irish study visa applications are accepted at visa centres in Russian cities, which matters if you are weighing a [bachelor's degree in Ireland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-ireland).

## The entry restriction: what the regulation actually says {#section-3}

The Minister of the Interior's regulation of 19 September 2022 restricted the entry of Russian citizens at crossing points on the EU external border: land crossings from 19 September and airports and seaports from 26 September 2022. The consolidated text (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1403, § 3a) lists who is exempt. For an applicant, five groups matter:

- Pole's Card holders and their spouses;
- spouses and children of Polish citizens;
- foreigners with the right of permanent or temporary residence in Poland;
- holders of visas issued on humanitarian grounds, in the national interest or under international obligations;
- students, other learners and doctoral candidates studying in Poland, but only if they hold a Polish temporary residence permit.

The last point is often misread. An admission letter does not exempt you on its own: since 5 April 2023 the text of the regulation expressly ties the student exemption for Russians to a residence card. On a literal reading, a first-year student who so far holds only a D visa does not fall under the student exemption and has to rely on another ground from the list. Whether a given traveller qualifies is decided by the Border Guard officer (Straż Graniczna) at the crossing point; there is no advance clearance and no entry permit issued beforehand. Amendments made in 2025 changed the regime at crossings on the Belarusian border but left the restriction on Russian citizens unchanged.

## Where a Russian citizen applies for a visa {#section-4}

The Polish Embassy in Moscow attributes the restriction to staff shortages: while it lasts, Schengen and national visas for Russian citizens are processed only on humanitarian, urgent or specially justified grounds, or where Poland's interest requires it. Polish consulates in Russia have had no visa centre since 27 March 2023, so applicants in these categories (the embassy gives spouses of Polish citizens and Pole's Card holders as examples) go to the consulate in person. The consular districts are Moscow (most of European Russia, the Urals and the Kaliningrad region) and the Consulate General in Irkutsk (Siberia and the Far East).

If you live legally in another country, apply at the Polish consulate there under its booking rules. Consulates ask for proof of residence in their district: in Kazakhstan, an egov.kz profile plus a property document or lease; in Belarus, for the Minsk district, registration for at least the last six months. A trip made only to file the application, without local status, does not work. The D visa documents themselves (e-konsulat form, admission letter, proof of tuition payment, insurance of at least €30,000, funds and, for the first year, the NAWA information) are listed in [the student visa for Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-for-poland).

### Passport

By decision of the interior minister, Poland stopped recognising Russian passports without a chip: diplomatic and service passports from 1 January 2026 and ordinary passports from 1 April 2026; the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) published the decision. In practice you need a biometric passport for the visa, the border crossing and the residence permit. If your passport expires during your studies, plan the replacement early: a Polish permit cannot be extended on a passport that is invalid or not recognised.

## The Pole's Card: the clearest route for Russians {#section-5}

The Pole's Card is not citizenship, but for studies it settles three questions at once: its holder is exempt from the entry restriction, studies free of charge in Polish at a public university under Article 324 of the higher education act, and pays no consular fee for the national visa. The Embassy in Moscow explicitly lists Pole's Card holders among those whose visa applications are currently accepted.

You cannot obtain the card quickly "for studies". The consul checks Polish descent (Polish nationality of you, a parent, a grandparent or two great-grandparents, or three years of active work in a Polish organisation), basic Polish and knowledge of traditions at an interview. A language course certificate is not accepted as proof, and the embassy warns that adverts offering "a Pole's Card after a course" are untrue. The fee exemptions are covered in [tuition-free study in Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-tuition-free-study-in-poland).

## The Russian attestat and diploma in Poland {#section-6}

School certificate. Since 1 July 2025 the right to apply with a certificate from outside the EU, OECD and EFTA is confirmed by written information from the NAWA director. It is requested online in SYRENA, it is free, and NAWA does not require sworn translations of documents in Russian. Polish universities do not use Unified State Exam (EGE) results as admission scores: for Russian school leavers the law requires a pass in the university's own entrance exam. NAWA issues the information only for a finished certificate, so apply in SYRENA right after graduation.

