Material assistance for foreigners

Benefits for foreigners starting studies at TUL from the academic year 2019/20:

A foreign national, within the meaning of Polish law, is any person who does not have Polish citizenship. Persons who have both a Polish passport (citizenship) and a passport of another state or several other countries are, by operation of law, treated in the territory of the Republic of Poland as Polish citizens.

Foreign nationals indicated in Article 324(2)(2-7) of the Law on Higher Education and Science, i.e. those who:

• have a permanent residence permit or are long-term EU residents,
• hold a temporary residence permit in connection with the circumstances referred to in Article 159(1) or Article 186(1) (3) or (4) of the Act on Foreign Nationals,
• have the refugee status granted in the Republic of Poland or benefit from temporary protection or subsidiary protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland,
• have a certificate confirming the knowledge of Polish as a foreign language at least at the C1 level,
• have a Polish Charter or a decision confirming Polish origin,
• are the spouse, ascendant or descendant of a citizen of the Republic of Poland, living in the territory of the Republic of Poland,
• hold a temporary residence permit in connection with the circumstances referred to in Article 151 (1) or Article 151b (1) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreign nationals, or staying on the territory of the Republic of Poland in connection with the use of short-term mobility of a researcher under the conditions specified in Article 156b (1) of this Act or those with a national visa for the purpose of research or development work.

The foreign students enumerated above may also apply for a student loan.

All foreigners undertaking and pursuing studies in Poland, regardless of the basis for admission to education and the language in which they study, i.e. the above-mentioned students and foreign nationals of a Member State of the European Union, the Swiss Confederation or a Member State of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – parties to the agreement on The European Economic Area and their family members living in the territory of the Republic of Poland – are entitled to apply for other types of material assistance benefits, i.e. rector's scholarship, scholarship for disabled persons, allowance and minister's scholarship.

In addition, foreign students may apply for a scholarship financed by a local government unit, a scholarship for academic or sports results financed by a natural person or a legal person other than a state or local government legal entity.

Benefits for foreign nationals who started their studies in the previous academic years up to the 2018/19 academic year inclusive:

Foreign nationals who undertook education under the provisions of the Act of 27 July 2005 – Law on Higher Education, and the admission procedure for the 2018/2019 academic year was carried out on the basis of the provisions of this Act, are entitled to financial assistance under the rules hitherto specified in this Act until the completion of a given level of study (first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies or long-cycle studies). The rights under Article 324 of the Act of July 20, 2018 – Law on Higher Education and Science, will apply only to foreigners admitted to studies under the provisions of the new act, i.e. starting from the 2019/2020 academic year.

Foreign nationals may undertake and pursue higher studies at Lodz University of Technology on the terms applicable to Polish citizens or:

• on the basis of a decision of the minister competent for higher education,
• on the basis of the rector's decision,
• on the basis of agreements concluded by TUL with foreign entities on the terms specified in these agreements,
• on the basis of international agreements on the terms specified in these agreements.

A person who does not have Polish citizenship is a foreign national.

Foreigners who undertook studies in accordance with the rules applicable to Polish citizens, similarly to Polish citizens, may apply for:

• social scholarship,
• special scholarship for disabled persons,
• rector's scholarship,
• allowances,
• minister's scholarship.

According to Article 43(2), Article 43(5a) of the Act on Higher Education, on the terms applicable to Polish citizens, the following persons may undertake and pursue studies at Lodz University of Technology:

• foreigners who have been granted a permanent residence permit;
• foreigners with the refugee status granted in the Republic of Poland;
• foreigners benefitting from temporary protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• migrant workers, who are citizens of a European Union Member State, the Swiss Confederation or a Member State of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area, as well as members of their families, if they live in the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• foreigners who have been granted a long-term resident's European Union residence permit on the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• foreigners who have been granted a temporary residence permit on the territory of the Republic of Poland in connection with the circumstances referred to in Article 127, Article 159(1) or Article 186(1) (3) or (4) of the Act on Foreign Nationals;
• foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• citizens of the European Union member states, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states – parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and their family members, who have the right of permanent residence,
• holders of a valid Polish Charter.

Note:

Foreign nationals, who:

• have a residence card with the annotation "access to the labour market" or a Schengen visa or a national visa issued for the purpose of performing work in the territory of the Republic of Poland,
• are citizens of European Union Member States, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Member States - parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and members of their families, who have the financial resources necessary to cover the cost of living during their studies and undertake studies on other terms than applicable Polish citizens,
• are not entitled to a social scholarship, special scholarship and allowance, they may only apply for the rector's scholarship for the best students and the minister's scholarship.

Foreigners applying for benefits are required to submit, together with the scholarship application, the relevant documents described in the Regulations of Student Benefits.

Note:

All documents should be translated by a sworn translator - one of the translators from the register available on the website.