Krakow University of Economics

About Krakow University of Economics

Krakow University of Economics traces its institutional history to the Higher School of Commerce established by the Polish authorities in 1925. It later operated under several names, became the Cracow University of Economics in 2007 and adopted Krakow University of Economics as its English name in 2022. The national RAD-on register classifies it as an operating public academic university rather than a private training provider or a branch of another institution. The university has a specialized profile spanning economic, business and public-policy disciplines. Its current organization includes the College of Economics, Finance and Law, the College of Economics and Public Administration, and the College of Management and Quality Sciences. Official university information describes degree provision in Polish and English, alongside postgraduate and MBA study, although these additional qualifications should not be confused with bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees. Teaching is concentrated on a seven-hectare campus near Kraków’s city center. Historic buildings share the site with teaching pavilions, a main library, computer facilities, specialist laboratories and a sports complex. This relatively concentrated arrangement can make movement between classes and central services straightforward. Accessibility measures described by the university include ramps or lifts and adapted lavatories across campus facilities. Prospective students should still confirm the accessibility of their specific teaching rooms and accommodation before enrolling.

Applications are handled through KUE’s Internet Recruitment of Candidates system, known as IRK. Requirements and calendars differ for first-cycle, second-cycle, full-time, part-time, domestic and foreign-candidate routes, so applicants should enter the correct recruitment category before relying on a deadline. The principal 2026/27 foreign-candidate window for full-time bachelor’s study ran from 1 April through 30 June 2026. For full-time master’s study, foreign candidates registered from 1 April through 12 July 2026, with results scheduled for 22 July. Those principal rounds had therefore ended by 20 August 2026, although separate or later routes may remain open. First-cycle applicants generally need a secondary-school leaving credential or its recognized equivalent. Second-cycle selection can depend on the documented grade average from a bachelor’s or equivalent long-cycle qualification. Applicants educated outside Poland may need legalized documents, sworn Polish translations and confirmation that their qualification permits progression in its country of issue; some cases also require information from Poland’s NAWA agency. English-language proof rules depend on the program and applicant circumstances. For the documented foreign master’s route, KUE requests an English certificate but specifies an exception for EU candidates holding an EU-issued diploma. Qualified applicants must submit the required originals or copies for inspection and later provide immigration and insurance documentation where applicable. The 2026/27 application fee is PLN 85 for each selected program. Applicants should verify any supplementary round directly in IRK rather than assuming rolling admission.

KUE’s 2026/27 recruitment system confirms first-cycle and second-cycle degree study in full-time and part-time formats. The first-cycle offer spans established subjects such as economics, finance and accounting, administration and international relations as well as applied or interdisciplinary areas including computer science, data science in the social sciences, logistics, tourism, project management and product-quality engineering. Applicants should consult the individual program record because teaching language, duration, study mode and eligibility are specified separately. English-taught choices in the 2026/27 offer include International Business, Global Finance and Accounting, Modern Business Management and Applied Social Sciences at first-cycle level. The second-cycle international offer includes options such as International Business, Financial Analytics, and Economic Diplomacy and Statecraft. Availability may depend on sufficient enrollment, and an English title in the catalog should not be assumed to mean that every pathway or specialization within the broader subject is taught in English. Doctoral education is documented in the university’s academic system in economics and finance, management and quality studies, and politics and public administration, with full-time and part-time doctoral-program listings. Beyond classroom study, university facilities include a main library, computer rooms and specialist laboratories. Academic choices should be compared by curriculum, language, format and intended professional or research direction rather than by subject title alone.

Key Highlights

• Operating public academic university in Poland’s RAD-on register
• Institutional history dates to 1925
• Three colleges cover economics, finance, law, public administration, management and quality sciences
• Seven-hectare campus near central Kraków

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered on the Rakowicka campus, where teaching buildings, the library and sports facilities are grouped together. The university’s 2026/27 international fact sheet lists an indoor sports hall, fitness rooms, a gym, outdoor tennis courts and a swimming pool. These are institution-provided facilities, although students should verify access rules, schedules and any activity charges after enrollment. International and exchange students can draw on a mentor program intended to help with arrival, finding accommodation, understanding courses and becoming familiar with Kraków. The university also identifies support for students with disabilities, chronic illness or psychological needs. Its fact sheet states that psychological consultations in English are available through the relevant support service. Housing requires advance planning. University residences named in current material include Fafik and Merkury, but university accommodation for exchange students is limited to particular bilateral agreements. Other international students may need to arrange a private dormitory or rental independently. Career-oriented opportunities include a university job and internship platform, individual consultations, development workshops, an employer job fair, obligatory-internship guidance and Erasmus+ traineeships. Student organizations and social opportunities may change annually, so incoming students should use current university and student-union channels when planning extracurricular involvement.

Location & Surroundings

KUE’s main address is Rakowicka 27 in Kraków. The campus lies near the city center and close to Kraków Główny, the principal railway station, giving students practical access to urban and regional transport. The university’s 2026/27 international fact sheet estimates the train journey from Kraków’s Balice airport to the main station at about 18 minutes; travelers using Katowice-Pyrzowice airport face a substantially longer bus journey. Kraków is a large academic and commercial center, so the location places students near other universities, employers, public institutions and cultural venues. At the same time, demand for student housing can make early searching important. KUE lists university residences, private dormitories, private flats and housing platforms as possible routes, without guaranteeing a place for every international student. The compact campus combines nineteenth-century buildings with newer teaching and sports facilities. Students considering a daily commute should compare accommodation with the Rakowicka campus rather than relying only on a listing’s description as being in Kraków, since journey times vary considerably across the metropolitan area.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition depends on the program, language and study format; the database record supplies no institution-wide domestic or international tuition figure. In the official 2026/27 listing for the English-taught, full-time master’s program Economic Diplomacy and Statecraft, tuition is PLN 6,200 per semester. The first semester is payable in full, while installments are allowed from later semesters. This figure should not be generalized to Polish-taught, part-time or other English-taught programs without checking their individual IRK records. The separate application fee is PLN 85 per selected program. For planning purposes, KUE’s 2026/27 international fact sheet estimates private-dormitory accommodation at approximately PLN 1,450–1,650 monthly for a shared room and PLN 1,900–3,200 for a single room. Its illustrative total monthly budgets are about PLN 2,500–2,800 with a shared room or PLN 3,400–4,200 with a single room. These are estimates rather than guaranteed charges and may be most directly relevant to incoming international students. KUE does not promise a particular salary or employment outcome. Its Student Career Centre provides job, internship and traineeship listings through JobTeaser, career counseling, development sessions, employer presentations and a university job fair. It also supports obligatory internships and Erasmus+ placements abroad. Students can use Poland’s national ELA graduate-outcomes system to investigate field-specific employment and earnings evidence instead of relying on broad institutional claims.