Degree for a master's. For Russian documents issued after 25 September 2005 there is no agreement on mutual recognition; the Polish science ministry explains that their equivalence to Polish degrees can be confirmed only through nostrification. For a Russian bachelor's or specialist diploma the university will ask for NAWA information on the diploma, also free via SYRENA, but here NAWA lists sworn translations of all attached documents. The Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), for example, asks for it when the candidate accepts the offer.

Apostille. Russia and Poland are parties to the Hague Convention. If a university requires legalisation, the certificate or diploma is apostilled in Russia; whether an apostille and a sworn Polish translation are needed is stated in each university's admission rules.

## Language: what proof is needed and where to get it {#section-7}

Every applicant from outside the EU, EFTA, Switzerland and the UK must prove the language of the programme at B2 or above. For Polish-taught programmes this is the state certificate in Polish as a foreign language or another document on the ministry's list; exams are run by accredited centres in Poland and abroad, listed by the State Commission at certyfikatpolski.pl. If there is no centre in your country, the exam has to be planned together with travel, and for Russian citizens that leads back to the entry question.

For English-taught programmes the university chooses the accepted tests and minimum scores. Before booking, check two things: whether the university accepts an online format, and whether registration and payment are available in your country of residence. If you are comparing tests, the [Duolingo English Test guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-duolingo-english-test-guide) covers the online option.

## Money: visa funds, bank accounts and paying tuition {#section-8}

How much to show. Polish rules require that, after paying for housing, you have more each month than the social-assistance income threshold, which has been $261 (PLN 1,010) since 1 January 2025, plus return travel money: $52 (PLN 200) when coming from a neighbouring country such as Russia and $646 (PLN 2,500) from further away. Tuition for the semester or year is shown separately.

Transfers from Russia. The Bank of Russia confirms that residents may send money abroad, including tuition paid to a foreign institution's account, through banks that are not under sanctions and money-transfer companies. It also warns that a foreign correspondent bank may refuse the payment or block the funds because of sanctions. Ask the university for its bank details and accepted payment methods first, then test the route with a small amount through your sending bank. Options and their limits are compared in [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).

A Polish account. The EU ban on accepting deposits above €100,000 from Russian citizens (Article 5b of Regulation 833/2014) does not apply to people holding a residence permit in an EU country. For a student with a residence card the cap does not apply, but whether to open the account is still the bank's decision under its own customer checks.

## Costs and free options for Russian citizens {#section-9}

Russian citizens pay the non-EU rate. The Study in Poland portal run by NAWA gives a range of $2,260–6,779 (€2,000–6,000) a year; at the University of Warsaw the Business and Management bachelor's costs $4,519 (€4,000) in 2026/27 and the Machine Learning master's $3,728 (€3,300). The full budget is in [the cost of studying in Poland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-poland).

| Free or reduced option | Open to a Russian citizen? |
| --- | --- |
| Full-time Polish-taught programme at a public university under Art. 324 | Yes, with a Pole's Card, a C1 state certificate in Polish, permanent residence, or as a family member of a Polish citizen living in Poland |
| NAWA Banach scholarship (master's) | No: Russia is not on the programme's country list |
| NAWA Gen. Anders programme | Yes, with a Pole's Card or a decision on Polish descent; the travel allowance for Russia is $517 (PLN 2,000) |
| Doctoral schools | Yes, by competition: no tuition, and full-time doctoral candidates receive a stipend |
| Student residence permit | Does not give the right to free tuition |

## Work during and after studies {#section-10}

Since 1 December 2025 a new labour ministry regulation (Journal of Laws 2025, item 1620) applies: a full-time student may work without a work permit if the university is a public academic institution or has been approved by the interior ministry to admit foreigners. Part-time and evening study do not give this right. After graduating from a Polish university you can obtain, once, a temporary residence permit to look for work or start a business for nine months (Article 186 of the Act on Foreigners); the voivode decides.

