Life in Poland
Accommodation
Choosing accommodation can be very subjective - for some quality and comfort are most important, for others it might be location, price or view from the window. That's why we want you to be able to compare and find an offer that meets your expectations.
Below we describe the 5 most popular types of accommodation chosen by our students. Use our service finder to add your accommodations to your trip cost estimate.
Hostel
Hostels are a popular form of short-term accommodation often chosen by people new to Poland who do not want or cannot live in a dormitory and want to find accommodation on the spot. Hostels are the cheapest form of accommodation offering a large number of accommodations in most Polish cities. The hostels offer 2, 3, 4 and even 8 bed rooms with shared bathroom, living room and kitchen.
Stay with the host family
The most common form of accommodation is temporary rental, which can become long-term rental depending on need. Jade Education has private apartments for short-term rental in Warsaw. Our offer includes many apartments for international students located in the surrounding districts of Warsaw center. In the offer we have private single and double shared rooms as well as common areas at your disposal: bathroom with washing machine, rest room, balcony and fully equipped kitchen. Our home has wireless Wi-Fi Internet access. Tenants are often other students from all over the world.
Public dormitory
Students of state higher education institutions may be placed in university dormitories. Dormitories are often located on campus so students can save on travel costs. They can also use the school's facilities at any time: library, wireless Internet access, cafe, etc.
This is the cheapest form of long-term stay. Public dormitories have 2, 3 and 4 person bedrooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms. Due to high demand, the sooner you book this accommodation the better.
Private dormitory
Every year the number of private hostels in Poland becomes larger and larger. Their advantage is the possibility of long-term residence – you can book a place for half a year or even a whole year. Unfortunately, there are often insufficient spaces compared to demand. Before moving in, you must deposit or advance 1-3 months' rent.
Rent an apartment or room
The housing market in major Polish cities is developing very dynamically. That's why there are so many rental offers direct from owners. For students who cannot stay in dormitories, Jade Education helps them find apartments for rent in the real estate market. We cooperate with real estate agencies and private owners who have decided to rent their apartments to international students.
Public Transport
Most Polish cities have a well-developed public transport network. Depending on the city, this includes buses, trams, trains and metro. Usually, you should buy a long-term ticket because it is difficult to avoid using public transportation.
Even if you find accommodation near the university, its individual faculties or facilities may not be within walking distance. Some cities have short-term bike rental systems that allow you to take your bike from one place to another.
Long-term ticket
Before purchasing a long-term ticket, it is necessary to register at the city transportation office. They will give you two options, get a new public transportation card or integrate your student ID card into their ticketing system.
Some city transportation offices offer online registration services that you can access directly from their websites:
· Warsaw:
Warszawski Transport Publiczny
· Kraków:
Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Krakowie
· Gdańsk:
Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego w Gdańsku
· Wrocław:
Centrum Informacji Urzędu Miejskiego we Wrocławiu
· Poznań:
Zarządu Transportu Miejskiego w Poznaniu
· Łódź:
Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne - Łódź
· Katowice:
Zarząd Transportu Metropolitalnego w Katowicach
Tip: buying a period ticket is much cheaper than a monthly ticket.
If you are using your student ID card to purchase a public transport ticket, remember that you need to extend the validity of your ticket along with your student ID card confirmation. You can check the validity of your student ID card on the sticker on the back of the card.
Ticket control
In Poland, the driver will not control whether you have a ticket or not when you use public transport. Therefore, you may encounter sudden ticket checks by ticket inspectors during your trip.
Make sure to check if your ticket is expired and valid in a certain area. Figuring out what a "region" (Polish: strefa) is can be confusing at first.
To give you a better understanding, the ticketing area is usually divided into 4 zones (A+B+C+D) based on distance from the city center. Zone A is usually located around the city center, while zones B, C and D refer to locations outside the city.
Rental bike system
Cities also offer integrated bike rental systems to help you get to places that are not accessible by public transport. How to use a rental city bike?
Each city has its own city bike system, but in general, you can rent city bikes through a mobile app.
The app will charge you based on the time you use the bike. The first 30 minutes of use are free, after 1 hour they will charge 1 PLN. The rental period will stop when you return the bike to the bike station.
Traveling across Poland by train
The Polish national train system, PKP Intercity, offers a variety of train types that you can choose from based on their prices and facilities. If you want to minimize travel time, consider purchasing EIP (Express Intercity Premium) and EIC (Express Intercity) tickets. These types of trains are modern and designed for optimal passenger comfort.
Schengen
Learn about the Schengen area and student visas
What is the Schengen Area and how does it affect Student Visas?
The Schengen Area countries are a group of 26 European countries that have agreed to allow visa-free travel between them. This means that if you have a visa for one Schengen country, you can travel freely to all other Schengen countries without having to apply for a visa for each country individually.
For international students, this means you can study in one Schengen country and travel to other Schengen countries during your studies without having to apply for a visa permit for each country. This can be a great way to experience different cultures and expand your horizons. There are also tourist visas and family reunification visas available to those applying for a residence permit.
However, it is important to note that not all Schengen countries have the same visa requirements for international students. Some countries may require more documents than others to obtain a Schengen visa.
So, if you are looking to study in Schengen and open up countless opportunities, get ready to apply for a Schengen study visa. It's more than just a visa – it's your passport to education, adventure and unforgettable experiences in the heart of Europe.
Vietnamese Community in Poland
The Vietnamese community in Poland is the fourth largest Vietnamese community in the European Union, after France, Germany and the Czech Republic, although numbers are difficult to estimate, with popular estimates ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 (2022). ). They are the largest Polish immigrant community with a non-European culture and are often considered by the Polish public to be one of the largest minorities in Poland. Fact-checking that claim is difficult due to lack of accurate data. While enjoying economic success and, along with other immigrants, being considered competitive in the workforce, the Vietnamese community is viewed positively in Poland.
Student Jobs
You can get a job during college. Polish law allows non-Polish students to find jobs and work up to 40 hours per week, as long as they are full-time students. According to Polish law, full-time students can also work full-time, which corresponds to 40 working hours per week. Many students combine work with study but choose to work part-time, for example 20 hours per week, because studying is time-consuming and requires significant effort.
Taxes
If you work and earn money in Poland, you will be subject to Personal Income Tax (PIT) here.
In general, there are three types of contracts that you can sign when accepting a job in Poland: employment contracts, authorization contracts and part-of-work contracts. Students are often offered jobs on piecemeal or commission contracts, especially when working on a seasonal basis.
These agreements are often taxed more favorably than employment contracts – due to the fact that the regulations in their case determine tax-deductible expenses more favorably than in the case of employment contracts, The majority of remuneration will go directly to us and not to the tax authorities.
Depending on the type of contract you have, you may also be covered by mandatory social insurance, but this will be deducted by your employer.
It is important that in the case of an employment contract, trust contract or employment contract, the obligation to pay ongoing tax is not your responsibility but that of your employer. You are responsible for filing your annual tax return, i.e. the PIT document. Must be paid before April 30 of the following year, i.e. PIT related to income earned in 2023 must be paid before April 30, 2024. It is filled in on the basis of information submitted by the person(s) Your employer provides it, so you do not need to submit this application. need to collect information about your income on an ongoing basis to properly deal with tax authorities.
If you have difficulty filling out the PIT form, JADE Education staff will be happy to assist you.
Contact
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