Part-time Ph.D. Studies in Economics, Finance and Management (EFM)

Frequently asked questions

1. ADMISSIONS

How can I find a supervisor?

You choose your PhD supervisor on your own. During the first PhD meeting you will be able to meet all the potential PhD supervisors and speak with them in person. You may also ask prof. Jozef Pociecha, the Director of PhD Studies to help you find a supervisor or contact one of the potential supervisors listed on IPO’s website.

Should I come up with my PhD thesis topic on my own?
During the application process you are required to write and send your PhD proposal to the CUE. University does not provide any kind of topic list. You can however consult your potential supervisor about your ideas.

Are there any favoured/promoted research areas in the programme?
Part-time PhD Studies in Economics, Finance and Management are an interdepartmental programme and does not have any particular favoured research area. In choosing your thesis topic you should, however acknowledge the interests of you potential supervisor.

How can I know whether I am eligible to apply for a Polish PhD programme?
In the admission process candidate's degrees are evaluated by the University and in some cases by an agency affiliated with the Ministry of Education. Those institutions decide whether your qualifications are suited to be a prerequisite for a Polish PhD programme.
If you wish, you can send us a scanned copy of your master and bachelor degree + transcripts and we can consult the agency outside of the admission process. This however, may take some time, i.e. from 3 weeks to couple of months. 

What is the level of English proficiency required to be admitted to the PhD programme?
The minimum level of the required English language proficiency is B2 (according to of the European Council), or 6.5 in IELTS grading scheme. We require a certificate confirming English proficiency – the list of certificates recognized by the University is available on the website.
If programme you graduated from previously was conducted in English you don't have to provide us with an external language certificate like IELTS. In such case a written confirmation that the programme you were enrolled in was conducted entirely in English issued by the University will be enough.

Is there language preparatory course before the PhD programme?
CUE offers and English preparatory course. It lasts one year and the language proficiency required to get admitted is A2/B1.

Does the University help with the visa?
CUE does not assist it’s potential students in acquiring the visa. CUE can however issue some documents that might be required during the visa procedures.

Can I get a visa for my family?
The University will not assist you to apply for visa for your Family. Our PhD programme is part-time, which means it may not be a sufficient reason to get a national visa for yourself. “Part-time” means that classes take place only four times a year, and you need to be personally in Krakow for 12-16 days per year. The programme is designed this way that our students usually come to Krakow only for the meetings and after the meetings they get back home. Some of the students decided to move to Krakow, however they went through visa procedures on their own. The majority of students applies for Schengen visa, which allows multiple entries in Poland. It is also possible to get a national visa for part-time studies, however it is not guaranteed.

What kind of medical insurance should I buy?
You need to purchase medical insurance covering your stay in Poland. You can purchase it in your country of residence or in Poland. You should send a copy of the insurance policy to the PhD coordinators. It should state the beginning/end dates of the insurance.

Where can I find a sworn translator to order a translation of my master's diploma and transcript?
You can usually find a list of sworn translators in your country by visiting the website of your country's ministry of justice. You can also find a sworn translator in numerous private institutions that offer this kind of service here in Kraków. The translation would probably take a couple of days and the price for a sworn translation is usually approx. 9 € per page. You cannot order a sworn translation in the University.

What is the legalisation of diploma?
Legalization is the certification of a document’s formal conformity with the law binding in the place of its issue or of the authenticity of the seals and signatures placed on the document. Legalisation of a document by the relevant authorities in the country in which it was issued increases its credibility. Legalisation of the diploma should be done by Polish Consular Office in the country the diploma was issued.

What is the Apostille?
If a country in which a given document was issued is a party to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, concluded in The Hague, the document’s legalisation is replaced by an Apostille certificate attached to it. The list of countries – parties to the Convention and the institutions authorized to issue the Apostille is available here.

Can I receive an acceptance letter before October?
CUE cannot send an acceptance letter before the recruitment procedures are completed. Because they usually last until October it is impossible to get your acceptance letter before then.

2. FINANCIAL MATTERS

What is the cost of living in Poland and in Krakow?
You may read about the costs of living in Poland here. Krakow is rather expensive, comparing to other Polish cities, however not as expensive as Warsaw, the capital. Renting a 40 square meter flat starts from 1700 PLN (approx. 410 euro) per month. A monthly pass for public transportation costs about 90 PLN (approx. 22 euro).

