Studying in Polish? Definitely!

13^th August marked the end of the additional admission period at the universities, which offered places available for the applicants.

On 12^th and 13^th August the prospective students were able to sign the contracts with the universities of their choice concerning their future education. The students-to-be from the Vilnius Region were also given a unique opportunity to broaden their knowledge in their native language. Some of them were willing to be admitted to the Polish Philology Department, which is offered by two Vilnius universities: the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences and the Vilnius University and at the Faculty of Economics and Informatics of the University of Białystok.

The latter continues the process of admission till the end of September. 273 candidates expressed willingness to study there. 52 of them put this university at the first place of their choice, 33 of whom were successfully admitted to the Department of Economics and 19 of them at the Department of Informatics. Three applicants have been granted the state financing.

– We can currently boast about 45 students who are going to study economics and 19 who have chosen informatics – commented professor Jarosław Wołkonowski, the dean of the Vilnius branch of University of Białystok. – We are capable of admitting maximum 120 students to the Economics Department and 60 to the Informatics Department. Our university branch is highly competitive, as none of the Lithuanian universities is able to offer such high scholarships, as ours does.

The dean remarks that the students with a scholastic average over 4.0 are granted scholarships for their educational achievements amounting monthly 400 to 550 zlotys. The sophomore students do not have debts, as they are given annually 1 000 zlotys by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland. The students of the Economics Department are granted scholarships by the Foundation “The Vilnius Region” (“Wileńszczyzna”), financed by the National Bank of Poland. Another opportunity requires applying for the maintenance grant (amounting 390 Lt) to the Lithuanian government. All the students of the Vilnius branch of the University of Białystok are provided with the student card, entitling them to the transport and health care discount. Let alone the opportunity to study in their mother tongue.

The applicants from the Polish schools from Vilnius, Nemėžis, Podbrzezie (Paberžės), Rudomino (Rudaminos) expressed willingness to be admitted to the Polish Philology Department of the Vilnius University. This year altogether 6 students will be studying at this faculty.

– So far we have had one meeting with them and I must confess that they are absolutely determined – commented dr Kinga Geben from the Polish Philology Centre of the Faculty of the Vilnius University. – At first, they attempted to be admitted to the free-paying universities, yet this year the Lithuanian government allocated significantly less financial support for the humanistic departments, so that the number of 17 required points was exceptionally high. Some of the applicants lacked in merely 1,5-2 points. Had it not been for such a generous financial support from the Polish Embassy, they would probably have to resign from studying Polish philology. We are genuinely pleased that there will be one group of students and that the youth is given opportunity to study in Polish, in spite of all the obstacles. We are delighted that the Polish Philology Departments of both universities are taken care of and so generously supported by the Embassy of Poland.

This year the Polish Philology Department at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in Vilnius was selected by 9 prospective students, 3 of whom will be provided with the state financing, and remaining 6 can be granted financing supplied by the Polish Embassy in Vilnius.

– The applicants are taking into account the future perspectives more frequently than their predecessors and are on the lookout for such courses that would prepare them for a particular profession – remarks dr Irena Masojść, the manager of the Polish Philology and Theory of Teaching Department of the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. – In our case, Polish philology provides them with professional pedagogic qualifications and opportunity to work as a teacher. Those willing to study there are only a handful, yet strongly motivated, that is clearly visible. We have no longer young people who have decided upon studying by a coincidence, the number of students has changed, but the quality has followed as well – for the better. This sounds optimistic.

Dr Irena Masojć also declares that the Polish Philology Department cannot accommodate many applicants, seeing that there are only few Polish schools in Lithuania and the needs of the Lithuanian market are not enormous. The admission requirements have also undergone a change, so that only few students are capable of applying for the state financial support, whereas the payments are relatively high – over 7,5 thousand zlotys for a year of education at this department. This is a huge sum and not everyone can afford to do it.

– The financial support of the Pedagogical University of Cracow, as well as the Embassy of Poland in Vilnius helped us tremendously, especially those students, who were admitted to the fee-paying universities. They have been granted financing by the Polish Embassy – comments dr Irena Masojć.

– I have chosen Polish philology and succeeded in being admitted to the university financed by Lithuania – stated Elina Egipcewa, graduate of the Eliza Orzeszkowa Secondary School in Baltoji Vokė. – I am pleased that I will be studying in Polish, my mother tongue. I appreciate the professional perspectives and possibility of short-term studies in Poland, as well as the fact that students receive all-round education and that I will learn the basics of psychology and ethics, which will certainly be beneficial in my future job. I am deeply grateful to my fantastic teacher of Polish language, Janina Snarska, who has instilled me love to the Polish literature and Polish culture as well – I am elated that I will be given opportunity to get absorbed in this language.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2013/08/13/studia-po-polsku-tak/

Tłumaczenie by Joanna Mirek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Joanna Mirek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.