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Education system in Poland The system of primary and secondary education Until September 1999 the 8-year primary school was the first stage of education in Poland. After primary school students could apply for admission to secondary, general or vocational, schools. Since 1999, a reform of the system of education has been implemented and new types of schools are being introduced, i.e. 6-year primary school, 3-year gymnasium, and the following types of post-gymnasium schools: 3-year specialized lyceum, 3-year general lyceum, 4-years technical secondary school, 2 or 3-year vocational school, 2-year complementary lyceum, and 3-year complementary technical secondary school. During the transitional period, both the old and the new systems will continue to coexist. In the year 2004, maturity certificates will be awarded for the last time on the basis of the system functioning prior to the reform. The total number of years of primary and secondary education is 12 or 13. At the end of the secondary education cycle students can take the maturity examination - egzamin dojrzałości (matura), i.e. standardised national secondary school achievement examination, and receive the maturity certificate - świadectwo dojrzałości. System of higher education Both state and private institutions of higher education exist in Poland. The latter began to appear after 1990. A private school of higher education must receive permission to operate from the Ministry of National Education. It acquires a legal status when registered by the Minister of National Education. In 1998 the first state and private higher professional (vocational) education schools began to appear. These schools train students in professional specializations and prepare them for specific professions by including 15-week internships and school practice in the mandatory curriculum. Study programs can take the form of daily, evening or extramural studies and distant learning courses. Daily studies is the prevalent form. To qualify for admission to an institution of higher education, the applicant must hold the maturity certificate - świadectwo dojrzałości. The rules of admission to the first year of study are determined autonomously by each institution. Some organize competitive entrance examinations, others use ranking procedures based on the final grades listed in the maturity certificate, still others admit all who apply. System of higher education Both state and private institutions of higher education exist in Poland. The latter began to appear after 1990. A private school of higher education must receive permission to operate from the Ministry of National Education. It acquires a legal status when registered by the Minister of National Education. In 1998 the first state and private higher professional (vocational) education schools began to appear. These schools train students in professional specializations and prepare them for specific professions by including 15-week internships and school practice in the mandatory curriculum. Study programs can take the form of daily, evening or extramural studies and distant learning courses. Daily studies is the prevalent form. To qualify for admission to an institution of higher education, the applicant must hold the maturity certificate - świadectwo dojrzałości. The rules of admission to the first year of study are determined autonomously by each institution. Some organize competitive entrance examinations, others use ranking procedures based on the final grades listed in the maturity certificate, still others admit all who apply. Professional titles - the professional title of licencjat is awarded following the completion of 3 or 3.5-year higher professional education courses; - the professional title of inżynier is awarded following the completion of 3.5 or 4-year higher professional education courses in technical areas, agriculture, and economics and related areas; - the title of magister is awarded following the completion of uniform 5 or 6-year magister-level courses in a given field of study; equivalent titles include magister edukacji (in the field of Education), magister sztuki (in the field of Fine Arts), magister inżynier (in the field of Engineering), magister inżynier architekt (in the field of Architecture), lekarz medycyny (in the field of Medicine), lekarz stomatolog (in the field of Dentistry) and lekarz weterynarii (in the field of Veterinary Medicine). The title of magister may also be obtained following the completion of 2 or 2.5-year complementary magister-level courses, for which holders of the professional title of licencjat or inżynier are eligible. To be awarded any of the above titles the student must complete all subjects and internships or a practical placement included in the curriculum, submit and defend a diploma project or thesis and pass a diploma examination. Upon graduation, each student receives a diploma in a specific field of study, three copies of the diploma and, upon request, a diploma in a foreign language. Academic degrees and titles - the degree of doktor is awarded to a person who has passed his/her doctoral examinations and submitted and defended a doctoral dissertation (rozprawa doktorska). Holding the professional title of magister or its equivalent is a necessary condition for the doktor's degree; - the degree of doktor habilitowany is awarded to a person who holds the doktor's degree, has significant scholarly or artistic achievements, has submitted a dissertation (rozprawa habilitacyjna) and has undergone the successive stages of review, debate and defense; Qualifications awarded in arts and artistic disciplines are kwalifikacje I stopnia and kwalifikacje II stopnia (first and second degree qualifications) which correspond to the academic degree of doktor and doktor habilitowany respectively. Academic degrees doktor and doktor habilitowany are awarded by organizational units of higher education institutions and by other scientific and research institutes. - the title of profesor is conferred by the President of the Republic of Poland Text source: Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ)