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SGGW - Warsaw.

I understand that Polish has to be learnt in preparation for clinical years but to what level do students have to learn Polish, as in will you have to be totally fluent in Polish or you just need to learn basic words or to the extent that you can speak conversationally in Polish?
Also, do students get assessed in English?
Any help will be much appreciated!

Reply 41

Delenelie

1

Original post by Bez :)

I understand that Polish has to be learnt in preparation for clinical years but to what level do students have to learn Polish, as in will you have to be totally fluent in Polish or you just need to learn basic words or to the extent that you can speak conversationally in Polish?
Also, do students get assessed in English?
Any help will be much appreciated!

I'm not sure, but there is a facebook group for sggw vet students, you can try and ask there :smile:

(Just go on fb and search for: SGGW's International Veterinary Students ).

Reply 42

calumcvet

OP

6

Original post by Fabisherenow

Are you aware that Warsaw is not EAEVE approved? IMS asked me if I was interested in Warsaw without telling me this very important detail.

SGGW didn't pass the last EAEVE inspection, however this has no impact on your future job prospects. The last 2 rounds of graduates have managed to find jobs without a problem.

Original post by lspald

is student life anything like british student life? like freshers and halls ect ?

Afraid not regarding freshers - SGGW doesn't have a student union that organises clubs, freshers etc - so in terms of extracurricular activities, there isn't much. Although students in the upper years helped to set up the Warszawa Frogs GAA club, which you can join. There are halls, but they are American style - at least 2 people to a bedroom.

Original post by Bez :)

I understand that Polish has to be learnt in preparation for clinical years but to what level do students have to learn Polish, as in will you have to be totally fluent in Polish or you just need to learn basic words or to the extent that you can speak conversationally in Polish?
Also, do students get assessed in English?
Any help will be much appreciated!

What you learn in the Polish lessons is more general, everyday language such as shopping, conversation etc. At the time of writing, you only have it for the first 3 years of the course. Polish is a difficult language to learn, with many forms, genders, cases etc, so being completely fluent is not something that is likely to happen - especially as all lessons are in English, and lecturers are generally happy to translate any Polish. Aside from the Polish lessons, the course is taught solely in English, so you are only assessed in English.

More information can be obtained from the SGGW Vet. Faculty website: http://wmw.sggw.pl/en/ or found in the IMS InfoPack, which was updated in the last year or so.

Also you can contact the Dean's Office for International Studies: email [email protected]

Reply 43

lspald

2

Original post by calumcvet

SGGW didn't pass the last EAEVE inspection, however this has no impact on your future job prospects. The last 2 rounds of graduates have managed to find jobs without a problem.

Afraid not regarding freshers - SGGW doesn't have a student union that organises clubs, freshers etc - so in terms of extracurricular activities, there isn't much. Although students in the upper years helped to set up the Warszawa Frogs GAA club, which you can join. There are halls, but they are American style - at least 2 people to a bedroom.

Okay thanks, but also, whats warsaw like as a city for like students to live in? is it the same sort of student life as you get here in england? and how many english/irish students are there about?

Reply 44

calumcvet

OP

6

Original post by lspald

Okay thanks, but also, whats warsaw like as a city for like students to live in? is it the same sort of student life as you get here in england? and how many english/irish students are there about?

Warsaw's pretty good - after all, it is a capital city, and it has everything you need - a few shopping centres, some culture, cheap alcohol (and everything else), decent enough nightlife (although it isn't as easy to get into clubs as in the UK, bouncers here can be quite selective ). In my year there's around 10 UK & Eire students, as for the lower years there are a lot more but I can't put a number to it.

Reply 45

Mr Burns

Original post by calumcvet

SGGW didn't pass the last EAEVE inspection, however this has no impact on your future job prospects. The last 2 rounds of graduates have managed to find jobs without a problem.

Afraid not regarding freshers - SGGW doesn't have a student union that organises clubs, freshers etc - so in terms of extracurricular activities, there isn't much. Although students in the upper years helped to set up the Warszawa Frogs GAA club, which you can join. There are halls, but they are American style - at least 2 people to a bedroom.

What you learn in the Polish lessons is more general, everyday language such as shopping, conversation etc. At the time of writing, you only have it for the first 3 years of the course. Polish is a difficult language to learn, with many forms, genders, cases etc, so being completely fluent is not something that is likely to happen - especially as all lessons are in English, and lecturers are generally happy to translate any Polish. Aside from the Polish lessons, the course is taught solely in English, so you are only assessed in English.

