University of Gdańsk

About University of Gdańsk

The University of Gdańsk was founded on 20 March 1970 and began operating on 1 July of that year. It emerged principally from the Higher Economics School in Sopot and the Higher Pedagogical School in Gdańsk, with the Higher Teacher Training School also incorporated. Its official statute defines it as a public university with legal personality and its seat in Gdańsk, confirming that this is an independent higher-education institution rather than a branch campus or teaching centre. The university operates across the interconnected Tricity area. The Gdańsk Oliwa campus contains the rectorate, Main Library, several academic faculties and nearby student residences. Economics and management have a prominent base in Sopot, while other university activity extends into Gdynia. This distributed arrangement matters when comparing programs and accommodation: daily routines and commuting needs depend on the faculty rather than on a single central campus. Academically, the institution combines broad university disciplines with fields shaped by its Baltic setting and regional economy. Its faculties cover biology, chemistry, economics, languages and literature, history, mathematics, physics and informatics, social sciences, oceanography and geography, law and administration, and management; biotechnology is also delivered through an inter-university faculty with the Medical University of Gdańsk. The university participates in the SEA-EU alliance of European coastal universities, providing an additional framework for international cooperation and mobility. Applicants should nevertheless evaluate the exact curriculum, teaching language, campus and fee category of an individual program rather than treating the university-wide profile as uniform.

For 2026/2027 admission, candidates apply under university-wide rules adopted by the Senate, supplemented by detailed criteria for each field of study. First-cycle and long-cycle master’s selection generally uses results from the Polish matura or the appropriate recognized school-leaving qualification. Certain programs can require an additional assessment. Second-cycle master’s programs may use prior-degree results, examinations, interviews or other program-specific criteria, so applicants should consult the individual entry in the recruitment system rather than infer requirements from another course. International procedures depend both on citizenship and on where the qualifying documents were issued. Applicants holding foreign credentials may need documents establishing their eligibility for higher education, translations and evidence that the qualification is recognized. The university’s 2026/2027 guidance also reflects changes affecting foreign applicants following Poland’s 2025 legislation on the visa system. These candidates should follow the pathway matching their citizenship and credential country and allow time for document verification. Language evidence is tied to the language of the chosen program. For English-taught study, the university publishes a list of accepted certificates demonstrating at least B2 proficiency; listed examples include IELTS with an overall score of at least 5.5 and TOEFL iBT with at least 72. These are not universal database-level requirements for every applicant, because exemptions or alternative evidence may apply under the official rules. Deadlines, admission limits and any extra assessment are program-specific. Candidates should use the live 2026/2027 recruitment portal for the controlling dates and requirements and should not rely on dates from earlier cycles.

The University of Gdańsk provides first-cycle bachelor’s, second-cycle master’s and, in selected fields, long-cycle master’s education. Doctoral training is organized through faculty-based doctoral schools and an inter-university biotechnology doctoral school operated with the Medical University of Gdańsk. The doctoral structure in force since October 2024 covers disciplines based in biology, chemistry, economics, history, languages, law and administration, management, mathematics, physics and informatics, oceanography and geography, and social sciences. The English-taught degree list available in 2026 includes undergraduate options such as International Business, Logistics and Mobility, Cultural Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Finance and Accounting with a Financial Analyst specialization. Listed English-taught master’s options include Digital Chemistry, International Business, Logistics and Mobility, Quantum Information Technology, Finance and Accounting, Management, Global Studies, Solidarity Studies, Tourism and Hospitality, and Marine Biotechnology. Availability can change by recruitment cycle, so candidates should confirm that a program has opened in the 2026/2027 admissions system. Teaching and research are spread among specialized faculties rather than concentrated in a single general college. The coastal location is particularly relevant to oceanography, geography, marine biotechnology, maritime logistics and sustainable blue-economy work, while the institution also maintains substantial offerings in law, business, languages, social sciences and fundamental sciences. SEA-EU cooperation adds joint-program and mobility possibilities, but joint degrees have their own eligibility, tuition and mobility structures. Prospective students should compare the program curriculum, degree cycle, language, faculty campus and any entrance examination or interview before applying. Exchange-course catalogues should not be confused with complete degree programs, since courses offered to Erasmus students may not constitute a standalone qualification.

