September 22 – 26, 2025
Location: ul. św. Łazarza 16, 31-530 Kraków

All events are held in person, unless indicated otherwise

Day 1 – Monday – INTRODUCTION

• 9 am – 10 am – registration begins. Note: Have a valid photo ID with you.
• 10 am – 10.30 am – A presentation from a JU PhD Student Ambassador, Mr Wanangwa Ndovie, on entering the academic life in Poland as a foreigner.
• 10.30 am – 11.30 am – A presentation by JU MC SME office staff members covering topics such as:
  • • Introduction to the JU MC SME
    • JU MC SME website (contents, DRF)
    • USOSweb
    • Student e-mail – primary contact
    • Health Insurance
    • Occupational Medicine Health Check-up
    • Documents for enrolment;
    • National Criminal Records Check +Q&A
    • E-learning platforms used by the JU (MS Teams, Pegaz);
    • Office etiquette.

• 11.30 am – 12 noon Q&A session on all the covered topics.
• 1 pm – 3 pm Placement test in Polish language course level*

– for all persons who declared some knowledge of the Polish language.

*Persons who have declared no knowledge of the Polish language needn’t attend, as they will be automatically assigned to the beginner-level class.

• 4 pm – 6.30 pm Guided walking tour: (for registered participants only – 20 persons per group – sign up here)
  • Royal Tract – meeting point by the Barbican
     
  • the Jewish Quarter – meeting point by the Old Synagogue

Day 2 – Tuesday – Navigating Life as a Freshman Medical Student Abroad

This day is dedicated to helping you adjust to life as a first-year medical student in a foreign country. We’ll explore how to find balance in your new environment and introduce some basic but essential coping skills to support your well-being throughout your studies.  

Workshop Leader:

William Shaw – a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Minnesota, USA), who also practised for a few years in Kraków, Poland and worked with JU MC SME as a School Counsellor.

Before the Workshop:

Please watch the video material in advance. This will help you to get the most out of your workshop session.

• Workshops in groups of 15 – 16 persons each
  Groups arranged in alphabetical order by students’ surnames; both the MD and DDS programs together

•  2.30 pm – 3 pm Psychological Support in a Crisis
   – online presentation of the Student Centre for Support and Adaptation (SOWA) by Ms Marta Kubisiak – an email in the student.uj.edu.pl domain is required to join the meeting

Day 3 – Wednesday – Navigating Life as a Freshman Medical Student Abroad – continued

This day is dedicated to helping you adjust to life as a first-year medical student in a foreign country. We’ll explore how to find balance in your new environment and introduce some basic but essential coping skills to support your well-being throughout your studies.  

Workshop Leader:

William Shaw – a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Minnesota, USA) , who also practiced for a few years in Kraków, Poland and worked with JU MC SME as a School Counsellor.

Before the Workshop:

Please watch the video material in advance. This will help you to get the most out of your workshop session.

• Workshops in groups of 15 – 16 persons each
  Groups arranged in alphabetical order by students’ surnames; both the MD and DDS programs together

Day 4 – Thursday – GETTING ORGANIZED

• 12 noon – 1.30 pm – Legalisation of Stay in Poland for Students +Q&A – TBC
  All aspects of legalising your stay in Poland – what documents are required, the timeframe for the process, and how to best go about it will be presented in this segment.
  • • Registration of stay for EU and non-EU citizens
    • Temporary stay permit for students
    • Temporary stay permit for graduates
    • Preparing an application
    • OPT – Helpline and Information on legal residence and employment
    • Additional support

The subject will be covered by Ms Aleksandra Tasior, a representative of the Małopolska Provincial Office in Kraków, Department for Foreigners (Pol. Małopolski Urząd Wojewódzki w Krakowie, Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców)

You are encouraged to take down any questions during the presentation and ask them later in the dedicated Q&A portion of the meeting.

• 1.30 pm – 2 pm:  Safe Student
  meeting with Ms Aleksandra Migalska and Ms Ewa Stoecker, representatives of the Safe Student office, working towards ensuring and increasing personal safety and equal treatment of all JU students
• 2 pm – 4 pm:  Student Organisations

meeting with representatives of student organisations and interest groups, such as:

• • • Student Government
    • StudyAid;
    • AMSA;
    • IFMSA;
    • Student Government – DDS chapter.

Day 5 – Friday – White Coat Ceremony

• 10.15 am  – registration begins. Note: Have a valid photo ID with you. To limit the number of attendees, only the 1st year students are allowed in the event; families or friends are welcome.
• 11 am – start
  • • official welcome by the JU MC V-Dean, Prof. Agata Ptak-Belowska, MD, PhD
    • White Coat Ceremony
    • swearing the Oath
    • Speech from a JU MC SME Graduate, Mr Tanner Schrank

Dress code: smart casual

Assigned seating for the students. Guests are welcome to take the unnumbered seats.