More information can be obtained from the SGGW Vet. Faculty website: http://wmw.sggw.pl/en/ or found in the IMS InfoPack, which was updated in the last year or so.

Also you can contact the Dean's Office for International Studies: email [email protected]

Hi! That's very informative, I have some questions about employment and I was hoping you could help me.

So I'm from India most vets here start a clinic after they graduate and practice solo. Since you said 'employed' I'm thinking that freshers work in hospitals rather than on their own, right?

That aside, is it affordable to strike out on your own after a Bachelors? What does setting up a clinic cost around? (Though I doubt this would be possible for a non-citizen, I just want to figure it out)

Lastly, since we're all international students in this thread, one wonders about Visa regulations, if I were to land a job, what does that mean for my the length of my stay there/my visa? Does a longer job offer(say 4-5 years) equate citizenship for non-EU students?

I would really appreciate this information, thanks!

Reply 46

MKScott

2

Hi I just got accepted to Vet Med in Warsaw this year ! :biggrin:

now on to the fun part of financing. Do any of you know what Irish banks are offering reasonable student loans for studying abroad ?

I 've do far only came across loans for Irish tuition fees that are too small or loans for grad med that are too big.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 47

SilverstarDJ

18

Original post by Mr Burns

That aside, is it affordable to strike out on your own after a Bachelors? What does setting up a clinic cost around? (Though I doubt this would be possible for a non-citizen, I just want to figure it out)

I am not studying at Warsaw but know some Polish vets. If you stay in Poland I've heard it's quite a low wage unless you own a practise. Most of the practises I've seen in Poland have been quite small with the owner employing a few vets (unlike in the UK where some practises employ over 20 vets). I've heard that it's difficult to set up a new practise because the market is saturated in Poland so much that you might not end up treating enough animals to cover your costs. Not sure about Poland, but in the UK pet ownership is decreasing and smaller farms are closing down.

As for the UK I've seen plans for someone who wanted to build their own small animal practise and start from scratch - the purpose built building costed £170,000 - but then you need all the medical equipment such as X-rays and Ultrasound etc. The costs can soon add up! I was told by one vet that to buy into the local, established, big vet practise would set her back £200,000 as a senior partner. In the UK it seems more people work for an employer rather than for themselves.

Hope this give you a rough idea!

Reply 48

minigough

Original post by MKScott

Hi I just got accepted to Vet Med in Warsaw this year ! :biggrin:

now on to the fun part of financing. Do any of you know what Irish banks are offering reasonable student loans for studying abroad ?

I 've do far only came across loans for Irish tuition fees that are too small or loans for grad med that are too big.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Loans for grad med should be around the same size as we'd be looking for. My friends doing grad med and it's costing him at 70K for fees alone, our fees along with accommodation, expenses, flights home and stuff should come to around 60K.

I've only looked at AIB so far. They do a 10K interest free for 5 years loan which is a start but I think it may be only for UCD students, which is where I am now so if you're coming straight from school or another college I don't think you can get that.

Do you know what BOI are offering in terms of interest rates?

Reply 49

MKScott

2

BOI are just saying no.

They won't give you a loan if you are leaving the country.

Reply 50

no_way

Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages of studying in Warsaw compared to places like Budapest?

Any places you cannot work that you would be able to work in if you studyied elsewehere in central Europe? Especially when it comes to the eaeve approvment thing, does this make it harder for students from Warsaw to get jobs? And would it be possible to transfer from Warsaw to Budapest or Brno after starting the program?

Reply 51

calumcvet

OP

6

Warsaw is conditionally approved by the EAEVE so there are no problems with getting jobs elsewhere in Europe in comparison to degrees from other EAEVE approved vet schools. At least, all graduates up to now have been employed without any problems.

I've heard Budapest is less tolerant compared to Warsaw if you fail one final exam per semester - in Warsaw, currently you're allowed 2 attempts to pass and a 3rd in front of a commission panel (oral exam). I've heard in Budapest that if you fail 1 final, you have to start the semester again. I might be wrong, I might be getting it mixed up with the Medicine course over there.

The structure of each vet school's course is different across different countries. We've had a few Erasmus students who have come to Warsaw and struggled because their course is so different to ours. Personally, although it may be possible, I wouldn't recommend transferring because it's likely you would have to start from 1st year again.

