Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the eligibility requirements?

    An applicant must be in good standing and anticipate having completed one year of full or part-time law school by Friday, May 10, 2024, to be eligible to apply. Prior to the start of the program, a letter must be received from the Registrar or Academic Dean's office stating that the student is in good standing and eligible to participate. U.S. law students from non-ABA accredited law schools are also eligible to apply if their home law school has been granted the power to confer the J.D. degree by the appropriate governmental authority in the unapproved law school's jurisdiction, or graduates of the non-ABA approved law school are permitted to sit for the bar examination in the jurisdiction in which the school is located.

  • Do I need a visa to participate in the program?

    Americans do not need a visa to study for up to 90 days in Poland. A current, valid passport is required, and you must submit a copy of the photo page of your passport. If you do not already have a passport, apply for one at your earliest convenience. Be sure to allow sufficient processing time. If you do have a passport, check the expiration date and renew if necessary. Your passport expiration date should be six months beyond the date on which you intend to return home. If your passport is not an American passport, different rules may apply. The Law School is able to assist non-American passport holders in obtaining the necessary paperwork to apply for a visa. There is no cost for the visa to study in Poland. For additional information, please visit the State Department website, or contact us at poland@law.edu.

  • I am a Polish student who participated in the program. How do I get my grades?

    Polish students will receive a certificate with the courses and grades received for each. These are usually mailed out in late - September.

  • What is the duration of the program?

    The academic portion of the program is approximately five weeks long, from June 10 to July 14, 2024. Students should plan to arrive on Saturday, June 8th and leave after 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 14th. The schedule is modular, therefore students are advised to refer to the Calendar/Schedule for the dates of classes. Students with arranged externships will adjust arrival and departure dates accordingly.

  • Who participates in the program?

    American and Canadian law students, Polish law students and European LL.M. students all study together. In 2023 Summer, 11 American students and 23 Polish students participated in the program; 9 Polish students are pursuing an LL.M. in American Law, and 14 Polish students are enrolled in the American Law Program. In Summer 2022, 6 American and 17 Polish students participated in the program. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 International Business and Trade Summer Law Program in Kraków, Poland, were cancelled in the interest of the health and safety of our participants and faculty. In 2019, 9 American and 20 Polish students participated.  In 2018, 27 students participated in the program. Fourteen students came from U.S. schools, which included 11 from CUA, one each from California Western School of Law, Rutgers, and University of Houston. Of the 13 Polish students, four are seeking the LL.M. in American Law through a program offered by Catholic Law in cooperation with the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. In 2017, the program enrolled 13 participants, four of whom came from the U.S. schools: two Catholic University students, one from Widener Law School, and, one from Western State University College of Law, Calif., and nine Polish students, three of whom are pursing the CUA-JU LL.M. in American Law. In summer 2016, eighteen students participated in the program; the student body consisted of five American law students and one LL.M. student, all from Catholic University, and 13 Polish law students (one of whom was working on the CUA-JU LL.M. in American Law) who came from different law schools through Poland. In Summer of 2015, eighteen American (all from CUA with the exception of one Fordham University law student) and seventeen Polish students participated in the program. In the Summer of 2014, fourteen students enrolled in Catholic University's JD Program participated in the Kraków Program. In 2013, seventeen American students participated in the program; eleven students were from CUA and six came from other U.S. law schools: Liberty, Ohio Northern, Vermont, Texas Wesleyan, George Washington and Univ. of Baltimore. In the Summer of 2014, eighteen Polish law students joined the Kraków Program, while in 2013, nineteen Polish law students participated in the program. In the past, students have participated from the following schools: American, Ave Maria, Boston College, Chicago-Kent, Cleveland Marshall, Detroit Mercy, Cooley, Fordham, Georgetown, George Washington, Illinois, Harvard, Loyola, Montana, New York, Notre Dame, Pepperdine, St. John's, Suffolk, Syracuse, William Mitchell and more. Polish students have come from the Universities of Torun, Lodz, Warsaw, Lublin, Szczecin, Wroclaw & Poznan.

  • How much does it cost to participate in the program?

    The tuition rate per credit for 2024 Summer abroad programs will be announced in late-January 2024. For an estimated breakdown of program expenses for the 2024 Summer, please visit Costs: Program & Housing. Actual costs will depend on the duration of your program, the number of credits you will earn, flight costs, housing choices, personal spending habits and fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate. Visit the website frequently as new information will be posted as it becomes available.

  • How do I make arrangements for my overseas flight and what will it cost?

    Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements between the United States and Poland. There are several good travel agencies that specialize in student and educational travel, including Student Universe. Although many of these agencies primarily serve those who are 25 years old or younger, they do have discounts for students of all ages. The cost of travel will depend largely on which cities you fly out of and into (e.g., JFK to Warsaw may be less expensive than DC to Kraków). Sign up for fare alert, or check Kayak or other fare aggregators frequently. Plan to spend anywhere from $1,100-$1,350. Purchasing airfare early usually results in savings. Also, remember that the peak travel season begins in mid-June so seats will fill up very quickly.

    Polish airport codes:

    Warsaw International-WAW  John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice- KRK

    Airline and Student travel links:

    www.statravel.com (Student Travel)
    www.airgorilla.com
    Kayak (Students report that Kayak or other fare aggregators offer the most competitive prices.)
    Orbitz www.flysas.com (Scandinavian)
    www.airlineconsolidator.com
    British Airways
    www.lot.com (Polish)
    www.expedia.com
    www.aua.com (Austrian)
    www.myisic.com (lnt'l Student ID Card)
    U.S. State Department's Travel Page
    Lufthansa

  • How do I get to Kraków?

