Contents
Poland and Ukraine have a bilateral agreement on academic recognition of education documents, so in many cases a Ukrainian diploma is accepted for further study or work without full nostrification. The full procedure is mainly needed for regulated professions or when a specific institution requires it. Either way, the diploma is first apostilled by the MES and given a sworn (przysięgły) translation in Poland.
When nostrification is not required
Thanks to the Poland–Ukraine bilateral agreement, many Ukrainian diplomas are recognised without a separate nostrification procedure — for admission to the next level of study or for employment in non-regulated roles. In that case the Polish institution or employer accepts the apostilled diploma with a sworn translation. The exact outcome depends on the university or employer, so we recommend checking the requirements in advance.
Regulated professions and the role of NAWA
For regulated professions (for example, medicine, law, teaching) or when recognition under the agreement is not enough, nostrification is carried out through a Polish university, which compares the programme and may require additional exams or subjects. NAWA is the national agency that provides recognition information and issues the relevant recognition statements. Which path applies depends on the profession and institution, so the final requirement should be confirmed with the competent body or university.
MES apostille and sworn translation
Whichever path applies, the diploma and its supplement are first apostilled by Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science (the MES apostille has its own tariff, separate from our service), while the sworn (przysięgły) translation accepted in Poland is produced by a sworn translator there. We prepare the Ukrainian side: where needed we help with the MES apostille and provide an ordinary translation of the documents. Note that the apostille and nostrification are different procedures — the apostille only confirms the document's authenticity for use abroad.
How much does diploma recognition in Poland cost in 2026
Short answer: the cost depends on the route. If your diploma is covered by a bilateral agreement or is needed for academic purposes, the recognition statement (oświadczenie) through NAWA is free. If that is not applicable and full nostrification through a university is required, this becomes a paid procedure. The sworn translation of documents into Polish is paid separately.
- NAWA recognition statement (oświadczenie) — free, submitted online through the SYRENA system. It applies when your diploma is covered by a bilateral recognition agreement or is needed for academic purposes.
- Nostrification through a Polish university — paid. The fee is capped at 4,685 zł (this is 50% of the minimum base salary of a public-university professor, 9,370 zł, in force since 01.01.2024; the legal basis is art. 327 of the Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce). Each university sets its own price within this cap, and in practice it is often below 4,685 zł — check the exact amount with the specific university.
- Sworn translation into Polish — the official court tariff is 47.49 zł per 1,125-character page (Ukrainian into Polish; in force since 01.01.2024). However, this tariff applies only to orders from courts, prosecutors, police or government bodies. For a private client, the sworn translator sets a market price, usually higher — roughly from 50-70 zł per page. A diploma with its supplement runs to more than 10 pages, so the total translation cost grows accordingly.
We (Etalon) handle the MES apostille and the translation of the Ukrainian part of the documents. The exact nostrification fee is set by the specific Polish university, so this amount should be confirmed directly with them.
We'll prepare your diploma for Poland — apostille and translation: order the nostrification service from Etalon.
Frequently asked questions
Is nostrification of a diploma in Poland always required?
No. Thanks to the Poland–Ukraine agreement, many diplomas are recognised for study or non-regulated work without full nostrification. It is mainly needed for regulated professions or when an institution requires it. The exact requirement should be checked with the specific university or employer.
What kind of diploma translation is accepted in Poland?
Poland usually requires a translation by a sworn (przysięgły) translator entered in the register of the Polish Ministry of Justice. Beforehand the diploma must be apostilled by Ukraine's MES. We prepare the Ukrainian side of the documents and translation, while the sworn certification is done in Poland.
What does NAWA do?
NAWA is Poland's national agency that provides information on the recognition of foreign education and issues recognition statements explaining the status of a foreign diploma. It helps determine whether a diploma is recognised under the agreement or whether nostrification through a university is needed. It is an information body, not our service — we prepare the documents on the Ukrainian side.
The path to recognising a diploma in Poland depends on the profession and the specific institution, so we cannot guarantee an outcome — the final requirements are always confirmed by the university, employer or NAWA. Our part of the work is transparent: we prepare the Ukrainian documents, help with the MES apostille and provide the translation from UAH 950 (the state apostille fee is paid separately). Write to us and we'll suggest a realistic plan for your case.
