Poznań University of Life Sciences
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu
A Polish life-sciences university with English-taught Bachelor's and Master's degrees in agriculture, forestry, food and biotechnology.
- Students
- 7,000
- International
- 8%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 7.7:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €1,200
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1951
About PULS
Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu) became an independent institution in 1951 as the Wyższa Szkoła Rolnicza, although the university traces its roots to an agricultural school founded by August Cieszkowski in 1870. It has about seven thousand students and 1,300 employees, according to its About page, and six faculties: Agriculture, Horticulture and Biotechnology; Forestry and Wood Technology; Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Food Science and Nutrition; Environmental and Mechanical Engineering; and Economics.
For international applicants, the main draw is the English-taught offer. The fee order for 2026/27 lists three Bachelor's programmes in English (Crop Plant Biology and Production, Economics and Finance Management in Agri-food Sector, Land Resource Management) and ten Master's programmes, including Agronomy, Biotechnology, Forestry, Wood Science, Animal Production Management and Geoinformation and Spatial Management.
PULS suits applicants who want a specialised, applied degree in agriculture, forestry, food, environment or biotechnology at roughly 1,200 to 2,600 euros a year in tuition. It is less suited to applicants looking for a broad, multi-discipline university: the subject range is narrow and focused on life sciences.
Why students choose PULS
English-taught programmes include Crop Plant Biology and Production (Bachelor's) and Master's degrees in Agronomy, Biotechnology, Forestry and Food Technology and Human Nutrition.
Tuition in English is published in euros: 600 to 1,300 EUR per semester depending on the programme.
NAWA's Banach Programme offers tuition-free Master's study plus a 2,500 PLN monthly scholarship to applicants from 36 listed countries.
An International Relations Office and an International Student Support team help with visas, temporary residence cards, translations and emergencies.
Admissions
Academic year 2026/27 is the latest published cycle; 2027/28 not yet published
Selectivity
PULS does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission for English-taught programmes runs through the electronic recruitment system and a recruitment committee per programme; the university says the process takes about two to three months.
Typical entry requirements
| Bachelor's: school certificates from EU, OECD and EFTA states and countries with a recognition agreement; IB and European Baccalaureate | Recognised automatically (list updated 24 June 2025 on the PULS recruitment rules) and admitted on the submitted documents, provided English is proven at least at B2 (certificate list in PULS's 'english_language_requirements' PDF, 1 August 2025) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's: certificates from other (third) countries | Need a written recognition statement from the director of NAWA (Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange) confirming the right to apply to first-cycle studies in Poland, pass PULS's entrance exam for the field (minimum 30% of the points) and prove English at least B2 |
| Master's: first-cycle (Bachelor's) diploma or uniform master's | Admission is on the average grade of the whole first-cycle course plus complete documents; graduates of a compatible or related first-cycle field are admitted to English-taught Master's programmes, graduates of other fields only if places remain and after an exam, test or interview; English B2 certificate (or another condition in the Minister's regulation of 30 July 2025) is required; NAWA recognition applies to diplomas from countries outside the EU, OECD and EFTA groups |
| English language | English at least CEFR B2 for English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programmes (certificates accepted are listed in PULS's 'english_language_requirements_1.08.2025' PDF, which could not be opened; no TOEFL or IELTS score is stated on the pages read). Polish-taught Master's programmes need Polish B2. |
Deadlines
- Second admissions round - 2026/27 cycle Non-binding4 July to 15 August (2026 cycle)
Previous cycle dates; the page does not state a year beside the dates. The first-round dates are not shown on the page fetched.
These dates come from the 2026/27 cycle, shown as the previous cycle; 2027/28 dates had not been posted. PULS advises applying as early as possible because the process takes about two to three months. The archive.org copy of the recruitment page (21 October 2025) said the 2026/27 details would be published in November 2025; the live page could not be reloaded because its TLS certificate chain is incomplete, and certificate checks were not bypassed.
How to apply
Register in PULS's e-recruitment system (wu.up.poznan.pl), choose a programme, pay the 85 PLN application fee for each field of study, and upload the documents listed in the recruitment rules. Questions go to the Foreigners Recruitment Office or the programme's recruitment committee.
What admissions looks for
- A qualifying secondary school certificate for Bachelor's (recognised automatically for EU, OECD, EFTA and listed countries, otherwise with a NAWA recognition statement) or a first-cycle degree for Master's.
- English at CEFR B2 for English-taught programmes.
- For Master's, the average grade of the whole Bachelor's course and a related first-cycle field.
- Complete documents uploaded through the e-recruitment system.
Tips for applying to PULS
- 1 Contact the recruitment committee for your programme before applying; the page lists a separate email address for each programme.
- 2 Apply early: PULS says the admissions process takes about 2 to 3 months.
- 3 If you come from one of the 36 Banach Programme countries, check NAWA for a tuition-free Master's place.
- 4 If your visa is refused, the first semester's tuition can be refunded or moved to the next year's admission once, per the Rector's Order 20/2026.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Foreign nationals can study tuition-free on NAWA programmes such as the Banach Programme (for Master's studies in Polish or English: a 2,500 PLN monthly scholarship, tuition-free study, a 2,500 PLN travel allowance and a Polish language course). The Dean may reduce or waive the tuition fee in cases of difficult financial situation.
