Address: ul. Gagarina 11, 87-100 Toruń, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland
Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science
Founded in 1945, NCU is a major public comprehensive university in Northern Poland, with strong programs in physics, astronomy, chemistry, computer science, and also medicine and humanities.
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, NCU, was founded in 1945 and named after the astronomer who was born in the city in 1473. It has about 20,000 students and 3,000 staff. The founders were largely professors from Stefan Batory University in Vilnius and Jan Kazimierz University in Lviv, who had lost their universities after the Soviet takeover of those cities, and they brought their libraries and traditions to Toruń. The main campus is on Gagarina street, with buildings in the old town and in Bydgoszcz.
The university is organised in around seventeen faculties, among them humanities, history, law and administration, economic sciences and management, mathematics and computer science, physics, astronomy and informatics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, fine arts, theology and the health sciences. The Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz teaches medicine, pharmacy and nursing and is a major regional training centre for doctors and health workers.
Astronomy has a special status. The Centre for Astronomy runs a radio telescope with a 32-metre dish at Piwnice, near Toruń, which takes part in international networks of radio astronomy. Chemistry and physics are important in research, and the university works with laser and optical technology companies in the region. Its Library is a large collection of more than three million volumes, and the Toruń gingerbread tradition is a local curiosity linked to the old town.
Public universities in Poland teach full-time studies in Polish without tuition for Polish citizens, while programmes in English and studies for foreign students are normally paid, and fees vary by programme. Check the current tariff. Polish applicants use the national online recruitment system with results from the secondary school exam, and international students apply through the university’s own portal. Scholarships are available through national agencies.
Toruń is a small city, on the Vistula, with a medieval old town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Living costs are low, and dormitories are close to the campus. Student life is active but quiet compared with the larger cities.
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:
Member of Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN). Operates an astronomical observatory.
Research:
Astrophysics & Radio astronomy, Quantum physics & Optics, Materials chemistry & Catalysis, AI & Data science, Biomedical sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
Aleksander Wolszczan
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3000
Current students***:
20000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Leading university in Northern Poland, strong in physics, astronomy, and chemistry, research-oriented.
Cons
Located in Toruń, a historic but smaller city.
Best For
Major comprehensive university with strong programs in physics, astronomy, chemistry, and computer science.
For students who like the astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies focus of this university but want another option nearby, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań fits well: it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers geotechnics as well.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies can consider Jagiellonian University, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is larger, enrolling about 40,000 students against roughly 20,000 here.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies can consider University of Wrocław, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Both schools build their programmes around astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, and University of Gdańsk is the one to compare first within the country, since it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Think of University of Silesia in Katowice when astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies is the priority: it is slightly larger, at about 23,000 students against roughly 20,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In Germany, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg teaches much the same core subjects, astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg offers an international parallel to this university, with astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies as common ground; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Abroad, Shanxi University (China) covers astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies in a comparable way, and it covers electrical and electronics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 28,000 students against roughly 20,000 here.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Université de Genève in Switzerland, where astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies also form the core, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers marine science and geotechnics as well.
Beyond national borders, Fudan stands out as a comparable school for astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers electrical and electronics as well.
*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
Where is Nicolaus Copernicus University?
The main campus is at ul. Gagarina 11 in Toruń, Poland. The medical college is in Bydgoszcz.
When was it founded?
In 1945.
Why is it named after Copernicus?
The astronomer was born in Toruń in 1473.
Who founded it?
Largely professors from Stefan Batory University in Vilnius and Jan Kazimierz University in Lviv.
How large is it?
About 20,000 students and 3,000 staff.
What is the Collegium Medicum?
The university's medical college in Bydgoszcz, which teaches medicine, pharmacy and nursing.
What is special about its astronomy?
The Centre for Astronomy runs a 32-metre radio telescope at Piwnice, near Toruń.
What does it cost?
Full-time studies in Polish are free for Polish citizens, while programmes in English and studies for foreign students are normally paid. Check the current tariff.
How do you apply?
Polish applicants use the national online recruitment system. International students apply through the university's own portal.
Is Toruń a good place to live?
It is a small city with a medieval old town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and living costs are low.
*: 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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