EDIT: an EU degree is valid in any EU Member State, including the UK while it remains a member. Early signs show that the UK will still accept EU veterinary degrees but everything is currently in the hands of the U.K. Government - it's unlikely but things may change.*

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 52

no_way

Are there many international students? Students from my country tend to go to Brno, Budapest or Wroclaw, and I'm a bit worried of being lonely if I decide to go for Warsaw.. However the deadlines for the other universities has expired but they are considering holding another one for spare places at Warsaw, which means I might be able to start this year instead of waiting. Any advice to whether I should wait until next year or just go for it this year?

Reply 53

calumcvet

OP

6

Yeah, Warsaw has a dedicated international program which has an annual intake of up to 50-60 students, and which is taught solely in English. Students come from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ireland, UK, France, Spain - too many countries to mention!

Brno and Budapest's international programs have been established for a while, so I know they're decent enough. But be wary about Wroclaw - I've heard bad things about the way their international program is run.

Well, with regards to applying, it's entirely your choice. It all depends on how you feel about these 2 things:
- How much you want to go to these other universities
- How soon you want to start training to become a veterinarian - if the answer to this one is "sooner rather than later" - apply to Warsaw now.

Warsaw is a decent uni, and living in a capital has its upsides - for example, thanks to being a capital city, there are lots of things to do, and the standard of living is really good. I went to the 17 mai celebrations at the Norwegian Embassy this year - you wouldn't be able to do that in Brno or Wroclaw!

Also - if you apply to Warsaw now, take the entrance exam and get offered a place - but then decide you would rather try for the other unis - then I'm sure you can defer the Warsaw offer until next year. That way, you have a vet offer but you also have the opportunity to apply to other places.

Obviously don't decide to defer only 3-4 weeks before the course starts, and make sure you have a solid reason so you're not messing the Dean's Office around.

I would highly suggest researching information about all of these universities and the cities they're located in - if you haven't already done so. Moving and studying abroad is exciting - but it is not something you should do on a whim.

Hope you don't mind me asking - where are you from?

Reply 54

no_way

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me! I'm from Norway, and I've heard there are some norwegian students there but been told its mostly swedes. Most norwegian students go to Budapest, and I've struggled to find any information on the school in Warszaw so thank you so much for answering some of my questions!

I hope you don't mind me asking some more but now that I've found someone who can answer me I'm not going to let you go :wink:

What are the professors like? I've read somewhere that their english is not very good, have you found it hard to communicate with them? And I've heard that in Budapest the professors "want" you to fail, is it the same in Warsaw?

In which part of the city do students mostly live? I've heard the university is situated in the outskirts of Warsaw, is it hard to find flats to live in?

And finally, what is the international community like? Does every nation keep to itself or is it easy to find friends from other countries?

Reply 55

calumcvet

OP

6

Cool! Hvor kommer du fra i Norge? :wink:

(Sorry if that's really bad - I'm trying to learn, I'm looking at moving to Norway in the future!)

To be honest, compared to when I started there 5 years ago, the English has improved a fair bit. Quite a few of the old professors and lecturers have retired and been replaced with younger lecturers who have worked/lived abroad - so their English is generally a lot better! They're fine to communicate with, but don't expect the same level of "equal respect" between lecturers and students, that I know we have here in the UK (and possibly Norway too).

Generally, the lecturers in Warsaw want you to pass. 2 or 3 of them will try to break you in the process, but I think they all want you to pass in the end.

Ursynów, the district of Warsaw where the campus of situated, is the southernmost district of Warsaw - this is where nearly all international students live. It's a huge residential suburb with loads of apartment blocks, so it's pretty easy to find a flat - dom.gratka.pl and www.gumtree.pl are the best websites to do this.

The best places to look for apartments are any areas that are close to ul. Nowoursynowska, or apartments that are close to Metro Imielin and Metro Stoklosy - these last 2 have good transport links to the uni (3-5 mins by bus, 10 mins cycling, 15-20 mins walking).

The social life varies according to your class. My class integrated really well, in the first 2 years of studies we tended to go on nights out together as a class. However, I know that a couple of years below me tended to split off into their own nationality groups and haven't really mixed. In the first few weeks when there aren't any tests or exams, everyone from all years tend to go out to bars and clubs, so you will mix with the rest of the people on the course at some point. (Including me, I'm going to try and make an effort to go out a lot more as this coming semester is my last!)

