Poland offers international students access to an active film culture in Central Europe. The country hosts established events such as the Warsaw Film Festival, which presents international feature films, documentaries, and short films, and the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, which showcases recent Polish cinema.
Studying film in Poland can appeal to international students because the country offers long-established specialist film schools, university film and media studies programs, practical training opportunities, and both Polish- and English-taught options.
Read more to learn about top film schools and film studies programs in Poland for international students.
Top Film Schools in Poland
1. The Lodz Film School
- Study Program
- Degrees offered: Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral studies | Medium of instruction: Polish
The Łódź Film School was established in 1948. It initially developed alongside a separate acting school, and the two institutions were formally combined in 1958. Its well-known former students and graduates include Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, Jerzy Skolimowski, and Krzysztof Kieślowski.
The school has four departments: the Film and Television Direction Department, the Direction of Photography and Television Production Department, the Acting Department, and the Film Art Organization Department. Program structures vary by department. Film and Television Direction is offered as a five-year long-cycle master’s program, Acting lasts four and a half years, and Film and Television Production Organization offers a three-year bachelor’s program followed by a two-year master’s program. Doctoral studies are also available. Full-time degree programs are taught in Polish.
2. Warsaw Film School
- Study Program
- Degree offered: Bachelor’s | Medium of instruction: English
Warsaw Film School was founded in 2004 by Polish filmmaker Maciej Ślesicki and actor Bogusław Linda. The school is located in Warsaw. One of its graduates, Dorota Kobiela, shared an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film in 2018 for her work on Loving Vincent.
The school’s current English-taught undergraduate option for international students is the full-time, three-year Modern Filmmaking bachelor’s program. Students choose between the Directing & AI and Cinematography & AI specializations beginning in the second year. The campus includes film and photography studios, editing and post-production facilities, and a sound studio.
3. Adam Mickiewicz University – Film Studies and Media Culture
Adam Mickiewicz University offers Film Studies and Media Culture through its Faculty of Polish and Classical Philology. The university classifies these courses as general academic programs, with an emphasis on the study and analysis of film, media, and culture.
The university offers a three-year first-cycle program leading to the Polish licencjat qualification and a two-year second-cycle program leading to the magister qualification. Both are full-time programs taught in Polish. International applicants must provide accepted evidence of Polish proficiency at a minimum B2 level.
4. Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School
- Study Programs
- Degrees offered: Bachelor’s and master’s | Medium of instruction: Primarily Polish; Creative Management in New Media is taught in English
Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School is an organizational unit of the University of Silesia in Katowice. Its predecessor, the university’s Faculty of Radio and Television, was established in 1978.
The school currently offers Film and Television Directing, Cinematography and Photography, Film and Television Production, and Creative Management in New Media. Directing and Film and Television Production have first- and second-cycle study paths taught in Polish. Cinematography and Photography is a five-year, Polish-taught long-cycle master’s program. Creative Management in New Media is a two-year, English-taught second-cycle master’s program.
5. Gdynia Film School
- Study Program
- Qualification offered: 2.5-year postsecondary directing course | Medium of instruction: Polish; applicants should confirm the language requirements for the current intake
Gdynia Film School is a postsecondary nonpublic film college founded in January 2010. It offers a practical two-and-a-half-year directing course rather than bachelor’s or master’s degrees. The curriculum can include up to 700 hours of instruction per semester and covers subjects such as feature and documentary directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound, photography, and working with actors.
Each student is expected to direct two short films during the program: one fiction film and one documentary. The school also organizes workshops, lectures, seminars, and meetings with filmmakers. It describes the course as a noncommercial educational project and states that students do not pay a fee for their studies.
Success in the film industry generally requires persistence, practical ability, creative development, and professional experience. Students should compare each program’s curriculum, language, qualification type, facilities, admissions requirements, and graduate outcomes before applying.
Studying at a film school in Poland can provide international students with opportunities to develop their skills and learn about European cinema. If you are interested, read our Study in Poland and Available Programs for International Students in Europe!
