AGH University of Krakow (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) was founded in 1919 as an academy of mining and metallurgy and is now one of Poland’s leading technical universities, with around 21,000 students, nearly 70 fields of study and 18 faculties on its campus in Kraków. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was in the 761-770 band, the fifth-highest-ranked university in Poland and the second-highest-ranked technical university. It’s known for computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and robotics, materials science, energy, geology and mining.
AGH teaches most of its programmes in Polish, but it offers 23 degree programmes and specialisations taught entirely in English, and its Department for International Students supports international applicants. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on AGH’s own guidance and official Polish information.
1. Choose an English-taught programme
AGH’s English-taught bachelor’s programmes include Computer Science, Computer Science for Embedded Systems, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, Space Engineering and Geology of Natural Resources. Its English-taught master’s programmes cover fields such as Automatic Control and Robotics, Computer Science and Intelligent Systems, Electrical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Materials Science, Space Technologies, Oil and Gas Engineering, Energy Engineering, Sustainable Energy Systems and International Management. Some programmes only open if enough candidates are accepted. AGH: bachelor’s programmes in English.
2. Know the new rules for foreign documents
Under Poland’s Act of 4 April 2025, which aims to stop abuse of the student visa system, new rules have applied since 2025 to applicants whose school certificate or degree comes from outside the EU, EFTA and OECD. Bachelor’s applicants generally need a recognition statement from the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), a B2 certificate in the language of instruction and a pass in the university’s entrance exam or interview. Master’s applicants need a NAWA recognition statement for their degree. NAWA’s recognition can take 60 to 90 days or more, so apply for it through its online Syrena system as early as you can. At AGH, check whether your school certificate needs an individual NAWA recognition statement, and submit your NAWA application before admissions open, because of the long waiting times. AGH: required documents for bachelor’s studies.
3. Watch for the admission calendar
Admissions for AGH’s bachelor’s programmes for 2027-28 will start in June 2027, and the admission calendar is due to be published around May 2027. For master’s programmes, AGH runs a summer recruitment from June to September and a winter recruitment in January and February. Check the admission calendar for your programme, and give yourself time for documents and your visa.
4. Prepare for the AGH maths exam
For bachelor’s programmes, AGH ranks applicants using an admission rate of up to 1,000 points, and you need at least 300 points to be admitted. If your school certificate was issued outside the EU, EFTA and OECD education systems, you must take the AGH maths exam, and its result replaces your school’s advanced mathematics grade in the calculation. Applicants with IB or EB diplomas don’t take the exam, and those with certificates from the EU, EFTA, OECD or China can take it if their certificate doesn’t include advanced mathematics. AGH: recruitment rules for bachelor’s studies.
5. Take the online entrance exam for a master’s
For master’s programmes, your admission rate is based on the average grade of your bachelor’s studies and the result of an online entrance exam, which is compulsory. You can only take the exam once you’ve paid the application fee, and sample questions are available for each programme. In the first recruitment cycle you can apply for up to five fields of study, as long as the exam dates don’t overlap. Some programmes have extra requirements: for example, Mechatronic Engineering asks for set numbers of ECTS credits in mathematics, physics, basic sciences and design. AGH: recruitment rules for master’s studies.
6. Prove your English
English-taught programmes ask you to prove your English at level B2 or higher. Since August 2025, applicants from outside the EU must use one of the documents listed in a regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education. These include IELTS Academic (at least 5.5), TOEFL iBT (at least 72), PTE Academic (at least 59) and Cambridge B2 First, but some universities set higher minimums, so check yours. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
7. Get your documents apostilled or legalised
You upload your school-leaving certificate and transcript of records in the e-Rekrutacja system. Unless you have a Polish, IB or EB certificate, your certificate needs an apostille if it was issued in a country that’s a party to the Hague Convention, or legalisation at a Polish consulate if it wasn’t. Poland doesn’t accept apostilles from some countries, including Pakistan, so legalisation is needed instead. The university doesn’t take part in this process, and it can take time, so start early.
8. Understand the fees and look for scholarships
AGH charges tuition fees for its English-taught programmes per semester. For 2026-27, fees for full-time bachelor’s programmes range from €1,250 a semester for Space Engineering to €3,000 for Computer Science, and master’s fees range from about €1,650 to €3,500 a semester, the highest being for International Management and Digital Production for Sustainable Manufacturing. One programme run with external partners, Raw Materials Value Chain, is free. AGH’s Department for International Students also handles requests for tuition fee reductions or exemptions. The National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) runs scholarship programmes for international students, such as the Stefan Banach programme for students from selected countries and Poland My First Choice, and NAWA scholarship holders are usually exempt from tuition fees. AGH: tuition fees.
9. Apply for your student visa, then a residence permit
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a visa, but if they stay longer than three months they must register their residence with the local voivodeship office. If you’re from outside the EU/EEA, you usually apply for a national (D-type) student visa at the Polish consulate in your country once AGH University has sent your acceptance letter. You’ll need to show that you can pay for your studies and living costs, have health insurance and can pay for your return journey. The University of Warsaw’s Welcome Point, for example, lists PLN 1,010 a month for a student living alone, plus rent and utilities, but the amount is set by regulation, so check the current figure. If you stay longer than your visa allows, you apply to the voivode for a temporary residence permit for studies. Since 27 April 2026, these applications can only be submitted online through the government’s MOS portal. Visa appointments in some countries are booked months ahead, so apply as soon as you have your acceptance letter.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
If you’re a full-time student at a Polish university, you can work in Poland without a work permit, but this doesn’t apply to part-time (extramural) students. Most part-time jobs need Polish, so don’t count on them to cover all your costs. When you graduate, you can apply once for a temporary residence permit for 9 months to look for a job or start a business, as long as you apply before your current permit runs out. As a graduate of full-time studies at a Polish university, you can work without a work permit. AGH University’s careers office can help you find internships and jobs. Zielona Linia: residence permit for graduates looking for work.
Applying for a PhD at AGH?
Doctoral training at AGH takes place in the AGH University Doctoral School, which covers 17 disciplines and runs its own admissions each year. You’ll usually need a master’s degree, a research proposal and a supervisor, and doctoral school students in Poland receive a monthly stipend. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to the University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University, the Warsaw University of Technology and Adam Mickiewicz University. Our guide to studying in Poland explains how the Polish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from AGH University of Krakow’s official admissions and fee pages, Polish government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on AGH’s international admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with AGH University of Krakow.