System of education in

Poland

The most popular type of school is a public school, but there are also some non-public schools.

SCHOOLS

PUBLIC NON-PUBLIC

Public schools

free and accessible for everybody

Estabilished and administered by public administration and local authorities

Controlled by the Ministry of Education

Non-public schools

Can be paid and don’t have to be accessible for everybody

Estabilished and administered by a legal entity or a person

Less controlled by the Ministry of Education

Local government(Municipalities, Poviat, Voivodship)

National government (Ministry of Finances)

FINANCING OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL

ORGANISATION

GOVERNMENTMinistry of Education

EDUCATION OFFICEREXTERNAL EXAMINATION

CENTERLOCAL GOVERNMENT

Educational supervisionExternal exams at the end of the primary school, gymnasium and

secondary school

Administration, financial supervision

SCHOOL

Education in Poland is obligatory from the preparatory „zero” grade (6 year old child) to the end of „gymnasium”,

but only to the end of 18th year of life.

15 3rd grade

Gymnasium (lower secondary shool)14 2nd grade

13 1st grade

12 6th gradeDifferent

subjects/different teachers

Primary school

11 5th grade

10 4th grade

9 3rd grade

Integrated education (one teacher)8 2nd grade

7 1st grade

6 year old "Zero" grade, at primary school or nursery school

Types of schools• 20 weeks – 3 years old baby:  crèche

• 4 – 6 years old child: nursery school

• 7 – 12 years old: primary school (2 stages)

• 13-15 years old: Gymnasium (lower secondary school)

• 16 – 17/18/19: secondary schools, some finish with Matura exam

• after the Matura exam: higher education schools

SECONDARYSCHOOLS

VOCATIONAL2 or 3 years

TECHNICAL 4 years,

Matura exam,diploma exam

LYCEUM (grammar school)

3 years,Matura exam

HIGER EDUCATIONSCHOOLS

require Matura exam

3 yearsbachelor’s degree

5 years master’s degree

6 years (medical) master’s degree

2 yearsmaster’s degree

Day studies at state high schools Day studies at state high schools are free of chargeare free of charge

Exams

• At the end of the primary school (12 years old) so called „Sprawdzian”

• At the end of the Gymnasium (15 years old)so called „Egzamin gimazjalny”, important in terms of enrollment to some secondary schools

• At the end of some secondary schools(18-19 years old)so called „Matura” or „egzamin dojrzałości”, important in terms of enrollment to higher education schools

Year of life

Grade/year at school

Type of school Final exams

               

24 6th year

higher education schools, 3 years (+ optional 2 years), 5 years, 6 years (only medicine)

After 6 years for medical higher schools        

23 5th/2nd year After 5 years (or 3 + 2) a diploma exam and a title of "magister" (master's degree)

22 4th/1st year

21 3rd year     In 3 year schools, after 3 years a diploma exam and a title of

"licencjat" (bachelor's degree)20 2nd year2 - 3 years

complementary lyceum or technical school

       

19 1st year  4 years

technical secondary

school

   

18 3rd grade

3 years lyceum

External exam at the end of the 3rd (or 4th) grade - MATURA, required to go to any higher education school

17 2nd grade 2 - 3 years vocational secondary school16 1st grade

15 3rd grade

Gymnasium (lower secondary shool)External exam at the end of 3rd grade

compulsory education, not longer than till 18 years old

14 2nd grade

13 1st grade

12 6th grade Different subjects/differe

nt teachersPrimary school

External exam at the end of 6th grade11 5th grade

10 4th grade

9 3rd grade Integrated education (one

teacher)8 2nd grade

7 1st grade

6 "Zero" grade, at primary school or nursery school No exams before primary school

5nursery school

 

4

3 crèche

2

1