Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, known by the abbreviation UMCS, is a university in Lublin, the capital of the Lublin Voivodeship in eastern Poland. It was founded in 1944 by the Polish Committee of National Liberation during the Second World War, and it is named after the scientist Maria Skłodowska-Curie. Its address is Plac Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej in Lublin.
The first faculties included medicine, agriculture and veterinary medicine. Medicine and pharmacy were separated in 1950 to form a medical academy, and agriculture, veterinary science and animal science were separated in 1955 to form an agricultural college. These are now the Medical University of Lublin and the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, so UMCS is the parent of two other universities in the same city, which students comparing options in Lublin may also wish to review.
Over the following decades faculties were added and reorganised. Today it has twelve faculties, among them chemistry and biology. The directory profile lists chemistry, physics and computer science, and biology and biotechnology as main areas. Study information, admission rules and fees are given on the official English pages and change between academic years.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Fluid Dynamics, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Leading comprehensive university in Eastern Poland. International collaborations, particularly with Eastern European universities.
Research:
Materials chemistry & Nanotechnology, Theoretical physics & Optics, AI & Data science, Molecular biology & Environmental science.
Famous Alumnis:
Anna Kamieńska
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2000
Current students***:
18000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Largest comprehensive university in Eastern Poland, strong science faculties, active research.
Cons
Engineering options are limited compared to Lublin University of Technology.
Best For
Largest comprehensive university in Eastern Poland, strong in chemistry, physics, computer science, and biology.
University of Silesia in Katowice, in Katowice, lists computer science and materials science, physics and chemistry, and earth and environmental sciences.
Łódź University of Technology covers textile engineering, chemical technology and mechanical engineering.
Poznań University of Technology adds computer science and AI to mechanical engineering and logistics.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Université de Fribourg in Switzerland lists materials science, biology, chemistry and computer science.
Università degli Studi di Pavia, in Italy, covers engineering, physics and life sciences.
Nankai University in China is oriented to chemistry, physics and life sciences.
Universität Bielefeld, in Germany, combines computer science, physics and molecular and cell biology.
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 in France lists life and health sciences, chemistry and materials science, and computer science.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When and by whom was UMCS founded?
It was founded in 1944 by the Polish Committee of National Liberation in Lublin. It was named after Maria Skłodowska-Curie.
Which universities grew out of UMCS?
The medical and pharmaceutical faculties became the medical academy in 1950, now the Medical University of Lublin. The agricultural faculties became an agricultural college in 1955, now the University of Life Sciences in Lublin.
In which city does UMCS operate?
It is in Lublin, in the east of Poland. The central address in the directory is Plac Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej.
Which sciences can be studied at UMCS?
Faculties include chemistry and biology, and the directory also lists physics and computer science as main areas. The official English pages describe the programmes and entry conditions.
Why is the university named after Maria Skłodowska-Curie?
The founders chose to honour the scientist when the university was set up in 1944. The name has stayed in use, shortened in speech to UMCS.
How should applicants check fees and admission?
The official English site publishes study offers, admission rules and fees. They are revised for each academic year, so current pages are the best source.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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