Life / Cost of living in Wroclaw (rent price too) [119]


1500 PLN a month after paying for your apartment will ensure a reasonable diet and perhaps even allow you to save up a very small amount as a rainy day fund if you are frugal and cook homemade meals at home from scratch. Whether you will be comfortable depends on what you are used to and what you expect. You won't be comfortable in terms of savings, even at 2500 PLN a month. If being able to save a substantial amount of money is a priority for you, forget about coming to Poland.


Both of these can potentially gut your budget. With 1500 a month, you are going to have to be very careful. The cost of eating out and entertainment are rather high relative to wages in Wrocław. You won't be able to afford the high life, but modest recreation is within your reach.

Also, alcohol and the "expat" are a dangerous combination. Ditto girls and the "expat". I would have a lot more confidence of you making it in Poland if you were a celibate teetotaler. Actually, I have little confidence in your making it because you mention a comfortable apartment, eating out and spending time in clubs and bars in your post, but didn't mention a single word about savings. Sorry to be frank, but this is a strong indication that you will end up living barely within or even beyond your means rather soon in the game.

To put things in perspective, the 4000 to 5000 PLN you are making a month is about the minimum to make moving to Poland worth considering. Your focus should be on living a minimum lifestyle, as for an "expat".

Another thing is that success for the "expat" is largely determined by how much money they are able to save up. You won't be staying in Poland forever, and you want something in your bank account to show for the time you invested there. At your income, you won't be able to save up that much at all, even if you live like a monk. Much less so if you live like you describe in your post.

Life / Indian community in Poland [43]

If you are expecting to find an established community of Indians in Wrocław, nothing of the sort exists.

If you are expecting to find a neighborhood inhabited by Indians, with Indian shops and stores, nothing of the sort exists.

By far most Indians who come to Poland are transient employees. They work a year or two, and then either find jobs in richer countries in Western Europe, or go back home. A few may stick it out a little longer, but very few end up settling in Poland permanently. The draw of the West is far too great, and Poland offers very little compared to that in terms of wages or quality of life, including the critical mass necessary for building a community.

You will meet other Indian workers from your company and other companies in and around Wrocław. Some of them may have formed semi-formal social groups of five, ten or so people that meet regularly as friends. But there are no large cultural organizations or anything like that.

Your best bet is to approach other Indians you may see on the Town Square or in the shopping malls and striking up a conversation with them. There may also be a couple of Indian academics at the universities who have been in Poland for some time. You might want to seek them out and contact them, as well. There are also some Indian students at the universities, as well.

But overall, you won't find an Indian community of any substance, as few Indians are willing to invest the time and effort in building one since they are only staying for a short time, anyway, and since the critical mass for building a substantial community does not exist. Can you meet Indian friends to hang out with? Probably, and even very likely. Will you find anything that even comes close to resembling Indian communities in the UK? Definitely not.

Life / Spanish engineering student is moving to Bialystok - cost of life and information about the city. [38]


Actually, it's the least foggy area in Poland, as it is the area that receives the least inflow of warm, moist air from the Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic, as opposed to Szczecin.


Warsaw is on the extreme Western limit of this range, and gets some occasional winter protection from warm maritime land masses. Białystok, though only two hours way, doesn't.

Also, Arctic air masses coming from the North are somewhat tempered as they flow over the Baltic before they hit Warsaw. Not so much with Białystok.

Yes, Białystok is the coldest city in Poland in winter, and sometimes gets cold snaps that do not penetrate into the rest of the country, even nearby Warsaw.

That said, no, the difference between Białystok and Warsaw is usually not extreme, and the stories about polar bears and penguins and five meters of snow are, of course, silly. The difference between Białystok and Wrocław, the warmest city in Poland, on the other hand, can be quite large.

Also, about the "two hours from Warsaw" bit, you have to view geography through they eyes of people from Polska A, who consider places like Białystok, Lublin and Rzeszów are very distant from the rest of the country, regardless of actual travel times. A lot would be surprised to find out that Białystok and Lublin are actually closer to Warsaw that Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław and Kraków are. Also, in their mind, they place Warsaw a lot more to the west than it actually is, about where £ódź is, and Kraków somewhat more to the West, where Katowice is. And Białystok where Suwałki is, or even Sejny, right on the border, not far from Minsk.