Does the university provide accommodation?
The University does not offer accommodation for PhD students as the programme is only part-time. We cooperate with some rental agencies and help students find accommodation via agents.

Does the University provide financial support?
Unfortunately, the University does not provide any financial support or funding. There are some external funding schemes, that usually are quite competitive. But if you can present a good project and/or an impressive academic background you would definitely have a chance to obtain the funding. You can find information on this subject on the IPO's website.

Can the University issue an invoice for the tuition fee payment?
Yes, the University can issue an invoice before the payment (pro forma) or after (VAT invoice).

How can I pay the tuition fee?

The fee has to be paid as a transfer to our bank account. The first payment should be done two weeks before the first meeting at the latest.

• The tuition fee for non-EU students should be paid (in Euro - EUR) to the following bank account:

ALIOR Bank SA
ul. Kielecka 27, 31-526 Kraków
PL 14 2490 0005 0000 4600 9530 0831
SWIFT ALBPPLPW
Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie
Ul. Rakowicka 27
Kraków 31-510,
Polska

•  The tuition fee for EU students should be paid (in Polish Złoty - PLN) to the following bank account:

ALIOR Bank SA
ul. Kielecka 27, 31-526 Kraków
PL 34 2490 0005 0000 4600 9944 4214
SWIFTALBPPLPW
Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie
Ul. Rakowicka 27
Kraków 31-510,
Polska

Can I pay the fee directly at the University?
The payment on site is not possible.

3. DURING THE STUDIES

What is the difference between full-time and part-time studies?
Part-time means that the number of classes held on campus is reduced to its possible minimum and that classes are held only during meetings. There are four meetings each academic year, which means that each PhD student needs to be in Krakow for about 12-16 days per year. PhD students work on their theses and research mainly at home. Of course, it is also possible to move to Krakow and work with the supervisor and its department more closely (for example engage in research conducted by the department), however it is not required. Full-time means that classes are held every week and that student needs to stay permanently in Krakow during the academic year (October – June). Please note that the University offers only part-time PhD in English. Full-time PhD is offered only in Polish.

How often do I need to be in Krakow?
Regular classes are held on campus 4 times per year. Each meeting lasts for 3 days (Friday-Sunday), however sometimes it will be necessary to spend in Krakow about four or five days per meeting. Apart from classes, each student chooses his own supervisor with whom he/she cooperates on a regular basis. Students schedule their meetings with supervisors on their own. They can meet their supervisors during meetings or, if they stay in Krakow, at any convenient time. Students, especially those who do not live in Krakow, contact their supervisors via email or Skype.

Will I be able to get a teaching assistant job in CUE?
Getting a job as an assistant at the Cracow University of Economics isn’t impossible, however it is definitely not possible straight away after coming to Krakow for studies. Sometimes PhD students who are close to completing the studies and PhD thesis defence are offered a position at the CUE. Please note that job vacancies at the CUE are very limited and very few PhD students may be offered a job.

Am I obligated to attend all the meetings?
Your attendance is required by the lecturers and they have the right to excuse you from their classes. Usually one missed meeting per year is tolerable but it is advised to attend all of them. The PhD programme we offer is not a distance learning programme.

When will the classes take place?
The schedules are designed before every academic year. The first meeting usually takes place in late November for the newcomers, October for the PhD students, years 2-3. Second meeting: late January. Third meeting: late March. Fourth meeting: late May. Exact dates may vary.  

Can I switch from part-time to full-time PhD?
The University does not offer a full-time PhD programme in English, so it is not possible.

What kind of certificates I will obtain after finishing the PhD programme?
After finishing the programme you will be awarded a confirmation that states that you have done the coursework and graduated from the programme. The fact that the programme is part-time will be also mentioned there. After the conferment procedures you will be awarded a PhD degree in Economics that will state your specialisation area (economics, finance or management).

Can I work in Poland? Do I need to get additional work permit?
Non-EU citizens are not permitted to work during part-time studies unless they  have a work permit.

Can I finish the PhD programme in less or more than 3 years?
It is theoretically possible to finish the PhD programme in 2 years, under the conditions of: completing the coursework, going through  the conferment procedures, writing and defending the thesis. Because of the short period of time and extensive workload (including coursework assignments, conducting research, literature review, writing thesis etc.) graduating from the programme in 2 years is highly unlikely. Prolonging the studies up to 4 years is possible if the student have to conduct a long-lasting research project.