## Is a Polish degree recognised in Russia? {#section-11}

In the list attached to Russian Government Order No. 186-r (as amended on 19 February 2026), Poland is represented by the University of Warsaw and the Jagiellonian University: their licencjat and inżynier degrees are recognised as bachelor's degrees and the magister as a master's, without a separate procedure. Degrees from other Polish universities go through recognition: the application is filed via Gosuslugi or the National Information Centre, and Rosobrnadzor decides. Doctors, pharmacists and other regulated professions also need a licence to practise under Russian rules. If you plan to return, check the list before you apply, not after graduation.

## A plan for a Russian citizen {#section-12}

| When | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| 15–18 months ahead | Identify your group from the table above; if you need a Pole's Card, start with descent documents and Polish |
| 12 months ahead | Check your passport type and expiry; get a biometric passport if needed |
| 9–12 months ahead | B2 language certificate; shortlist 3–5 programmes and check the university's status (public academic or on the interior ministry list) |
| Right after school graduation | SYRENA request for NAWA information; apostille if the university requires it |
| Spring and summer | Registration in admission systems, entrance exams, admission |
| After admission | Payment, insurance, consulate appointment where you live; funds with a clear origin |
| In Poland | Residence permit application for studies via the MOS portal before the visa expires |

## Common mistakes {#section-13}

- Paying the university before checking where and on what basis you will get a visa. Admission without a visa route does not turn into studies.
- Treating an admission letter as a border pass. Russian students are admitted on the strength of a Polish residence permit, not a university letter.
- Travelling to apply at a consulate in a country where you have no residence permit.
- Planning to enter on EGE scores. For a Russian certificate the law requires the university's entrance exam.
- Paying an agent for "nostrification". The NAWA information is free and the applicant files the request.
- Counting on the Banach scholarship with a Russian passport.
- Applying with a non-biometric passport after 1 April 2026.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can Russian citizens be admitted to a Polish university in 2026?

Yes. The law does not list Russian nationality as a ground for refusal, and the admissions committee assesses the application under the general rules for foreigners: NAWA information on the certificate, B2 language proof and the university's entrance exam. The university makes the admission decision; the visa and entry are separate decisions of the consul and the Border Guard.

### Will a Russian citizen get a Polish student visa?

Polish consulates in Russia currently accept applications from Russian citizens only in humanitarian, urgent and specially justified cases, and Pole's Card holders are named among those whose applications are accepted. A Russian citizen living permanently in another country applies at the Polish consulate there. In every case the consul decides on the visa.

### Will a Russian student be allowed across the Polish border?

Under the wording of the regulation, the student exemption for Russian citizens applies once the student already holds a Polish temporary residence permit. Without a residence card you need another ground: a Pole's Card, family ties to a Polish citizen or a visa issued on humanitarian grounds. The final decision is taken by the Border Guard officer at the crossing point.

### Does the Russian attestat need translating for NAWA?

No. For NAWA information on a school certificate, documents in Russian are accepted without sworn translation; the request is filed online in SYRENA and is free. The university may still require a Polish translation and an apostille at enrolment, so check its admission rules; NAWA confirms the right to study, and the university decides on admission.

### Can Russians study in Poland for free?

Yes, if they have a ground under Article 324 of the higher education act: a Pole's Card, a C1 state certificate in Polish, permanent residence or family ties to a Polish citizen living in Poland. The exemption covers only full-time Polish-taught programmes at public universities and is applied by the university on the basis of your documents; the Banach scholarship is not open to Russian citizens.

### Is a Polish degree recognised in Russia?

Degrees from the University of Warsaw and the Jagiellonian University are on list No. 186-r and are recognised without a procedure. Other Polish degrees need recognition: you apply through Gosuslugi or the National Information Centre, and Rosobrnadzor decides. Medicine and other regulated professions also require a licence to practise.

### Can I study in Poland with a non-biometric passport?

Not since 1 April 2026: Poland does not recognise ordinary non-biometric Russian passports, so no visa will be issued and no residence permit extended on them. Get a chipped passport before applying for the visa. Passport recognition is decided by the Polish authorities, not by the university.