We had a doctoral student from Białystok in our department in Skierniewice, and the other students used to tease him about being from Vladivostok and saying hello to the Tsar, Putin or £ukaszenka when he went home for Christmas (by horse-drawn sled, of course).


Very true.

Work / Cost of living in Lodz, is 2450-6400 PLN salary enough? [25]


Actually, that's not a new trend. There has been a slow, but steady stream of posts from people from richer countries who think that they can make it in Poland on low wages because "the cost of living is so low". They don't seem to get it that the cost of living in Poland is shockingly high relative to wages, and that a foreigner pays a substantial penalty for not knowing the local language and consumer habits, and not having a network of family, friends and professional contacts.


Agree, for a entry or possibly junior position. Single, of course. Families cost a real lot in Poland, especially since the kids have to go to private school. 4000/4500 clear a month is lousy for a more established person who has serious savings on his mind.


Have to agree here, too. It's fine as a gap year or extended vacation, but there are practically always much, much better options available than working in Poland.

Life / Spanish engineering student is moving to Bialystok - cost of life and information about the city. [38]

First of all, when comparing cost of living between cities, you have to remember that you are comparing the cost of living for a native Spaniard in Seville to that of a native Pole in Białystok. But you are not a native Pole. You don't speak the language and you don't know the ways that native Poles save money on living costs. You don't have any friends or family here, or any network whatsoever. That means that life for you will cost substantially more than for a Pole.

You're also forgetting that you are not in Poland. If you have to pay for your travel to and from Poland, you have to deduct that amount from your monthly salary. And you are going to have to buy proper winter clothes, too. While I was exaggerating in jest about the polar bears and penguins, winter in Białystok is a lot more harsh than winter in Seville, to say the least. The cost of those clothes also has to be deducted from your earnings.

Believe what you want, but you're getting advice from native Poles and foreigners who have lived in Poland for a long time. I lived there twelve years myself.

The third thing you are ignoring completely is, like I said before and Jardinero pointed out, that there are almost certainly better opportunities available to you in the richer countries of Western Europe. It would definitely be worthwhile exploring these.

On 2000 PLN a month, you are certainly not going to be living the high life. If your goals are that important to you, then you will probably be able to tolerate spending a year if you have that dorm room for sure, and, if you cannot find anything better in a richer country, then go for it. If not you don't get the dorm room, there is a very high chance that you will not be able to tolerate it, and chances are high that you will leave Poland after a month or two.

Personally, I would take the time to explore better opportunities in richer Western countries. But you have to decide for yourself if what you will get out of the internship is worth the sacrifice.

Life / Spanish engineering student is moving to Bialystok - cost of life and information about the city. [38]

If you get the dorm room for 100 Euro, then you will have enough to live a frugal student lifestyle, with a modicum of student life comfort, even. If you have to rent a private apartment, then there is no point in coming to Poland at all. You will barely have enough left over to survive, if that. And finding a room in a shared student apartment is quite difficult for foreigners who do not speak Polish.

It all depends on whether you actually have that dorm room, or not. Do not leave Spain without an absolute guarantee of this from your company. Don't be naive and assume that they will just take care of this. If they don't, then you would probably not be able to afford to stay in Poland, and if you do, you are going to have to be careful with every penny. You could do it, but it certainly isn't going to be much fun, especially during the depressing winter.

Work / Cost of living in Lodz, is 2450-6400 PLN salary enough? [25]


That's very, very low. Far too low to justify moving to Poland at all. Poverty wages.


You must be joking. You'll barely be able to afford food.


Your "nightlife" will consist mainly of masturbation.

Life / Spanish engineering student is moving to Bialystok - cost of life and information about the city. [38]


Except for the polar bears wandering the streets covered in five meters of snow, of course! And those pesky penguins! And that's in July! Peak woolly mammoth season starts in September!

But seriously, it does have its charm, especially in the spring and summer. It's not Radom or Sosnowiec by a long stretch, An inventive and socially assertive student who's open and curious about the world could do a lot worse (Bochum and Coventry come to mind). The key, as you said, is making friends. You have to have someone to huddle together with to conserve body heat in the eleven-and-a-half month-long Siberian winter!

Work / Available jobs for Teaching English in Poland? I have no TEFL or CELTA certificate [4]

You would have to be a native English speaker (not from India) and, even then, it would be difficult if you were not from the EU.

