Recognition

Recognition is a procedure leading to definition of a Polish equivalent of a foreign certificate, diploma or research degree. The recognition certifies education acquired outside Poland and it means that a given diploma, certificate or a research degree become equivalent to Polish documents and they enable the holder continue studies in Poland and seek employment.

I. The recognition of secondary school leaving certificates/diplomas of completion of secondary schools obtained abroad

If you apply for admission to long-cycle Master studies or first-cycle studies in Poland conducted as full-time or part-time studies:

Ø    Make sure if it is possible to recognize your diploma of completion of a secondary school/secondary school leaving certificate as equivalent to a Polish secondary school leaving certificate on the grounds of an international agreement concluded by Poland with the country of which you are a citizen. Polish Republic by virtue of international contracts recognizes documents proving acquired education, research degrees and titles from the following countries:

1.     agreements in force with Austria, Belorussia, Czech Republic, France, Libya, Lithuania, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine,

2.     cancelled agreements (documents issued in the moment when they were in force are still recognized) with Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Korean People's Democratic Republic, Cuba, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Vietnam,

3.     agreements with non-existing countries (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, GDR, USSR);

Ø    If there is no such an agreement or the agreement signed for a definite period of time is no longer in force, the certificate should be recognized according to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education as of 6 April, 2006, concerning recognition of school certificates and secondary school leaving certificates obtained abroad (Journal of Laws No 63, div. 442). In order to obtain the recognition of the secondary school leaving certificate the candidate soul submit an application to the Bard of Education in the place of residence in Poland. If the candidate does not reside in Poland and he/she applies for admission to studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow (ASP), he/she should submit an application to the Board of Education in Cracow (ul. Basztowa 22, tel. +48 12 616 02 83, fax: +48 12 422 00 80):

1. 1. An application for recognition procedure (to be downloaded from http://www.kuratorium.krakow.pl >> Rodzice i uczniowie >> Nostryfikacja);
   2. The original of the certificate or its duplicate legalized by the Consul of Polish Republic in Office in the country where the document was issued with the reservation of § 14 sec. 2 and 3 of the mentioned-above regulation;
   3. A declaration that the submitted certificate has not been the object of recognition proceedings in Poland up till then;
   4. In the case of applying for recognition of a certificate of completion a school or a secondary school leaving certificate to be equivalent with Polish secondary school leaving certificate („matura") - a certificate confirming that the submitted certificate entitles the holder to apply for admission to higher education studies at each type of HEI's in the country in whose system of education the institution issuing the certificate performs its activity (if there is no annotation stating such a privilege on the certificate). This certificate may be issued by:

• Educational authorities of the country in whose system the certificate was issued,
• A diplomatic agency accredited in Poland or a consular office of the country in whose system of education the certificate was issued,
• A consul of Polish Republic in office in the country in whose system of education the certificate was issued;

1. 5. In the case of applying for recognition of a certificate of completing a school obtained abroad to be equivalent with Polish certificate of completing a public vocational school, public secondary school, public vocation-oriented secondary school, technical secondary school or public post-secondary school - a document describing the course of study including in particular:

• A list of educational classes and obtained grades;
• A number of hours assigned for their implementation;
• The period of study envisaged by the plan of education necessary for obtaining his certificate, calculating from not earlier than the age of six (if his information is not included in the content of the certificate);

1. 6. A Polish translation of the certificate and other documents drawn up in a foreign language authenticated by:

• A certified translator, who is on the list of certified translators manager by the Minister of Justice,
• A consul of Polish Republic in office in the country in whose system of education the document was issued;

1. 7. In the case when the applicant is not a person for whom the certificate was issued - a power of attorney issued by the owner of the certificate.

Ø   Remember that the recognition proceedings of the same certificate May be done only once.

Ø    The certificate of the Bard of Education about the recognition proceedings concerning the secondary school leaving certificate should be submitted alongside with other documents required from the candidate to studies and is valid only with the original of the certificate obtained abroad or its duplicate.

If you cannot manage to have your certificate recognized within the deadline of submission of documents for the recruitment:

Ø    You may submit a declaration in writing, in which you will oblige yourself to have your secondary school leaving certificate/diploma of completing of a secondary school recognized and submit it to the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. The Academy may also accept the date fixed by the Board of Education issuing the certificate of recognition of the foreign certificate not later than the date of ending the matriculation,

or:

Ø    You may submit an attestation in the form of a legalization which is done by Polish diplomatic agency or a General Consulate of Polish Republic in your country (the legalization procedure is applied if documents are assigned for legal use in the countries which are not parties of the Hague Convention of 1961),

or:

Ø You may submit an attestation in the form of an apostille (the apostille is applied if documents are assigned for legal use in the countries which are parties of the Hague Convention of 1961 on abolishing the requirement of a legalization of foreign official documents).

II. Recognition of diplomas of completing higher education studies obtained abroad

If you apply for admission to second-cycle studies, third-cycle studies (doctoral), postgraduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow or you apply for the starting doctoral proceedings at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, the procedure of recognition follows the way described in the section I. You have to submit the documents required during the recruitment. Additionally:

Ø    Make sure if it is possible to recognize your diploma of completing studies on the grounds of an international agreement concluded by Poland with your country. (The countries whose diplomas are recognized as equivalent to Polish diplomas are mentioned in the section I),

Ø    If there is no such an agreement or the agreement is not in force, you should have your diploma of completing studies recognized according to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education as of 24 February, 2006, concerning the recognition of diplomas of completing higher education studies obtained abroad(Journal of Laws No 37, div., 255 as amended). In order to have the diploma of completing second-cycle studies, third-cycle studies (doctoral), or your certificate of completing post-graduate studies recognized or in order to start doctoral proceedings at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow - you should submit an application in writing for recognition to the appropriate Faculty Council of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow.

III. It is possible to be exempted from the recognition proceedings

The exemption from the recognition procedure aims only at recognition the privileges for further education and only at the university which has exempted the person applying for admission to studies from it. Thus, you cannot exempted from recognition procedure at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and then apply for admission to studies at another university.

Ø    When applying for admission to long-cycle studies or first-cycle studies - according to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education as of 6 April, 2006, concerning the recognition of school certificates and secondary school leasing certificates obtained abroad (Journal of Laws No 63, div. 443), you may be exempted from the recognition procedures if your certificate allows to take up higher education studies in Poland. In order to have your certificate exempted from recognition procedures you should apply for it to the appropriate Board of Education relevant for your place of residence in Poland. If you do not reside on the territory of Poland and you apply for admission to studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, you should apply for it to the Educational Bard in Cracow (ul. Basztowa 22, tel.: +48 12 616 02 83, fax: +48 12 422 00 80);

Ø    When applying for admission to second-cycle studies - according to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education as of 24 February, 2006, concerning recognition of diplomas of completing higher education studies obtained abroad (Journal of Laws No 37, div. 255, as amended) - you may be exempted from recognition proceedings if you have a diploma entitling you to take up higher education studies in the country of issuing of the diploma;

Ø    When applying for admission to third-cycle studies or starting doctoral proceedings - according to the Regulation of the Minister of National Education and Sport as of 3 June, 2005, concerning recognition of research degrees and degrees in art obtained abroad (Journal of Laws No 104, div. 874, as amended) - you may be exempted from the recognition procedure if you have a diploma of completing studies obtained in one of the EU, EFTA countries, Switzerland or in the country-party of Lisbon Convention, moreover, if a given diploma entitles the holder to take up third-cycle studies or starting doctoral proceedings.