Study in Poland from Turkey
A practical, honest guide for Turkish students — visas, refusal rates, flights, costs and what life is really like. Backed by sources, not marketing.
Western Asia / Anatolia
2023/24 · GUS/NAWA
type D long-stay
2024 · proxy, see note
€85–270 (one-way est.)
Visas & entry
National type D study visa
- Processing time
- 2–8 weeks
- Where to apply
- Polish consulate / VFS Global in Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir)
- Proof of funds
- ~€2,200–3,000 minimum (776 PLN/mo × 12 + ~2,500 PLN return); advisors suggest a €3,500–4,000 buffer
Key documents
- passport valid 3+ months after visa
- acceptance letter
- proof of funds
- health insurance
- accommodation
- biometric photos
Source: visa.vfsglobal.com
Visa refusal — the honest picture
14.5% Visa refusal rate (2024)
Schengen short-stay PROXY for Turkish nationals (16.1% in 2023 → 14.5% in 2024)
Important: Poland's specific Turkish student-visa refusal % is not published; treat as a directional signal.
Source: ftnnews.com
Getting there
Istanbul (IST) → Warsaw (WAW)
- Typical price
- €85–270 (one-way est.)
- Flight time
- 2.5 h
- Airlines
- LOT, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, Wizz Air, Ryanair
LOT (~20/week) and Turkish Airlines (~16/week) fly direct.
Prices vary — estimate from kiwi.com
What it's really like
Turks are a smaller but growing community in Poland with a generally neutral-to-positive reception; research finds Turks living in Poland do not feel discriminated against by institutions, though some sense everyday prejudice and Muslim stereotypes. Students (including Erasmus+) are visible in big cities and have organised networks. Relations are broadly good and without open hostility.
Community: ~25,000 Turkish citizens in Poland (Turkish MFA estimate, 2023, incl. Erasmus+ students); clusters in Warsaw, Łódź, Gdańsk, Poznań, Kraków, Wrocław.
Tips from students & forums
-
Show a €3,500–4,000 financial buffer on the type D application rather than the bare minimum — it protects against exchange-rate swings and strengthens the file.
qogentglobal.com -
Apply via VFS Global early — Istanbul/Ankara slots fill up in the July–September peak.
vfsglobal.com -
After arrival, apply for a temporary residence card at the voivodeship office ~45 days before your visa expires.
educations.com
Good to know
- A 1921 census recorded only 7 people of Turkish nationality in all of Poland — today's ~25,000 community is a development of recent decades.
- Many Turks in Poland are entrepreneurs and investors; Warsaw and Łódź are the main hubs.
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish students need a visa to study in Poland?
Turkish citizens need a Polish national long-stay (type D) study visa for programmes over 90 days. Typical processing: 2–8 weeks. Polish consulate / VFS Global in Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir)
How many Turkish students are in Poland?
About 4,755 students from Turkey were enrolled in Poland (2023/24, GUS/NAWA data).
How much does it cost to live in Poland as a student?
Roughly €630–1,210 a month for a student living alone in a one-bedroom flat, from Lodz (the cheapest of the 8 cities we track) to Warsaw (the most expensive); a university dormitory or shared flat usually brings that down to about €400–700. Estimate from Numbeo market data accessed 9 July 2026 — for a visa, rely on the sum the authorities specify.
English-taught programmes for Turkish students
All 951 degrees in the catalogue are open to Turkish applicants — these picks match what students from Turkey most often look for. Tuition shown per year where the university publishes it.
Medicine & health programmes
Medical degrees taught fully in English — a popular route for Turkish students.
No English test listed
Programmes whose admissions pages named no English test when we captured them. That is not a university statement that a certificate is unnecessary — confirm the current rule before you apply.
Affordable programmes
The lowest rates published for English-taught studies in the catalogue. Each figure is a university-wide rate its programmes inherit, not this programme's own fee.
Universities behind these picks
Each profile has step-by-step application instructions, admissions contacts and every English-taught programme the university offers.
Where these programmes are taught
Browse the full catalogue by field of study, city, university or use the programme finder.
Ready to find your programme?
Compare Turkish-friendly, English-taught Bachelor's and Master's across Polish universities.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-13. 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. Entries ranked 31+ are added for search coverage of countries Poland does not publish separate student counts for; their studentsInPoland.count is null by design unless a published figure exists (the Perspektywy/GUS "Studenci zagraniczni w Polsce 2023" report covers some).