Law / Leaving the country during Polish Karta Pobytu application [8]

If your inspector told you that you have to wait in Poland until you get your karta, then I would do exactly what they say, rather than try to mess around. Regardless of what anyone else might say.

Life / Spanish engineering student is moving to Bialystok - cost of life and information about the city. [38]

Agree with InPolska. There is a huge difference between being told that you can get a dorm room and actually having a dorm room reserved already. If you don't, chances are extremely low that you will be able to find one after you arrive unless your company has a special agreement. Private accommodation will cost substantially more.

With a dorm room for 100 Euro, you would have enough left over to cover basic expenses for a student lifestyle. If you have to pay for private accommodation, it will mean that you will have significantly less disposable income, but probably enough to survive if you are very frugal.

A lot has to do with what you expect to get out of your internship, and what your plans for the future are. If the only thing you are going to get out of it is a line in your CV, then it's probably not worth it. If, however, you make valuable contacts within the industry who can help you in your future career, then go for it. However, there are almost certainly better options available for you to do that, and I advise that you explore them.

As for language, people your age, especially students, will be able to communicate at least in basic English. Older people not at all. Poles consider Spaniards "exotic", but in a generally good way.

Bialystok has about 300,000 people, but it has a very strong provincial small-town feel to it. Personally, I sort of like it, but if you are expecting big city life like Warsaw, Wrocław or Kraków, you will be in for a shock. As a student, though, you should find life quite tolerable and perhaps even enjoyable, depending on how assertive you are and how aggressive you are about approaching people and becoming friends with them. Poles are rather reserved about breaking the ice with foreigners, so a lot depends on how willing you are to make the first move. As long as you are not the shy and reserved type, you'll do just fine.

Work / Senior Game Developer in Warsaw Offer - Questions [10]

Advertised rents in Poland are not equivalent to advertised rents in the US, and take some experience to interpret. The advertised price of an apartment does not include condo fees and utilities, which add up to anywhere between 500 and 1000 PLN or more. Those "decent" studios in newer buildings that you were looking at would probably cost well in excess of 2000 PLN all inclusive, and more if they are in newer, more comfortable buildings.

1500 PLN all inclusive would get you a very basic, no frills studio apartment, if that, in Warsaw. Probably substandard or with major problems that could end up costing you a considerable amount of money in the end, like a unserviceable kitchen which means that you will be eating costly meals outside the home, or far from convenient public transport that means you will lose a considerable amount of time on commuting, which also translates into eating costly convenience foods because you won't have time to cook a proper meal at home. Or bad windows that can dramatically increase your heating bill.

If you are looking for "decent" by American standards, count on spending between 2000 and 2500 PLN for a studio, all inclusive, and between 2500 and 3000 PLN for a one-bedroom apartment, all inclusive, and possibly more.

If you don't cook homemade meals from scratch at home, you will find that eating out or eating convenience foods in Poland is particularly costly relative to prevailing wages. Like I said above, the cost of living relative to wages is quite a bit higher in Poland than in the US. This is particularly true for Warsaw. The double whammy of low wages and high cost of living relative to wages work together to make savings potential very low in Poland compared to richer countries like the US, which is why it Poland is so unappealing to Americans who want to earn and save money.

Also, when looking at cost of living comparisons on the internet, remember that they compare the cost of living for an native-born American in the States with a native-born Pole living in Poland. But you are not a native-born Pole, and living in Poland as a foreigner, who doesn't speak the local language and customs and doesn't have the extensive network of friends and family that Poles especially rely on, is going to cost you.

Work / Is 7000 PLN net per month....a reasonable salary in Katowice [40]

That's very low. Half or less of what would make a move even worth thinking about. Even on potatoes and cabbage, life is going to be very tough. Forget about any semblance of comfort, and savings are out of the question. You might not even earn enough to cover the cost of moving to Poland and getting a visa, depending where you come from.

Work / Senior Game Developer in Warsaw Offer - Questions [10]

The reason that there have been so few inquiries from Americans is that living and working in Poland doesn't usually make much sense for Americans.

I'm American, and lived in Poland for twelve years, but I did not have to worry about earning or saving money, as I already had enough tucked away.