## Sources {#section-15}

- [Polish Embassy in Russia: visas and limits on accepting applications from Russian citizens](https://www.gov.pl/web/rossija/visas-general-issues) and [consular districts](https://www.gov.pl/web/rosja/placowki)
- [Interior ministry regulation of 19.09.2022 restricting entry of Russian citizens (Journal of Laws 2022, item 1963)](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2022/1963/text.pdf) and [consolidated text with exemptions, § 3(2) and § 3a (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1403)](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2023/1403/text.pdf)
- [UDSC: Poland stops recognising non-biometric Russian passports](https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/zaprzestanie-uznawania-przez-polske-rosyjskich-paszportow-niebiometrycznych)
- [Polish Embassy in Moscow: the Pole's Card](https://www.gov.pl/web/rosja/karta-polaka-informacje-ogolne)
- NAWA: [information on a school certificate](https://nawa.gov.pl/uznawalnosc/wydawanie-informacji-o-zagranicznych-dyplomach/swiadectwo-szkoly-sredniej) and [information on a diploma](https://nawa.gov.pl/uznawalnosc/wydawanie-informacji-o-zagranicznych-dyplomach/dyplom-ukonczenia-studiow) via SYRENA
- [Polish science ministry: bilateral agreements on recognition (section on Russia)](https://www.gov.pl/web/nauka/umowy-dwustronne-dotyczace-uznawalnosci-wyksztalcenia)
- [SGH: master's admission steps for international applicants, 2026/27](https://www.sgh.waw.pl/en/admissions-step-step-graduate-studies-international-applicants)
- [Study in Poland (NAWA): tuition fees](https://study.gov.pl/tuition-fees); [University of Warsaw: tuition fees 2026/27 (PDF)](https://rekrutacja.uw.edu.pl/files/pdf/tuition_fees_2026-2027_06.2026.pdf)
- [Regulation on work without a permit, § 1(12) (Journal of Laws 2025, item 1620)](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2025/1620/text.pdf); [Act on Foreigners, Art. 144 and 186 (Journal of Laws 2025, item 1079)](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2025/1079/text.pdf); [income threshold (Journal of Laws 2024, item 1044)](https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2024/1044/text.pdf)
- [Bank of Russia: transfers abroad and tuition payments](https://www.cbr.ru/faq/w_fin_sector/transgranichnie_perevodi/); [Bank of Slovenia: guidance on Article 5b of EU Regulation 833/2014](https://www.bsi.si/en/banking-supervision/financial-restrictive-measures)
- [Russian Government Order No. 186-r as amended on 19.02.2026](http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/document/0001202602200041); [Rosobrnadzor: recognition of foreign education](https://obrnadzor.gov.ru/gosudarstvennye-uslugi-i-funkczii/gosudarstvennye-uslugi/priznanie-inostrannogo-obrazovaniya-i-ili-inostrannoj-kvalifikaczii/)

Sources checked 30.09–02.10.2026. Conversions use the ECB reference rate of 01.10.2026: €1 = $1.1298, €1 = PLN 4.3735.

If you want to work through your route, send a [request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply): document preparation and submission are 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.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [Applying to Universities in Poland: the 2025–2026 Rules Step by Step](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-universities-in-poland)
- [Student Visa for Poland in 2026: Rules for Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh Citizens](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-for-poland)
- [Bachelor's Degree in Poland: Licencjat or Inżynier, English- and Polish-Taught Programmes, 2026/27 Fees and Admission](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-poland)
- [Master's Degree in Poland: English-Taught Programmes, 2026/27 Fees, Your Diploma and NAWA, Application Dates](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-poland)
- [Studying Abroad as a Russian Citizen in 2026: Where You Can Go, Where to File Your Visa, How to Pay and How to Get Your Degree Recognised](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-study-abroad-for-russian-citizens)
- [Studying in Finland as a Russian Citizen: Residence Permit via Moscow, Passports, the Closed Border and Payments in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studying-in-finland-for-russian-citizens)

Updated: October 2026