Eastern Europe
Study in Poland from Russia
A practical, honest guide for Russian students — visas, refusal rates, flights, costs and what life is really like. Backed by sources, not marketing.
2022/23 · GUS/NAWA
type D long-stay
2024 · proxy, see note
€200–500+ (via hub, one-way)
Visas & entry
National long-stay (type D) study visa
- Processing time
- 4–12 (enhanced scrutiny) weeks
- Where to apply
- Polish consulate in Moscow / St Petersburg / Kaliningrad — applications heavily restricted; students are among the few categories still accepted
- Proof of funds
- ≈ 701 PLN/month (~€165/mo) minimum + tuition + return; ~€2,000–4,000/year
Key documents
- acceptance letter
- proof of funds
- health insurance
- accommodation
- return-travel funds
Source: study.gov.pl
Visa refusal — the honest picture
7.5% Visa refusal rate (2024)
Schengen short-stay PROXY (7.5% in 2024) — but misleading: Poland suspends most Russian visa categories, students excepted
Important: Real-world difficulty for a Russian applicant is far higher than 7.5% implies; the EU also banned multi-entry Schengen visas for Russians.
Source: henleyglobal.com
Getting there
Moscow → Warsaw — no direct flights (mutual airspace closure); via Istanbul/Belgrade or overland through the Baltics
- Typical price
- €200–500+ (via hub, one-way)
- Flight time
- 8–20+ h
- Airlines
- Turkish Airlines (via IST), Air Serbia (via BEG)
No direct Russia–Poland flights since 2022; routings and prices are volatile.
Prices vary — estimate from en.wikipedia.org
Cost of living
≈ €500–850/mo in Warsaw/Kraków, ~€350–550 in smaller cities; add banking-sanction friction for transfers. Estimate.
What it's really like
Russians are a smaller, more sensitive group post-2022. Sentiment toward the Russian state is strongly negative, and Poland deliberately did not open its doors to Russians fleeing mobilisation, so the community skews toward anti-war, educated emigrants (IT, journalism, academia). Individual students are generally treated on their merits, but they navigate visa restrictions, occasional suspicion, and a need to distinguish themselves from Kremlin politics. The community is real but low-profile.
Community: Small student cohort — roughly ~1,400 Russian students (estimate). The broader anti-war émigré presence is smaller than in Germany or the Baltics.
Tips from students & forums
-
Confirm your category is currently accepted before applying — Poland suspends most Russian visa types, but students/exchange/medical are explicit exceptions; bring proof of enrolment.
fragomen.com ↗ -
Plan travel via Istanbul or Belgrade hubs and allow extra time/budget — no direct flights and routings change frequently.
en.wikipedia.org ↗ -
Apply for the temporary residence permit early; given enhanced scrutiny, gather all documents well before your visa lapses.
mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl ↗
Good to know
- Poland suspends most national and initial Schengen visa categories for Russian citizens; students, exchange and medical categories remain accepted.
- No direct Russia–Poland flights since 2022 due to mutual airspace closure.
Ready to find your programme?
Compare Russian-friendly, English-taught Bachelor's and Master's across Polish universities.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-07. Visa-refusal figures are Schengen short-stay proxies unless stated; Poland does not publish national (type D) study-visa refusal rates per country. Flight prices and monthly budgets are estimates from aggregators and study.gov.pl and change over time.