Basically, it's going to cost you about 1500 PLN all inclusive (rent, condo fees, and utilities except phone, TV and internet) for a small modest studio apartment in an OK neighborhood to 3500 PLN or more for a spacious and luxurious one or two bedroom apartment in a desirable central neighborhood. At your pay-level, you should be thinking about a decent, but not luxurious, one-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood, and that will set you back about 2200 to 2700 PLN all inclusive.

Being in the city center is not a A. Having easy access by trams or subway to your place of work and the city center should be your main criterion. Cheaper apartments are often far from tram lines, and this is a major inconvenience. Cheaper apartments tend to be either substandard, run down or in undesirable neighborhoods, especially in regards to transportation. Two other factors are also important: windows and the kitchen. Poorly installed windows can substantially increase your heating bill, so be sure to have the apartment checked out by and experienced OLDER native Pole who knows what's going on. Also, a kitchen that is difficult or unpleasant will cost you a lot as you will eventually be tempted to eat more meals outside the apartment, which is costly.

The main problems that Americans will encounter in Poland are the low wages (you'd be making a half to a third of what you would make in the States, or about $40,000 before taxes, $28,000 after taxes, give or take), the rather high cost of living relative to wages, and the very poor savings potential.

At best, you will be able to put away about $1000 dollars a month after paying basic living expenses (apartment, food, household supplies, transportation ticket, and very modest entertainment and recreation), but not including occasional purchases like clothes, travel or electronic equipment. Maybe a bit more than $1000 if you are monkishly frugal and just ADORE cabbage and potatoes, but more likely quite a bit less, especially if you frequently eat outside your apartment, drink, smoke, party, travel, date or have other costly habits. As a senior professional, it's going to be hard for you to adapt to a student-like lifestyle, so you are going to dip into those savings to subsidize a more comfortable lifestyle for yourself.

In comparison, the amount you would easily be able to SAVE in the States would exceed what you EARN after taxes in Poland.

A car would be out of the question without severely reducing your savings, probably to the point where annual trips to the States and Taiwan would be out of the question. Even so, you are going to spend the lion's share of whatever you might save up on those trips, and perhaps all of it. Which means you would be left with little, and perhaps nothing at all, in your bank account at the end of the year.

To be quite blunt, Poland is not the place for you if you 1) want to save a significant amount of money and 2) want to spend it traveling to expensive countries outside of Poland. As you list these as primary goals, concentrate on finding work in the States, where wages are much higher, and savings potential is much, much higher.

Life / Printers/internet cafes in Wroclaw [3]

There is one on Kazimierza Wilkiego in the Psie Budy buildings across the street from Helios.

There is also one in the very center of the cluster of buildings in the center of the town square, right behind the town hall.

Work / Career Options for ExPats in Poland? English native speaker from Los Angeles. [10]


Pretty much useless on the Polish job market. Even more useless than in the States.


At 24, you don't have "a lot of experience". You're a mere dilettante. Your rudimentary IT and customer skills and (presumably) native English may land you a job in an outsourcing center, if you're lucky to find an employer that is willing to go through the hassle of getting work permission for you, but you would be very dissatisfied with the wages. Poland is a great place to live if you have lots of cash. It $ucks big time if you don't.


That would be near impossible in Poland without advanced knowledge of the language, which will take you several years of extremely hard work and copious amounts of time to acquire.

Also, if you're looking for a stable and comfortable income, Poland is not the place for you. Competition is fierce (especially for non-EU citizens), wages are low, the cost of living relative to wages is high, and savings potential is abysmal. There are very few Americans for whom Poland offers viable career opportunities, and you are not one of them by a long shot.

Your best option would be to reschool in the US and get a degree that is actually useful on the job market. You wasted valuable time pursuing a degree in communications. If you want a stable (and comfortable) income, then study something with lots of advanced applied mathematics like petroleum, geological or biomedical engineering, or super math-heavy non-science fields like financial mathematics, financial engineering, econometrics or actuarial sciences (not useless non-math majors like finance, economics, business, administration or marketing). Non-math majors are practically useless nowadays, and basically enable you to flip burgers and stock supermarket shelves on the night shift.

We live in a technocracy, kid. Wake up, smell the coffee and get out your math book. Or practice saying, "Would you like fries with that, Sir?"

