Practical tips

Understanding difficulties resulting from moving out to a new country and city for your studies, we have prepared some practical advice for you:
• because the faster you begin this process, the better your schedule will be.
• If your university uses USOS (University Study Support System), activate your access, because there will be information about your studies, grades, schedules, and duty hours etc.
• Collect your student ID
• Register to student dormitory or find yourself a flat or room
• Register your residence in Lodz and obtain your PESEL number (Universal Electronic System for Registration of the Population)
• Buy polish phone number
• Open a bank account in polish bank
• Admit for compulsory health insurance (you can use the Social Security and the National Health Fund or private insurance)

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Students’ accommodation

A great challenge for students in a new city is finding an accommodation. There are several possibilities: universities’ dormitories, private dormitories, communal housing, rooms in flats and renting an entire flat.

Dormitories

Dormitory (student residence, dorm house) is a residential facility designed for students’ use during their higher education period. Universities, public dormitories are located on premises of academic campuses and are managed by each university. A place in a student residence shall be granted for the time of full-time and part-time studies of first, second, third cycle or unified master’s degree program respectively. A person who has had secured a place in a dormitory has a right to live in it starting from 1st October until the last day of the summer exam session of the current academic year. Priority for a place in students’ residence is granted to students of full-time studies, whose everyday commute to university would make studying impossible or significantly difficult.

Beyond the dormitories run by universities, there are also private student residences and hostels led by entities independent of the university. The price is usually higher than universities dormitories, but it is connected to higher comfort and size of rooms.

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Academic estate of selected universities

Lodz University of Technology

Lodz University of Technology Academic Estate offers 9 dormitories in which there are around 3 thousand places in single rooms, double rooms, triple rooms. Some of the rooms are adapted to needs of people with disabilities. All student residences have Internet connection via a fibreoptic network, additionally some of them are equipped with wireless network Wi-Fi. Academic estate is monitored.

Information about Lodz University of Technology Academic Estate and each Student Residence can be found on Student Union’s website: www.samorzad.p.lodz.pl; e-mail: osiedle@samorzad.p.lodz.pl.

Medical University of Lodz

Medical has four student residences (over 1200 places) located in academic estate Lumumbowo and near Clinical and Didactic Centre of the Medical University of Lodz. Single and double rooms are equipped in essential media, they also have Internet connection. Safety and security of our students is taken care of by professional security company – buildings are monitored 24/7.

Information about dormitories, applying for a place and prices can be found on the UMED student residence page:

www.akademiki.umed.pl; e-mail: bytowy@umed.lodz.pl.

University of Lodz

University of Lodz offers 10 dormitories (around 4150 places in single, double, and triple rooms) located in academic estate Lumumbowo. There is a sports field complex at the disposal of students, which includes multifunctional pitch (for fo- otball and tennis practices), basketball, volleyball, and badminton. There are also tables for board games at the premises of the complex. All fields of play and who- le academic residential estate is fenced, illuminated, and monitored.

More information: www.uni.lodz.pl/strefa-studenta/kampus/akademiki; e-mail: cos@uni.lodz.pl

Private dormitories in Lodz

Base Camp Student (2 localizations)
www.basecampstudent.com/student/lodz-rewolucji
www.basecampstudent.com/student/lodz-rembielinskiego

Student Depot Lodz
www.studentdepot.pl

Chemin Neuf Dormitory
www.chemin-neuf.pl/akademik

Chill Inn
www.chillinn.pl

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Renting an apartment

If you feel uncomfortable in a dormitory, you can always find a flat to live in.

You can find several or more websites, which will help you find an apartment for rent. The most popular ones are: OLX, Gumtree, Gratka, Otodom, domiporta. You can live with other students or buy yourself.

Type of agreements

Remember, if you want to receive temporary residence permit for study purposes, you should have a place of residence provided.

A document confirming your place of residence in Poland can be:

• confirmation of registration;
• flat rental agreement.
• another contract allowing for possession of the dwelling.

Types of apartment rental agreements:

• ordinary tenancy;
• occasional tenancy (involves a visit to a notary and signing of a deed of voluntary submission to enforcement);
• institutional tenancy.

Types of charges:

• rent (payment to the landlord for registering and fixing a certain amount of rent for a certain period);
• rent to the cooperative (payment for administration, payment for common parts of the building);
• bills;
• heating;
• security deposit (maximum 6 x rent; money to cover losses if the flat is damaged or because of damage caused).

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Polish language learning

You can learn polish language at universities, in private language schools or during language courses. Study of Polish Language for Foreigners at the University of Lodz is a nationally renowned place in Lodz.

The Study conducts courses:

• preparing for the certificate examination in Polish;
• preparing for studies in Poland;
• at different levels of Polish and with different intensity of classes.

Contact

You can also learn Polish language at Language Centre of Lodz University of Technology.
Students can participate in Polish language courses in the Centre:

• intensive course of Polish language;
• intensive course of Polish language A1;
• intensive course of Polish language A1+;
• culture and Polish language;
• Polish A2.

Contact

In addition to above entities, numerous courses are provided by other universities and private language schools.

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Financial support, scholarships

Universities offer different types of help or support for international students. Form of support depends on student’s individual situation.

