How are the diplomas of Ukrainian graduates recognized in Poland?
The case of recognition of diplomas issued by authorized institutions of Ukraine is regulated by a bilateral agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on mutual academic recognition of documents on education and degree equivalence, which entered into force on June 20, 2006.
In the context of continuing education in Poland by people fleeing the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine, the following rights resulting from the above-mentioned international agreement should be particularly important:
- a certificate of full secondary education issued in Ukraine entitles you to apply for admission to studies in Poland;
- a university in Poland may recognize appropriate periods of study, passed exams, credits and internships in accordance with Polish law, and in the case of differences in curricula, the student is obliged to complete them in the school where he intends to continue his education;
- the specialist or master’s qualifications obtained in Ukraine entitle to apply for a doctoral degree in accordance with the applicable Polish law;
- the academic degrees of a candidate of sciences awarded in Ukraine entitle to apply for the academic degree of habilitated doctor in accordance with the applicable Polish law;
In other words, obtaining a diploma in Ukraine makes it possible to continue education in Poland.
It should also be pointed out that the situation when the submission of an original or a duplicate certificate necessary for continuing education encounters obstacles that are difficult to remove for a person who has been victim as a result of, inter alia, armed conflicts, education obtained by this person abroad or the right to continue education obtained abroad, including the right to apply for admission to higher education, may be confirmed in Poland by means of an administrative decision as primary or lower secondary education, basic vocational education, basic industry education, secondary industry and secondary education or entitlement to continue education in the Republic of Poland (Article 93a of the Act of 7 September 1991 on the education system, consolidated text Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1915)