SGH Warsaw School of Economics
About the University
The Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) was founded on 13 October 1906 and is considered to be the best school of economics in Poland. It is involved in numerous European cooperations such as CEMS, Erasmus, EUA and Partnership in International Management (PIM). The university has approx. 23,000 students who benefit from the mostly low numbers of students in a course (max. 30-40).
The city
Warsaw is Poland’s capital and largest city. The city is the ninth most populous in the European Union. It lies on the Vistula and has over 1.7 million inhabitants.
Application:
Students apply for the double degree programme at the Department Viadrina International Affairs. For more detailed information on the application procedure and the deadlines, please refer to the application form.
As part of your application, you will be invited to an interview with staff from both Viadrina and the SGH.
Requirements:
- Only for master’s students in International Business Administration at the Viadrina.
- Please note the information under the point language skills.
English:
- CEFR B2 (equivalent to Unicert II) or
- CAE (C), TOEFL iBT 78, IELTS 6.0, LCCI Level 3 (pass), TOEIC – 750 or
- Confirmation from the language center that you have the required language skills.
Polish: Language skills are appreciated but not a requirement.
Winter semester: End of September – mid February
Summer semester: Mid February – end of June
You can find the exact semester times on the SGH homepage.
We recommend that you start at the SGH in the winter semester. You will stay there for one year.
If you start at the SGH in the summer semester and your stay stretches into the 5th semester, you have to pay fees for every single ECTS point in the 5th semester (the amount varies, approx. 150 PLN per 1 ECTS).
Choice of course: During your stay at the SGH you can choose between the following fields of study, depending on the focus of your studies at Viadrina:
You have to complete courses at the SGH with a total of at least 60 - 63.5 ECTS points. Following consultation, these can be recognized by the Viadrina. As most courses at the SGH have 3 - 4.5 ECTS credits, you must combine two courses at the SGH to be credited at the Viadrina. The courses to be taken vary depending on the field of study chosen at the SGH (see field of study).
Type of teaching: Is similar to the Viadrina. There is usually a low number of students in a course, max. 30 - 40. There is a correspondingly reduced workload for courses with a lower number of ECTS.
In order to receive a degree from the Viadrina it is necessary to complete the modules in your course of study. For this purpose, you can, in consultation with us, have courses recognized which you completed as part of the double degree programme abroad.
In order to obtain a degree from the SGH you have to complete the required courses there, depending on the field of study you have chosen. The certificates/qualifications you receive from the Viadrina are also recognized by the SGH.
From the winter semester 2021/22 onwards, the Master Thesis will only be written and defended at the SGH. It will be assessed with 20 ECTS at the SGH and recognised with 21 ECTS at the Viadrina. The thesis should be written in English.
The defence at the SGH is credited with 3 ECTS at the Viadrina. You must also answer general study-related questions within the oral examination. For this purpose, you will receive a question catalogue with approx. 91 questions.
Semester off: Please note that it is not possible for you to take a semester off during your second semester in Poland as the master’s thesis is written during this period. You can apply for a semester off for the first semester abroad. However, in this case, you cannot receive acceptance for foreign certificates or examinations.
Health insurance: If you have compulsory German health insurance and possess a European Health Insurance Card you are entitled to basic coverage in other European countries. However, if you stay abroad for a longer period it is recommended that you take out additional insurance.
Accommodation: There are two halls or residence near the campus. The SGH arranges the rental. There are double rooms available for PLN 400 per month. Private accommodation currently costs approx. 800 -1600 PLN per month.
The journey: The best way to travel to the SGH is the Warsaw Express (journey time approx. 5.5 hours). If you book in advance, the ticket costs approx. 30€ and you can take as much luggage as you want.
Living expenses: Approx. 600€ - 800€ per month.
Visa: Not necessary for EU citizens with a valid passport or identity card. If you are not a EU citizen you should refer to the visa regulations on the website of the Polish Embassy.
You can find the most up-to-date student reports under the keyword "Poland" on our website.