The most common forms of support granted by universities are:

• a living grant;
• scholarship for people with disabilities;
• a subsidy;
• rector’s scholarship.

Living grant

A living grant is dedicated to students who are in a financially difficult situation. Rector in a consultation with student union, decides who will be awarded a scho- larship.

Scholarship for people with disabilities

If student has one of following decision:

• decision about a disability;
• decision about a level of disability;
• decision about qualifying in a disability group;
• decision from a Social Insurance Institution’s medical practitioner about full incapacity to work or about incapacity to live independently or to be partially incapacitated,

they can apply for such scholarship.

Subsidy

A subsidy can get every student, who found himself temporarily in a difficult life situation. A difficult life situation, which allows granting one-time financial sup- port, is understood as the totality of conditions (material, family, social, health) in which the student’s family finds itself, causing temporary problems in meeting the family’s material needs.

Rector’s scholarship

Rector’s scholarships can be granted to students, who achieved high educational results, have academic or artistic achievement, or sporting achievement, at least at a national level. You can find more information about Rector’s scholarship at your university.

Other financial support benefits:

• scholarship funded by a local authority;

• scholarship for learning or sporting achievements by person or legal entity other than public or local legal authority;
• ministerial grants;
• scholarships from various foundations and programs.

More information about grants: www.mojestypendium.pl

In Lodz you can also apply for:

• employer grants in Młodzi w Łodzi program www.mlodziwlodzi.pl
• study grants of Marshal of the Lodz Voivodship www.lodzkie.pl/edukacja

Grant programs for international candidates: www.rekrutacja.p.lodz.pl/en/scholarships

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Traineeships, internships, employment

Education is very important, especially for person who wants to get an interesting and well-paid job.
However, employees often wait for person not only with knowledge but also with skills.
That’s why internships and traineeships are a perfect opportunity to acquire necessary experience.

Internships and traineeships offer in Lodz can be found on a website: www.praktyki.lodz.pl

Internship program is addressed to students and graduates of Lodz’s universities and to employers of Lodz and surrounding areas, who are looking for best interns and trainees. It’s worth knowing that work permit is not required when a residing in Poland foreigner is also a full-time student or a participant of 3rd cycle full-time studies taking place in Poland.

Universities’ Career Offices also cooperate with leading employers from Lodz and the region.

Those Offices organize job fairs and provide support to increase competencies of students and graduates of those universities in the labour market.

www.biurokarier.uni.lodz.pl

www.biurokarier.uni.lodz.pl/targi-pracy-lodz-uniwersytet-lodzki www.biurokarier.p.lodz.pl

www.atp.lodz.pl www.abk.umed.pl

www.asp.lodz.pl/index.php/pl/biuro-karier-menu

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Student organizations at universities

Scientific clubs

A scientific club is an organization gathering students, operating within higher education institution, whose purpose is scientific, social, and self – educational activities of its members. Scientific clubs function as non-formal groups and as registered structures – foundations, associations.

There are numerous scientific clubs and student organization succeeding at Lodz’s universities in which you can take part in. Thanks to shaping your persona- lity, you develop yourself but also make many contacts and gain experience. Mo- reover, you can boast about your newly acquired experience in your Curriculum Vitae. Your involvement in scientific club is a huge advantage, which employers are looking for.

Scientific clubs at biggest universities of Lodz:
www.p.lodz.pl/studenci/kola-naukowe-i-organizacje-studenckie
www.uni.lodz.pl/kola-naukowe
www.umed.pl/student/organizacje-studenckie
www.farmacja.umed.pl/kola-naukowe

Student union

A student union is an organization acting in Poland based on Act of 20 July 2018. Law on Higher Education and Science. At each University in Poland student union’s structure looks slightly different – different structure, different election dates, different naming of bodies. Student union is a body which, according to low, gathers all students of a given university.

The most important task of student union is representing students before autho- rities and report projects important for students. Because of division of compe- tences and responsibilities, there are different bodies of student union. Through elections, students choose representatives from their community. From main ac- tivities of student union, we can distinguish:

• representing all students at given university.
• adopting the rules of procedure of the student self-organization, in which it should present the principles and way of being of student union, including the types of collegiate and single-member bodies, the manner of their ope- ration and their powers;
• welfare and cultural activity of students;
• deciding on distribution of funds allocated by the bodies of the university for student purposes;
• consulting changes in study regulations with senate;
• giving opinions on study plans and programs;
• agreeing on appointment of a person to a managerial role whose responsi- bilities include student affairs, together with doctorates union representative.

Selected student unions in Lodz:

University of Lodz: www.urss.uni.lodz.pl

Lodz University of Technology: www.samorzad.p.lodz.pl

Medical University of Lodz: www.stud.umed.lodz.pl

Młodzi w Łodzi program

Młodzi w Łodzi program coordinated by City Council of Lodz is conducted to encourage young people to tie their future with Lodz and promote development their career. It links students and graduates with Lodz’s employers. As a part of the project, you can apply for a grant or participate in paid traineeships. It’s worth taking part in free trainings and webinars or open days in Lodz employers’ headquarters.

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People having an idea for business can participate in Mam pomysł na start up (Eng. I have an idea for a startup) contest.

www.startupy.lodz.pl

www.mlodziwlodzi.pl

www.praktyki.lodz.pl

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