- 85 PLN per field of study, non-refundable unless the programme is not launched
- Application fee
- 2,500 PLN a month plus a 2,500 PLN travel allowance; tuition-free
- Banach NAWA scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; tuition is set per semester
Crop Plant Biology and Production (Bachelor's, English)
English-taught Bachelor's programme at 1,000 EUR per semester.
Agronomy (Master's, English)
PULS reports first place in Poland for Plant Science and Agronomy in the latest Research.com Best Universities by Subject ranking (PULS news item, 10 July 2026; edition not named).
Forestry (Master's, English)
Taught by the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, with a separate Wood Science Master's at 900 EUR per semester.
Biotechnology (Master's, English)
One of ten English-taught Master's programmes, at 1,100 EUR per semester for semesters 1 to 3.
Animal Production Management (Master's, English)
At 1,300 EUR per semester it is among the most expensive English-taught Master's programmes; PULS reports 2nd in Poland for Animal Science and Veterinary Science in the latest Research.com Best Universities by Subject ranking (10 July 2026 news item).
Geoinformation and Spatial Management (Master's, English)
English-taught programme run with the environmental engineering faculty.
Research
- PULS lists Erasmus+ and COST projects such as ProLand and the EU-PoTaRCH network on forest by-products, and reports that it became the first Polish university to join the Agrinatura association.
- Current projects include work on optimising grass, legume and herb mixtures in crop rotations and the CARinata and CamelINA project on sustainable diversification of EU farming systems.
- The university announced an expanded collaboration with Google on artificial intelligence and digital education (July 2026).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture and Biotechnology
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition
- Faculty of Environmental and Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Economics
Student life
PULS is based on the Sołacz campus in Poznań, with its administration in the Collegium Maximum on Wojska Polskiego Street. International students are supported by the International Student Support team and a Buddy programme, and can join PULS-ISA, the international student association. The university runs an Erasmus+ exchange programme with more than 80 partner universities, and a PULS Alumni community. Student houses in Poznań are listed on Polish Wikipedia, including blocks on Piątkowska Street and a hall on Wojska Polskiego Street.
- PULS-ISA international student association.
- Buddy programme for new international students.
- Erasmus+ with more than 80 partner universities.
- Support with temporary residence cards, bank accounts, PESEL numbers and emergencies.
Housing. The fetched pages did not give accommodation prices for international students; Polish Wikipedia lists student houses including DS Jurand, Danuśka and Maćko on Piątkowska Street.
Location
Poznań is one of Poland's larger cities, in the Greater Poland region. The PULS campus is in the Sołacz district, with the rectorate at Wojska Polskiego 28, and the university's historical roots lie in the agricultural life of Greater Poland.
Notable alumni
- SK Stanisław KalembaPolitician (PSL) and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development from July 2012 to March 2014; completed studies at the Agricultural Academy in Poznań (today's PULS) in 1980
- HS Henryk StokłosaEntrepreneur and politician, senator in several terms; studied at the Agricultural Academy in Poznań (today's PULS), agriculture (1980) and animal science (1982)
- MM Marek MrówczyńskiPlant protection specialist and professor, director of the Institute of Plant Protection in Poznań (2007-2012, 2018-2021); alma mater Agricultural Academy in Poznań
- MJ Małgorzata JędryczkaPlant pathologist, corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences; alma mater Agricultural Academy in Poznań (today's PULS)
- KS Krzysztof SzoszkiewiczEcologist and hydrobiologist, rector of PULS since 2020 (terms 2020-2024 and 2024-2028); graduated in agriculture at the Agricultural Academy in Poznań in 1990
Frequently asked questions
How much does Poznań University of Life Sciences cost for international students?
For 2026/27, English-taught tuition runs from 600 to 1,300 euros per semester depending on the programme, roughly 1,200 to 2,600 euros a year, plus an 85 PLN application fee per field of study.
Does PULS teach in English?
Yes. It lists three English-taught Bachelor's programmes and ten English-taught Master's programmes, including Agronomy, Biotechnology, Forestry and Wood Science.
What are the application deadlines?
In the 2026/27 cycle, the second admissions round ran from 4 July to 15 August (no year printed on the page). Dates for 2027/28 had not been published, and PULS advises applying early because the process takes 2 to 3 months.
Are there scholarships for international students?
Yes: NAWA programmes such as the Banach Programme give tuition-free Master's studies, a 2,500 PLN monthly scholarship and a travel allowance to applicants from 36 listed countries.
Who helps international students with visas and residence?
The International Student Support team offers guidance on legalisation of stay, temporary residence card procedures, official paperwork in Polish and emergencies.
What do I need to get into PULS as a non-EU student?
For a Bachelor's you need a school certificate that is recognised automatically (EU, OECD, EFTA and listed countries, IB, European Baccalaureate) or a NAWA recognition statement plus a PULS entrance exam (minimum 30% of the points), and English at CEFR B2. For a Master's you need a related Bachelor's degree, admission is on its average grade, and English is also B2.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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