Checking documents

Secondary school diplomas always look the same. This also applies to diplomas from private schools.

After completing secondary education, students receive:

• the school certificate with the list of grades;
• the maturity certificate or a certificate of the vocational qualification if this has been obtained.

The maturity certificate is issued by the Regional Examination Commission (Okręgowa Komisja Egzaminacyjna). An example of the maturity certificate can be found on the NAWA website.

After completing a higher education course, students receive:

• A diploma. Graduates receive the diploma in Polish and in another language.
• A Diploma Supplement. In the vast majority of cases, graduates receive the Diploma Supplement in 2 languages.

Fixed data on the diploma

In higher education, diplomas also looked the same until 2013. After that, the fixed layout was dropped. However, there are strict rules about the information that must be included on a diploma. You can find these rules in a PDF on the NAWA website:
Necessary elements of a diploma of graduation of first-, second-, or long-cycle studies.

See also the explanation of the Polish Qualifications Framework logo: PRK levels.

In Poland, the Diploma Supplement has been compulsory for bachelor’s, master’s and integrated master’s programmes since 2005. An example of the Polish Diploma Supplement is available on the NAWA website:
Suplement do dyplomu.

You can find more information on the Diploma Supplement (DS) on the Europass website, including examples of Diploma Supplements.