Nostrification of PhD degree in a nutshell

• Proceedings are initiated upon a written request of the person applying for nostrification submitted to the Rector of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology via the chairman of the relevant scientific discipline council (i.e. Chairman of the scientific discipline council of chemical sciences).
• The application (annexes no. 1 and 2) should contain a diploma confirming the award of this degree, documents constituting the basis for conferring this degree (i.e. PhD thesis) and a diploma of graduation entitling to apply for the academic degree for which the applicant is seeking recognition (for instance BSc or MSc diplomas).
• The required fee of PLN 5,762.55 (4,685.00 + 23% VAT) should be brought in within 14 days, payable to the WUST bank account: PL37 1090 2402 0000 0006 1000 0434, transfer title: Nostrification (name and surname of the applicant).
• Alternatively, the applicant may apply to the Rector for reduction or dismissal of the fee or payment in installments. The application should contain a detailed justification.
• The scientific discipline council appoints a team for the nostrification of a degree and after receiving its opinion recognizes or refuses to recognize the degree.
• The certificate is issued by the Rector.

Regulations

According to Art. 328 sec. 1-3 of the Act of July 20, 2018. Law on Higher Education and Science:

• an academic degree awarded by an authorized institution operating in a Member State of the European Union, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area is equivalent to the appropriate academic degree referred to in the Act;
• the degree of doctor awarded by the European University Institute, in accordance with the Convention establishing the European University Institute, drawn up in Florence on 19 April 1972, is equivalent to the degree of doctor;
• an academic degree awarded by an institution other than the one referred to above may be considered equivalent to the relevant Polish degree on the basis of an international agreement, and in the absence of such an agreement - through the nostrification procedure.

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange has made available KWALIFIKATOR - a database that enables automatic checking of general information on selected types of higher education diplomas obtained abroad. It allows you to assess the level and status of qualifications in the country of their issue and find out how a given foreign diploma or academic degree is recognized in Poland. It also indicates the specific legal basis from which the individual rights of the holder of the diploma result.

Nostrification proceedings concerning academic degrees awarded abroad are initiated upon an application submitted to the Rector via the scientific discipline council competent in a given discipline. The University conducts proceedings in the disciplines in which it has an A+ or A scientific category.

Nostrification procedure

The procedure for the nostrification of academic degrees awarded abroad is carried out by the Rector with the participation of the scientific discipline council competent for a given discipline, based on the provisions set out in the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of September 28, 2018 on the nostrification of academic degrees and degrees in the arts awarded abroad (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 1877).

After the nostrification procedure, the certificate specified in the attachment to the above-mentioned regulation is issued. regulations signed by the Rector (download template).

The nostrification procedure conducted at Wrocław University of Science and Technology is regulated by the Internal Directive of the Rector of Wrocław University of Science and Technology No. ZW 32/2023

Initiation of proceedings

1. Proceedings for the nostrification of an academic degree awarded abroad shall be initiated upon a written request of the person applying for nostrification submitted to the Rector of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology.
2. The application should contain:
   1. name and surname and address of residence of the person applying for recognition of the academic degree awarded abroad,
   2. full name of the academic degree awarded abroad,
   3. specification of the Polish academic degree with which the equivalence is to be recognized,
   4. date of awarding the academic degree abroad,
   5. the name of the institution that awarded the academic degree,
   6. the name of the country in whose legal system the institution that awarded the academic degree operates.
3. The following should be attached to the application:
   1. in the case of applying for recognition of the academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the Polish academic degree of doktor:
      1. a diploma confirming the award of this degree,
      2. documents constituting the basis for conferring this degree,
      3. a diploma of graduation entitling to apply for the academic degree for which the applicant is seeking recognition;
   2. in the case of applying for recognition of the academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the Polish academic degree of doktor habilitowany:
      1. a diploma confirming the award of this degree,
      2. documents confirming scientific achievements constituting the basis for conferring this degree,
      3. a diploma confirming the award of an academic degree entitling to initiate the procedure for awarding the academic degree for which the applicant is applying.
   3. applicant's declaration:
      1. containing information whether the academic degree for which recognition is sought was the subject of nostrification proceedings in the Republic of Poland,
      2. about the place and date of birth.
4. The documents referred to in p. iii points 1-2 may be submitted to the scientific discipline council in the form of copies certified as true copies by a person authorized to accept documents from the University, based on the originals presented to them. The certification for compliance with the original should contain the date, place and legible signature of the person making the certification.
5. Following the formal evaluation of the application, the scientific discipline council may request the applicant to submit a plain translation into Polish of the documents referred to in p. iii points 1 and 2, and in the event of reservations as to the originality of the diploma confirming the award of this degree, presentation of legalized or apostille-certified diploma.
6. In particularly justified cases, the scientific discipline council may request the applicant to submit a translation into Polish of the documents referred to in point 1b or point 2b, prepared and certified by a sworn translator or prepared by a foreign translator and certified by the competent consul of the Republic of Poland.
7. The date of initiation of the nostrification procedure is the date of delivery to the competent scientific discipline council of the application for nostrification of the academic degree.

