about university

About University

The Jagiellonian University is the oldest higher education institution in Poland and one of the oldest in Europe. It was founded on 12 May 1364 by the Polish king Casimir the Great. The campus of the Jagiellonian University is centrally located within the city of Kraków. Since its very beginning, the Jagiellonian University has been an international institution. Poles, Ruthenians, Lithuanians, Hungarians, Germans, Czechs, the Swiss, the English, the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, Italians, and even Tatars studied here in the old days. Further development of the University has been inextricably bound with the turbulent and often tragic history of Poland.

The Jagiellonian University is a self-governed university. It employs roughly 4,000 academics and provides education to more than 35,000 students who study in 166 fields. The main language of instruction is Polish, although around 30 degrees are offered in English and some in German. The university library is among the largest of its kind and houses a number of medieval manuscripts, including the landmark De Revolutionibus by alumnus Nicolaus Copernicus. 

Faculties

• Jagiellonian University consists of 18 faculties:
• Law and Administration;
• Medicine;
• Pharmacy and Medical Analysis;
• Health Care;
• Philosophy;
• History;
• Philology;
• Polish Language and Literature;
• Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science;
• Mathematics and Computer Science;
• Chemistry;
• Biology;
• Earth Sciences;
• Management and Social Communication;
• International and Political Studies;
• Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology;
• University Center of Veterinary Medicine (joint faculty with Agricultural University of Kraków)
• National Center of Synchrotron Radiation SOLARIS (off-departmental facility)

 Student Life in Krakow

Kraków is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River, the city dates back to the seventh century. The beautiful city of Krakow, the former capital of Poland, is a dreamland for those with a fascination for architecture and is a great destination for history buffs. Simply strolling the quaint streets of its Old Town will immerse you in its past and get you acquainted with buildings made under the Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods of the country. You can also visit the harrowing remnants of the ghetto, Schindler’s Enamel Factory, and the ruins of former concentration camps to learn about city life back in World War II and see how far the city has come and how it evolved into the lively hub for art and education that it is today.

Accommodation

Jagiellonian University halls of residence in the center or close to the center include: Zaczek, Piast, and Nawojka dormitories. Throughout the year the dormitories offer accommodation in single, double, triple and quadruple rooms with a bathroom, as well as in double and triple rooms with a common bathroom. The number of available rooms is limited during the academic year. Dormitories are located close to the city center, yet they are conveniently removed from its hustle and bustle to ensure peace and quiet. There are parks nearby.

International Cooperation

The Jagiellonian University is involved in various international cooperation activities, including research and educational projects, faculty and student exchange within bilateral agreements, Erasmus+ and SYLFF, summer schools, networks, innovation and technology transfer as well as different scholarship schemes.

The university’s academic advancement in both Poland and abroad is illustrated by its widely recognized research achievements. The findings have been published in international journals such as European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, and The Lancet. UJ archaeologists lead explorations of ancient sites in various parts of the world, including Egypt, Cyprus, Central America, South Asia and Altay.

The astronomers take part in major international projects, including H.E.S.S. and VIPERS. The work of UJ bio-technologists has been published in journals, such as Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Ecology Resources, and European Journal of Human Genetics.

In the English-speaking world, the Jagiellonian University has international partnerships with the University of Cambridge, University of Melbourne, University of Chicago, University of California, Los Angeles, London School of Economics, University of Rochester, University of California, Irvine, Case Western Reserve University. In the French-speaking world, partner universities include the Sorbonne, University of Montpellier.