Key Highlights

• Public university with legal personality and its seat in Gdańsk
• Founded in 1970 through the merger of established higher-education institutions
• Academic activity distributed across Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia
• Member of the SEA-EU alliance of European coastal universities

Student Life & Environment

Student life is distributed across several campuses and the wider Tricity rather than enclosed within one residential site. Students can participate in faculty and interdisciplinary research groups, student representative bodies and international organizations. Cultural opportunities supported by the university include the Alternator Academic Culture Centre, the Academic Choir, the Jantar Song and Dance Ensemble and student media. Sport is organized through the university’s physical-education unit and the AZS academic sports association. The main university library and central administration are at the Oliwa campus. International students can also use the Welcome Centre and International Office for practical and mobility-related guidance. Erasmus+, foreign-language provision and the Centre of Polish Language and Culture offer routes for international engagement and language development. The precise services available in English should be confirmed directly with the responsible unit. University residences are available in Oliwa, central Gdańsk and Sopot, but capacity is limited. The published 2026/2027 information for incoming Erasmus students says allocation is first-come, first-served and does not guarantee every applicant a place. Rooms are generally shared, and facilities vary by residence, including communal or segment bathrooms and kitchens. The university estimated accommodation at about PLN 900 per month while explicitly noting that the final 2026/2027 price list was still pending. Students should budget for private housing as a fallback and consider the location of their faculty before choosing accommodation.

Location & Surroundings

The university is based in northern Poland’s Tricity metropolitan area, formed by Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia along the Baltic coast. Gdańsk combines a historic centre and major port with contemporary business and cultural districts. Sopot is a smaller seaside and spa city known for its beachfront, cafés and event venues, while Gdynia is a modern port city. Students therefore have access to three distinct urban environments rather than a conventional isolated university town. The principal campus is in Gdańsk Oliwa, where the rectorate, Main Library, several faculties and nearby residences are located. Other teaching takes place in Sopot and Gdynia, so the practical location of a student’s program should be checked before arranging housing. The campuses sit within the broader Tricity transport network, and the university’s published student guidance provides separate maps for Oliwa, Sopot and Gdynia. The coastal setting is academically relevant as well as recreational. It places marine science, oceanography, port management, logistics and sustainable blue-economy study near the Baltic and an active maritime region. At the same time, a cross-city campus structure can add commuting time, especially when courses, accommodation and activities are in different parts of the metropolitan area.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Costs vary materially by program, study mode, citizenship and legal status. For English-taught programs beginning in 2026/2027, the university publishes semester fees separately for EU and non-EU citizens. Examples range from EUR 1,050 per semester for EU citizens in the full-time Cultural Communication bachelor’s program to EUR 1,905 per semester for non-EU citizens in the full-time Criminology and Criminal Justice bachelor’s program. These examples should not be generalized: applicants need to check the exact row for their program and status. A separate binding 2026 order sets charges for part-time study, repeated classes and foreign students undertaking Polish-taught full-time study. Housing is an additional expense. The university’s incoming-student page estimated a residence place at about PLN 900 per month but stated that the final 2026/2027 residence price list had not yet been announced. Because places are limited, students should also investigate private-market rent, deposits, transport and utilities. No current university-wide living-cost total is published in the selected sources, so applicants should build a personal budget rather than rely on a single headline figure. For career development, the University Career Office provides information, counselling and links to job opportunities. University guidance also identifies paid placements, training, job fairs and mentoring among its services. Erasmus+ traineeships can provide another route to work experience, subject to program rules. Career outcomes will vary strongly by discipline, Polish-language ability, work authorization and prior experience; the reviewed official sources do not provide a current institution-wide salary or employment-rate figure, so none is stated here.