Proceedings of the Committee for Nostrification of Academic Degree

1. The scientific discipline council appoints, by way of a resolution, the Scientific Degree Nostrification Team (hereinafter referred to as the Nostrification Team), consisting of a maximum of 5 academic teachers holding the degree of doktor habilitowany or the title of professor in a given discipline, for whom the University is the primary place of work. The Scientific Discipline Council appoints a Chairman from among the members of a given Nostrification Team, who manages its activities.
2. Nostrification team:
   1. Performs a formal assessment of the submitted application in terms of completeness and compliance with applicable regulations and, if necessary, calls on the applicant to supplement the formal deficiencies of the application or submit additional documents within a period not longer than 14 days from the date of the request, under pain of leaving the application without consideration.
   2. In special cases justified by doubts regarding the achievements constituting the basis for conferring an academic degree to the applicant, the Nostrification Team may apply to the scientific discipline council for sending the documents referred to in sec. iii point 1b and point 2b for review.
   3. If the request of the Nostrification Team referred to in point 2 is accepted, the scientific discipline council shall appoint, by resolution, no more than three reviewers from among academic teachers for whom the University is the main place of work, holding at least the degree of doctor habilitated in the discipline to which the application relates and specifies the scope of the review and the date of its submission.
3. The Nostrification Team, after getting acquainted with the achievements constituting the basis for the award of the academic degree and the reviews, if any, shall submit to the scientific discipline council a recommendation regarding the recognition or refusal to recognize the academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the relevant Polish academic degree. The recommendation should contain a justification.
4. The scientific discipline council, based on the recommendation of the Nostrification Team, by way of a resolution, recognizes or refuses to recognize the academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the relevant Polish academic degree, and the scientific discipline council is not bound by the recommendation of the Nostrification Team.
5. Before making the decision referred to in p. 4 may request the Nostrification Team to submit additional explanations or to take specific actions as part of the nostrification procedure.
6. If the academic degree awarded abroad is recognized as equivalent to the relevant Polish academic degree, a certificate with content compliant with the requirements set out in applicable law is drawn up. The certificate is signed by the Rector.
7. In the event of a refusal to recognize an academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the relevant Polish academic degree, a written notification of the decision made is made for the applicant, indicating the reasons for the refusal. The letter is signed by the Rector.
8. A resolution on recognizing or refusing to recognize an academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to a relevant Polish academic degree shall be adopted by an absolute majority of votes, in the presence of at least half of the members of the Scientific Discipline Council.
9. The procedure for the recognition of the academic degree should be completed within 90 days from the date of submission of the application that meets the formal requirements, and the periods set for:
   1. submitting a translation of documents,
   2. presentation of the review.
10. If the council of a scientific discipline adopts a resolution regarding the lack of competence to conduct the procedure for the recognition of the academic degree, the Rector shall issue a decision refusing to conduct the procedure, which should include:
    1. designation of the unit of the higher education institution issuing the decision,
    2. date of its issue,
    3. designation of the person who requested the initiation of notification,
    4. establishing the legal basis,
    5. the decision on the refusal to initiate the proceedings together with the justification,
    6. signature stating the position of the person authorized to issue the decision,
    7. instruction on the admissibility of lodging a complaint to the Rector of the University.
11. The decision on refusal to carry out the procedure for the recognition of the academic degree may be appealed against in the form of an application for reconsideration of the case addressed to the Rector within 7 days from the date of delivery of the decision to the applicant. The Rector's decision is final. The decision of the Rector may be appealed against to the Provincial Administrative Court.

Fees for carrying out the nostrification procedure

1. For the nostrification procedure, the person applying for the nostrification of the academic degree, regardless of the outcome of the procedure, pays a fee of 50% of the professor's remuneration specified in the regulations on the amount of the minimum monthly basic salary for a professor at a public university. 23% VAT should be added to the amount.
2. The fee should be paid within 14 days from the date of submitting the application to the bank account of the University in Santander Bank Polska S.A. No. 37109024020000000610000434 with the description in the title: Nostrification (name and surname of the applicant). Proof of payment of the fee should be attached to the documentation submitted by the applicant.
3. In the event of failure to pay the fee for conducting the nostrification procedure specified in pt. 1, the application will not be considered within the time limit specified above.
4. The fees referred to in pt. 1 is not charged if the University finds that it is not competent to conduct the nostrification procedure.
5. In justified cases, dictated in particular by a difficult financial situation, a person applying for the recognition of an academic degree awarded abroad may apply to the Rector for a reduction/exemption/spreading into installments of the fee for conducting the recognition procedure. The Rector makes a decision based on the opinion of the Chairman of the Scientific Discipline Council.
6. If it is necessary to prepare a review in the course of the procedure, the amount of one-off remuneration for the reviewer for its preparation is determined by the Chairman of the Nostrification Team, but it may not exceed PLN 1,100 gross.
7. The remuneration due to the reviewer is paid after the completion of the procedure for the recognition of the academic degree awarded abroad, i.e. after the scientific discipline council adopts a resolution on recognizing or refusing to recognize the academic degree awarded abroad as equivalent to the relevant Polish academic degree.