ERASMUS PLUS and US STUDENT EXCHANGE SCHEMES
The deadlines for sending the application forms/Learning Agreement/study plans are:
1st semester - 15th June
Academic year - 15th June
2nd semester - 30th October
The application form and learning agreement ( course request information) should be filled in, signed by the Student and by the Co-ordinator of your University and sent to UMCS Lublin as soon as possible so that we may process it and reply to you with the formal acceptance and approval of the learning agreement (course request) proposed in due time.
Students should get in touch with the faculty co-ordinator at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University to discuss the courses available and planned to be taken in Lublin. After the student has been accepted by UMCS and the application process is completed an acceptacne letter is sent to the student with information on the conditions of acceptance and address of the prebooked place of residence.
We offer accommodation in the University halls of residence (rooms to share with another student); you should bear in mind that each year we receive many more requests for accommodation than the number of places available for international mobility students. For that reason the booking is done on the "first come first served" basis.
Students can apply for accommodation in the University's halls of residence through the Erasmus faculty co-ordinator in their application form.
On tips on how to travel to Lublin, accommodation, insurance, please read more in our Erasmus Guide for International Students and information attached. In-coming students are strongly advised to read it very carefully before coming to Lublin.
TIPS FOR OVERSEAS IN-COMING STUDENTS
1. When does the semester begin and end?
For the First (Fall/Winter) semester come just 3-4 days before 1 October; the semester terminates at the end of January. During that time students have two breaks for: Independence Day 11 November and two weeks for Christmas and the New Year's holidays.
For the Second (Spring/Summer) semester come just 3-4 days before the semester begins as residence halls may be not available much earlier; the Second semester terminates at the beginning of June while final examinations last until the end of June.
2. Is there a date the student should report for orientation?
Orientation is only 1-2 days based on UMCS students' assistance.
3. The recommended travel plan, i.e., designated airport to Lublin?
Arriving by air
Lublin can be reached easily from the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, the main international airport in Poland, by coach, train or car.
Most aeroplane arrivals are handled at Terminal 2.of the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport. The Etiuda terminal serves departing EU passengers only. For details and current information, please see: http://www.polish-airports.com/
Students are advised to exchange about fifty euros into Polish currency (about 220 złoty) on their arrival for immediate expenses ( tickets, telephone cards, snacks, taxis). Currency exchange points - Kantor - are located within the arrivals hall and the ORBIS travel agency at the Warsaw Airport.
Continue by minibus /coach
Students can then use minibus / coach service departing from Frederic Chopin Airport Terminal 2 coach bay (in Polish: Warszawa Lotnisko) which is just across the Arrivals Hall level exit - walk along the zebra crossing, the bus stop is on the left. The coach fare from Warsaw to Lublin (50 zloty - the ticket can be also bought from the driver). The departures are at different times of the day.
Alternatively, students could take a 175 bus (buy your bus ticket in a newsagents at the airport - price: about 2.80 zł) in order to get to Jana Pawła II street, 300 yards away from the Warsaw main railway station Dworzec Centralny ; after about 30 min. on 175 bus get off at Dworzec Centralny bus stop, go under Jerozolimskie street (subway), walk through the railway station concourse to the north and after about 300 yards reach the minibus stop located at ul. Jana Pawła street, corner of Sienna street.
The journey by minibus usually takes up to 2.5 hours. In Lublin minibuses have a few stops on the way to their destination at Lublin Coach Station near the Lublin Castle. Students may get off at the stop just after the roundabout at ul. Warszawska (it is best to tell the driver at the beginning of the journey where you want to get off in Lublin). From there students can take a taxi to their residence at UMCS campus - it is about 10 minutes' drive at the cost of about 20 zloty.
Continue by train
From Frederic Chopin Airport in Warsaw students can take a 175 bus, (or N32 night bus service) to get to the Warsaw main railway station Dworzec Centralny (buy your bus ticket in a newsagents at the airport - about 2.80 zł); after about 30 min. get off at Dworzec Centralny bus stop. Alternatively, use one of the licensed taxis (for example: MPT Radio Taxi, phone: (+48) 229191 or Merc Taxi, phone: (+48) 226777777). Then continue your journey to Lublin by train.
There is a train connection between Dworzec Centralny Warsaw main railway station and Lublin with fast trains departing nearly every two hours. Please consult: http://rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143
You should go to the ticket hall, queue to buy a one-way ticket to Lublin, (first class fast train fare is about 50 zloty, no student reduction for this journey); most departures for Lublin are from Platform 2 ("PERON 2"). The train journey to Lublin takes about 2.5 hours.
After arrival in Lublin you can take a bus route 13 or trolleybus route 150 running to the UMCS campus (fare about 2 zloty), or a taxi (fare about 25 zloty).
Night arrivals
If you arrive in Warsaw late in the evening you should know there is no recommended public transportation (train or coach) to Lublin after 8.00 PM. You should either stay for a night in a nearby hotel (there is information about the hotels at the airport arrivals section); there is a hotel at the airport for transfer passengers but that can be taken only before crossing the Polish border (it's about 60 euro/night); the best thing would be to ask the aeroplane crew on late arrival. Alternatively, if in a group, the students could share the cost of a taxi to Lublin, which will be negotiable with the driver and should not amount to more than 250 euros. Licensed radio taxis are recommended.
4. Where will the students live?
The students will have accommodation in double rooms at the BABILON students residence hall; the address is: ul. Radziszewskiego 17, 20-036 Lublin, tel 815375822, or at other residence halls at the university campus.
Accommodation cost is 400 zloty ( 100 euros) per person, per month in the Babilon residence.
5. When can we expect the invitation? How do you obtain a Polish visa?
UMCS sends letters of invitation/acceptance to overseas students who are accepted for the exchange program; the students are accepted after submitting ( about 8 weeks before arrival):
1. application form signed by the Erasmus coordinator
2. Learning Agreement form / course study plan
The acceptance letters from UMCS can be submitted at Immigration on arrival.
6. Health insurance
Students from non-EU/EEA member countries
Non EU/EEA students do not participate in the Polish national health care system. On the basis of state bilateral agreements they can be attended free of charge only in cases of emergency. However, the costs of medical care in hospital and appointments to general physicians will have to be paid for by the students. Therefore, they should purchase health care and accident insurance for the period of their visit to Poland while still in their home countries.
Students without valid health care insurance will have to purchase one immediately upon their arrival in Poland or be prepared to cover the costs of medical treatment themselves.
7. Polish language courses
Erasmus students are welcome to join a course of elementary Polish during their studies at UMCS; participation will be free of charge but the registration fee is 100 zloty ( 25 euro) per semester.
More information on Poland, higher education and living in Poland: http://www.frse.org.pl/ (Erasmus - Information for Foreign Students). More information about Lublin and the region: http://www.lublin.eu