    Depending on your plans for traveling outside Poland, it may be less expensive to fly into Warsaw and take a train to Kraków. The Warsaw train station is an easy cab ride (although it can cost up to US $40). Note: Only hail a cab from the taxi stands. DO NOT GO WITH A PERSON SOLICITING RIDES IN THE TRAIN STATION. The train trip from Warsaw to Kraków is very inexpensive and takes approximately 3 hours.

    Train info can be found online at http://www.pkp.pl/

    Note: InterCity trains are more expensive than Express trains and Americans are not eligible to buy student tickets. Student tickets with a 37% discount are only for Polish students with a valid Polish student ID. You will need to buy a regular ticket. DO NOT TAKE INDIRECT TRAINS. KASY is where you buy your ticket. You might want to have a note ready as they might not speak English at KASY. BILET DO KRAKOWA NA GODZINE: Balice Airport (KRK) in Krakow is now served by several major airlines, and Warsaw (WAW) is also served by most major international airlines. You can generally purchase a plane ticket to Krakow from Warsaw for approximately $70.

  • When and where are classes scheduled? How important is class attendance?

    Classes meet five (5) days a week, beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m. See schedule for individual class times. All classes are held in the Krupnicza 33, Faculty of Law and Administration, of the Jagiellonian University, which is located at Krupnicza 33, 31-123, Kraków, Poland. Class attendance is mandatory and students are bound to the Catholic Law Honor Code while in Kraków, Poland.

  • When can students purchase textbooks?

    Students must purchase and transport their own books, unless instructed otherwise. The book list will be made available to enrolled students in early-April to allow sufficient time for students to seek the lowest cost options available. To keep book costs to a minimum, students are encouraged to purchase used textbooks as early as possible.

  • How accessible are the library and computer facilities?

    The library, which is conveniently located in Larisch Palace is open during weekday hours. Students find that the Internet cafes are very accessible, as many are open 24 hours, user friendly and most Internet cafe employees speak English and are happy to help you, if necessary. There is a nominal fee for Internet usage, typically 4 zloty per hour. If you decide to bring your laptop, please have it insured. We use www.safeware.com wireless access so it may be possible for you obtain Internet access this way.

  • Are any meals provided?  

    Students are responsible for their own meals. Our Polish coordinator will provide students with information on markets, groceries, as well as cafes and restaurants for your lunches and dinners. The program will organize a few receptions and dinners throughout mid - June to mid - July.

  • What are the physical facilities like in Kraków, in terms of air conditioning, elevators, getting around the city?

    Classes are held at the Krupnicza building of the Jagiellonian University. The Krupnicza has undergone recent renovations and offers modern conveniences like air conditioning and elevators. However, some professors may prefer teaching in Jagiellonian's larger classrooms, which do not have air conditioning. 

    The old center of Kraków is relatively small and is enclosed by a park and path. One can walk around the entire city in approximately 45 minutes. Students will find the distance from the Main Square to the Krupnicza building is approximately 15 minutes. Kraków is truly a walking city but local transportation includes trams, buses, and cabs, all of which are inexpensive. It is important to note that Krakow is also a relatively safe city to enjoy!

  • What kind of financial aid is available?

    Students must enroll in a minimum of 3 credits to be eligible for financial aid. Visit your financial aid office for information on student loans. Most schools have loans available to help students finance summer study. For Catholic Law students, you may download the Kraków Summer Financial Aid packet, and make an appointment with the law school's Financial Aid officer to discuss your options. Non-Catholic Law students should consult with the Financial Aid officer at their home school.

  • How much spending money should I take?

    Individuals spending habits vary, but students generally find about $1,200-$1,600 adequate to cover meals and personal expenses. Meals in Poland and Central Europe are inexpensive relative to costs in the U.S. Students are responsible for all personal expenses while in Poland, which include: daily meals (avg. $40 per day), local and long-distance telephone calls, entertainment, extra travel (the cost for group field trips is included in the program fee), laundry and gifts.

  • Do many students travel before, after, or during the program?

    Yes. Most students travel either before or after the program. Europe is very accessible by train, and depending on one's interest, students can cover many countries in a relatively short amount of time. Very popular and beautiful cities to visit are Prague, Budapest, Vienna, or the coast of Poland (Gdansk), which are destinations that are an easy night train away (6-8 hours). Some students have even flown to Rome, Paris, and London. If you choose to travel east into any of the Newly Independent States, you may need a visa, so plan ahead.

  • What field trips are part of the program? Please note that the prices for all field trips and program ceremonies are included in the program fee. Participation is encouraged, but not required. Refunds will not be given for lack of participation.

    Please note that the cost for all field trips and program ceremonies are included in the program fee. Participation is encouraged, but not required. Refunds will not be given for lack of participation.

    2024 Summer events and field trips tentatively include:
    • June 9th, 4 p.m. - Orientation & Walking Tour of Kraków, followed by Dinner at Sempre Bracka
    • June 15th - Kraków in World War II - Kazimierz & Podgorze then and now - Auschwitz/Birkenau
    • June 28th -29th - US-CEE Connection Weekend Collegium Novum
    • July 6th - 7th - Field trip to Zacopane, in the Tatra Mountains, and Closing Weekend Celebration 

  • How can I acquire an internship in Poland?

    Students may arrange short-term internships through the Program Director Leah Wortham. One of the many advantages of our program in Poland is that it offers our students the opportunity to work as externs with branches of American, European and, particularly, Polish law firms. Currently, the program has permanent contacts with approximately 20+ placements at the branches of the large West European and American law firms and institutions, such as Pricewaterhouse Coopers; Kubas, Kos, Gaertner International Law Office; American-Polish Chamber of Commerce, and many others. Students interested in externships in Warsaw or Krakow are encouraged to contact Director Leah Wortham wortham@cua.edu and Ms. Dedoulis at dedoulis@law.edu.