Student Residence Permit in Poland: Rules for Foreign Students
Short answer: Students at approved Polish universities get a temporary residence permit: the first runs 15 months, later ones cover the studies plus 3 months. You need an admission certificate, paid tuition if fee-paying, insurance and funds above the social-assistance threshold; graduates get a one-off 9-month stay to seek work.
Studying at a Polish university is one of the most common ways expats settle in Poland - and the student residence permit has rules of its own, including a generous post-graduation job-seeking permit. This guide is based on the consolidated text of the Act on Foreigners (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1079, including the amendments in force from 1 July 2025) and the Labour Market Act (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 620), current as of October 2026.
Who gets the student permit?
Under art. 144 of the Act on Foreigners, the temporary residence permit for studies covers foreigners starting or continuing studies - first-cycle, second-cycle, long-cycle master's and doctoral school - at an institution that is either approved by the minister of the interior or exempt from approval and not under a ban on admitting foreigners.
To qualify you must show, together:
- a certificate from the university confirming admission or continuation of studies
- proof of payment for the semester or year, if your studies are fee-paying - this is required since 1 July 2025
- health insurance within the meaning of the publicly financed healthcare act, or an insurer's confirmation that it will cover treatment costs in Poland
- sufficient means to cover living costs, the return journey and the cost of studies
On the money: after deducting housing costs (rent plus utilities for the people living in the flat), your monthly means must exceed the income threshold for cash benefits under the social assistance act - for you and each family member you support.
How long is the permit valid?
Art. 145 sets the lengths:
- first permit, first year of studies: 15 months
- first permit in an EU or multilateral mobility programme: 2 years
- doctoral school: 2 years and 6 months
- shorter programmes: the academic year or course duration plus 3 months
- preparatory course: the course duration plus 3 months
- subsequent permits: the duration of the studies plus 3 months (doctoral students: plus 6 months), but no longer than 3 years
One refusal ground to know
The voivode will refuse the permit if the institution operates mainly to facilitate illegal entry or stay - in particular if it offers educational services exclusively to foreigners (art. 147). Choosing an established, accredited university is therefore not just an academic decision.
Can students work?
Yes. The Labour Market Act of 2025 applies to foreigners holding a student residence permit (art. 144) or a national visa for first-cycle, second-cycle, long-cycle or doctoral studies with the "student" annotation - which means full access to the Polish labour market on the same terms as Polish citizens, without a separate work permit. Many students work part-time alongside their studies.
After graduation: the 9-month job-seeking permit
Graduates of Polish universities get a dedicated path to stay. Under art. 186 ust. 1 pkt 6 of the Act on Foreigners, a graduate who is looking for work in Poland or planning to start a business can receive a temporary residence permit for other circumstances. It is granted once, directly after finishing the studies, for 9 months. The same 9-month option exists for researchers who completed research or development work in Poland and are seeking work or planning a business.
During those 9 months you can job-hunt, attend interviews and set up your company - and once you have a job offer or a running business, you apply for the ordinary work or business-activity permit.
What it costs
The student permit is a temporary residence permit without a work component, so the stamp duty is 340 zł, plus 100 zł for issuing the residence card (50 zł for pupils and students with the applicable reduction). See our guide to residence permit fees in 2026 for the full table.
Frequently asked questions
### Do I need the permit if I already have a student visa?
A national visa with the "student" annotation legalizes your stay for its validity. The residence permit is the longer-term instrument - most students on multi-year programmes apply for it after arriving, and it is also what unlocks the full labour-market access under the Labour Market Act.
How much money do I need to show?
The Act requires monthly means above the social assistance cash-benefit threshold after deducting your housing costs, plus funds for the return journey and for the studies themselves. The exact zloty figure follows from the social assistance act's thresholds and your rent - calculate it before filing, because the voivode will.
I am finishing my degree in June. Can I stay to look for a job?
Yes - apply for the one-time 9-month temporary residence permit for graduates of Polish universities who are seeking work or planning a business. It must be your first application directly after finishing the studies, and it cannot be repeated.
