Address: ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00-927 Warszawa, Mazowieckie, Poland
Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics
Founded in 1816, UW is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in Poland, offering a wide range of programs. While strong in humanities and social sciences, it has significant faculties for exact sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science).
The University of Warsaw, UW, is the largest university in Poland, with about 40,000 students and 7,000 staff, and roughly one student in ten from abroad. It was founded in 1816 as the Royal University of Warsaw, closed after the uprising of 1830 to 1831, and reopened as a Polish institution in 1915 during the First World War. The historic campus on Krakowskie Przedmieście in the city centre includes the Kazimierz Palace, and tree-lined paths behind a monumental gate.
A second main campus is located in the Ochota district, with science departments and a modern library. The University Library, opened in 1999, is known for its rooftop garden, one of the largest in Europe, and for its facade with mathematical and musical symbols. The university has more than twenty faculties, among them law and administration, history, philology, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, economics, journalism and political science.
Many figures of Polish culture and public life studied here. Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel laureate in literature for 2018, studied psychology at Warsaw, and the reporter Ryszard Kapuściński studied history. The astronomers of the University Observatory lead the OGLE project, a long-running survey of the sky that has found thousands of variable stars and many exoplanets by gravitational microlensing. Physicists at the university are closely involved with international collaborations at CERN.
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.
Warsaw is the capital and the most expensive Polish city, but costs are still lower than in Western Europe. Student housing is offered in dormitories, and the metro serves both campuses.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, 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 4EU+ Alliance, EUA. Numerous international research collaborations and student exchanges.
Research:
Quantum physics & Information, AI & Data science, Theoretical mathematics, Materials chemistry, Biotechnology.
Famous Alumnis:
5 Nobel laureates (e.g., Maria Skłodowska-Curie – attended briefly, Joseph Rotblat, Olga Tokarczuk – humanities)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
7000
Current students***:
40000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Top-ranked comprehensive university in Poland, excellent in basic sciences and mathematics, located in the capital.
Cons
Engineering faculties are less extensive compared to dedicated technical universities.
Best For
Leading comprehensive university with strong programs in computer science, physics, and mathematics.
Think of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań when astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics is the priority: it is slightly smaller, at about 35,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Also strong in astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, Jagiellonian University makes a sensible second look at home; it has almost the same size, at about 40,000 students, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, University of Wrocław stands out for its focus on astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 25,000 students against roughly 40,000 here.
University of Silesia in Katowice shares the core fields of this institution, namely astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies can consider University of Gdańsk, and it is smaller, enrolling about 23,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
The closest overseas parallel on astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies is Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, located in Germany; it is slightly smaller, at about 35,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
The closest overseas parallel on astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics is Freie Universität Berlin, located in Germany; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
On content, Shanxi University in China and this institution are close, as both teach astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers electrical and electronics as well.
On content, Peking University in China and this university are close, as both teach astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it is slightly larger, at about 45,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Université Paris-Saclay in France is the nearest foreign match on astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it is slightly larger, at about 48,000 students against roughly 40,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*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 the University of Warsaw?
The historic campus is at ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28 in Warsaw, Poland. A second main campus is in the Ochota district.
When was it founded?
In 1816, as the Royal University of Warsaw. It reopened as a Polish institution in 1915.
How large is it?
About 40,000 students and 7,000 staff, which makes it the largest university in Poland.
What is the University Library known for?
Its rooftop garden, one of the largest in Europe, and a facade with mathematical and musical symbols.
Which famous people studied there?
Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel laureate in literature for 2018, and the reporter Ryszard Kapuściński.
What is OGLE?
A long-running sky survey led by astronomers of the University Observatory that has found many variable stars and exoplanets.
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.
Are there courses in English?
Yes, in many fields, mostly at paid tuition.
Is Warsaw expensive?
It is the most expensive Polish city, but costs are lower than in Western Europe.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mathematics, Physics, Quantum Error Correction, Sustainable Development
*: 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.
Innovation.world is not affiliated with this school/university. We recommend to contact them directly on their website for any special request.
To complete or correct any information here or share your opinion, please comment below or > send us a direct message <.
