Poland offers relatively affordable tuition and living costs compared with many other European Union countries. Its universities also provide a strong setting for studying humanities fields such as history, languages, culture, philosophy, and social sciences, especially because of Poland’s rich historical and cultural heritage.
The Polish government and many universities provide scholarships for domestic and international students. Depending on the program, scholarships may cover tuition fees, living costs, travel costs, or a combination of these expenses. These qualities make Poland a good academic destination for budget-conscious international students.
One consideration for international students is that many humanities programs are still taught in Polish, although English-taught options are available at several universities. Students who are open to learning Polish may also gain a deeper understanding of Polish culture and find it useful when seeking opportunities in the country.
In this article, we will be talking about some of the best humanities universities in Poland.
Top Schools Offering Humanities Programs in Poland
1. Jagiellonian University
Founded in 1364, Jagiellonian University is the oldest higher education institution in Poland and one of the oldest in Europe. Since its beginning, it has been an international university, enrolling students from neighboring European countries and beyond. It survived numerous political and social crises throughout its long history and remains one of the leading universities in Poland.
As a top humanities school, Jagiellonian University offers the Interfaculty Individual Studies in the Humanities (MISH), an interdisciplinary program that lets students build an individual course of study using courses offered by participating humanities and social sciences faculties. The program is conducted mainly in Polish, so prospective students should check the current language requirements before applying.
Interested students may also study for a first-cycle, full-time degree in Studies in Central and Eastern Europe: Histories, Cultures, and Societies. Graduates may then pursue doctoral training at the Jagiellonian University Doctoral School in the Humanities, which covers seven disciplines: archaeology, philosophy, history, linguistics, literary studies, cultural and religious sciences, and arts, along with an interdisciplinary program.
2. Adam Mickiewicz University
The history of Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU), another one of the best humanities universities in Poland, is closely connected with the academic traditions of Poznan. Its roots include the Jesuit College established in 1573, which was granted the status of the first university-type school in Poznan in 1611. The modern University of Poznan was re-established in 1919, operated underground during World War II, and received the name Adam Mickiewicz University in 1955.
AMU offers a three-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Central European and Balkan Studies for students interested in European history, literature, language, culture, cultural tourism, and business communication. A related two-year English-taught master’s option is the Master of Arts in Literary Studies: Central Europe in the International Perspective.
By pursuing these programs, students can gain a deep understanding of European language, literature, and culture and learn practical applications of this knowledge in business, tourism, media, or cultural institutions. Graduates may then use their competencies to pursue careers in cultural institutions, media, social media, marketing, advertising, tourism, airlines, or hotels.
3. University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw (UW) was founded by a decree issued on November 19, 1816, and officially opened as the Royal University of Warsaw on May 14, 1818, with roots in the earlier Law School and School of Medicine. It was established with five faculties and now has 25 faculties.
The Faculty of Philosophy offers an English-taught Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies in Philosophy, a full-time, three-year program where students study ancient, modern, and contemporary aspects of the discipline. It also provides graduates with essential skills and qualifications to pursue further study in Poland or other parts of Europe.
At the doctoral level, the University of Warsaw has a Doctoral School of Humanities within its four-school doctoral education system. Doctoral candidates may pursue research in archaeology, ethnology and cultural anthropology, philosophy, history, linguistics, literary studies, culture and religion studies, or arts studies. Doctoral candidates receive a doctoral scholarship for up to 48 months, subject to the university’s current rules.
4. University of Wroclaw
The University of Wroclaw was established in 1702 as the Leopoldina University. Over the years, it has built international partnerships; the university reports around 1,100 agreements with 800 foreign universities across 37 countries. It is one of Poland’s leading classical universities.
It currently hosts over 20,000 students across 12 faculties and offers close to 170 fields of study, about 30 of which are taught in English. One of the English-taught programs available through the Faculty of Social Sciences is the Master of Arts in Sociology — Intercultural Mediation, delivered as a two-year full-time master’s program.
The program is equivalent to a Master of Arts degree and lasts two years full-time. The skills students gain from the degree can help them pursue work in intercultural communication, mediation, conflict resolution, social research, public administration, NGOs, business, and related fields.
5. SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
SWPS University is also considered one of the best humanities-related universities in Poland. It is a young private university established in 1996. Today, it maintains campuses in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Sopot, Katowice, Poznan, and Krakow and has 11 faculties offering programs across psychology, social sciences, humanities, law, design, and related fields.
SWPS University is especially known for psychology and social sciences. Its English-taught undergraduate Psychology program is a six-semester, full-time program available in Warsaw, Sopot, Wroclaw, and Krakow. The university is also internationally ranked by Times Higher Education in psychology, arts and humanities, and social sciences.
Prospective students interested in other aspects of humanities may check out the Warsaw Campus, which is home to the Faculty of Humanities. Areas connected with the faculty include Asian studies, English studies, cultural and media studies, and Spanish and Italian studies.
For international students who have a passion for studying humanities, applications to universities in Poland should begin with each university’s official admissions page. Non-EU/EEA students should also check whether they need a visa, usually a D-type national visa for longer stays, and should plan for a temporary residence permit if their studies extend beyond the visa period. There are several courses offered in universities in Poland that you can also check out on our website.
We hope this article on the best humanities universities in Poland was helpful. If you are interested in learning more, check out the Study in Poland and Programs in Europe for International Students.