To be honest, if it were me, I would simply try and get to know as many nationalities in your class as possible - that way, you can judge for yourself who to hang around. I know there weren't many Norwegians in the current 1st year, but the Norwegians tend to have gatherings for 17 mai and juleferier celebrations. The Irish tend to be the hard-drinking party animals of the class, so if you're not so keen on that kind of thing - now you know :P They're a good laugh and good craic to be around though!

What I would say is this - by all means, get to know your fellow Scandinavians, but don't restrict yourself to a "Scandinavians only" group - I know it's tempting, because it's easier without as much of a language barrier - but you're with your class for the next 5 years. It's best to co-operate and get to know everyone as soon as you can.

I would suggest staying in the dorms for the 1st year of your studies - it is far from 5* accommodation, but it's the easiest and best way to get to know your classmates (and potential future flatmates) as quickly as possible. It's cheap at around 90-95 EUR/410 PLN per month (that was the cost when I lived there, but I moved out 3 years ago so it may have increased). But you do have to share a bedroom with someone (American-style dorms).

Reply 56

Maebel

3

Hi there!, I'm starting this October 2017 and I'm still waiting for the uni to get back to me via IMS regarding module exemptions (I have a BSc in Veterinary Nursing). It has been 4 months already! I've been emailing IMS but I keep getting the same answer - uni is still deciding. Am I suppose to start Year 1 or 2?? Does anyone know how much longer it will take or is there any other person I can contact regarding thisAnyone else starting vet med this year? Would be nice to get to know my classmates before meeting up at uni :smile:

Reply 57

calumcvet

OP

6

Original post by Maebel

Hi there!, I'm starting this October 2017 and I'm still waiting for the uni to get back to me via IMS regarding module exemptions (I have a BSc in Veterinary Nursing). It has been 4 months already! I've been emailing IMS but I keep getting the same answer - uni is still deciding...

I suggest directly contacting the Dean's Office for International Veterinary Studies - IMS won't be much help regarding modules and exemptions. They only handle the entrance exam and fees, and are there to talk to if you have any complaints (for example, if you're forced to do a module which you already covered and passed in your first degree). They're not involved in the actual structuring and operations of the course. Dean's Office email is: [email protected]

You're best asking IMS for the email addresses of your classmates. (If you're in Ireland - ask Guy if he's still in charge of the UK & Eire applicants). That's how I got to know some of mine before I actually met them in person. Otherwise, in your email to the Dean's Office, ask if they know of anyone who they can put you in touch with (either your contemporary 1st year classmates, or someone who's just completed 1st year and is now a 2nd year).

Good luck! Feel free to message me/connect on Facebook. I'm happy to help - although I graduated earlier this year (I guess I'm officially old now...), so things have probably changed from when I was in 1st year.

Wow/.. This is the first time in 6 years I won't be starting October in Warsaw... So sad! :sad:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 58

Maebel

3

Hey Calumvet, thanks so much for your help!!! You are a star :smile:

I'll email to the dean's office right now. And I've already emailed to Guy asking for the emails of students who are in the 2017 intake. I'm really nervous about leaving home and moving to Warsaw, hopefully things will be fine once I'm there.

Reply 59

Maebel

3

Original post by calumcvet

I suggest directly contacting the Dean's Office for International Veterinary Studies - IMS won't be much help regarding modules and exemptions. They only handle the entrance exam and fees, and are there to talk to if you have any complaints (for example, if you're forced to do a module which you already covered and passed in your first degree). They're not involved in the actual structuring and operations of the course. Dean's Office email is: [email protected]

You're best asking IMS for the email addresses of your classmates. (If you're in Ireland - ask Guy if he's still in charge of the UK & Eire applicants). That's how I got to know some of mine before I actually met them in person. Otherwise, in your email to the Dean's Office, ask if they know of anyone who they can put you in touch with (either your contemporary 1st year classmates, or someone who's just completed 1st year and is now a 2nd year).

Good luck! Feel free to message me/connect on Facebook. I'm happy to help - although I graduated earlier this year (I guess I'm officially old now...), so things have probably changed from when I was in 1st year.

Wow/.. This is the first time in 6 years I won't be starting October in Warsaw... So sad! :sad:

Hey Calum,

Just wanted to let you know that I got an answer from the Dean's office - so I
have to go to the Dean's office with my transcripts and have an interview to
decide which modules I can be exempted from...omg. It was stated on the
Eunicas website that post grads with a science degree would be studying for 4.5 years. I guess that's not reliable information.

(edited 6 years ago)

SGGW - Warsaw.

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