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]


Basically, because Americans generally don't have as strong an interdependence with family and friends as do Poles, and also because of habit and tradition.


Internet cafes are unprofitable and most have closed down in the last 10 years. I only know of one that is left in Wrocław. And students are very frugal spenders, and the least likely segment of the population to use a commercial laundromat, so a "meeting room" is not going to bring in any money. Both ideas would decrease, not increase, whatever profitability the laundromat might have.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]


There's one in Wrocław that I know of, and it was VERY expensive.


I've had friends do their laundry at my place.


Very common, especially among students and young workers. A lot of young people with oversized suitcases or bags on trains on Friday and Sunday evening.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]

Not if there is no potential market. If there were a potential market, it would already be served. Hundreds before you have undoubtedly considered the matter, done the math, and found it unfeasible, which is saying a lot for a country that has a pharmacy, a pizzeria, a kebab stand and a sushi parlor on just about every corner. There's no shortage of entrepreneurs.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]


Not likely. If a single person should not have a washing machine in Poland, they would use the one at a friend's or family member's home before they would even consider using a laundromat. The dearth of laundromats in Polish cities attests to low demand, not low supply. If there were a demand, rest assured it would have already been met.

Work / Job offer in IT company ( Wroclaw ) - help needed [15]


It's a pretty good salary for an entry level position. You will be able to cover your living costs, and even live in moderate comfort, as well as be able to save up a small amount.


Not even close. A tiny fraction of what you would need for tuition and living costs, at best. If that is your goal, you would have to find a much higher paying job, and that is not likely to happen in Poland. The amount that you would be able to save up if you are very careful is on the order of 500 Euro a month. Nice as far as a rainy day fund is concerned, but nowhere near enough to qualify as significant savings toward a serious expenditure such as a degree, especially in only a year.

The main challenges about working in Poland are 1) low wages; 2) high cost of living relative to wages; and 3) very low savings potential. Of the three, the last is by far the most important for foreigners working in Poland, and appears to be your top priority, too. If that is the case, it may not be wise to move to Poland, but instead focus your efforts on actively looking for a job in a richer country in western Europe or the English speaking countries, or the Gulf.

Work / What salaries are for IT specialists (Senior QA Engineer) in Poland? [59]

That would be extremely high for a non-managerial position, and even for a managerial position, it would be at the high end of the scale. It would easily cover the cost of living quite comfortably for your family and allow you to save up a significant amount of money.

If someone offers you this much, then, by all means, accept the offer.

Food / Polish Pear Wine and Cider - is it popular in Poland? [9]


Unlikely to the extreme if it is a Catholic church. Only grape wine can be used, and wine made from other fruits is specifically forbidden. If it's not a Catholic or Orthodox parish, though, it might be pear wine.

If it is, about the only way you would be able to purchase it is to contact the pastor and ask for contact information to his supplier. Otherwise, it would be nigh impossible, unless you make it yourself.

Work / What salaries are for IT specialists (Senior QA Engineer) in Poland? [59]

Cost of living for three adults and a kid will be at the very least 6000 PLN a month, and that's only potatoes and cabbage, a place to sleep, and no fun, comfort or savings. So that means 9000 PLN gross a month at the very minimum. Realistically, you would need a lot more than that, about 15000 PLN gross if you want to save about 4000 PLN a month, which should be your minimum savings. Plus more for comfort, entertainment, recreation and travel. Frankly, you will have trouble getting that much in Poland without serious managerial experience.

Work / What salaries are for IT specialists (Senior QA Engineer) in Poland? [59]


You're probably wasting your time trying to negotiate with employers in Poland. Your time would be much better spent trying to find a better paying job in a richer country in western Europe or in an English-speaking country, where wages, and, more importantly, savings potential are much higher than in Poland. I doubt that anyone in Poland will pay you enough to cover travel and living expenses for four people allowing you to live in relative comfort and allow you to save up a significant amount of cash to pay for your eventual relocation to a richer country, unless you happen to be senior high-level management or administration. Even as a move to "get your foot in the door" of the EU, I can't see that happening without putting your family through hell.

The main problems with Poland are low wages, high cost of living relative to wages (especially for recent immigrants with no knowledge of the local language, customs, lifestyle and consumer habits), and very low savings potential. Those last two are working strongly against you, as is the is the cost of relocation and visa fees for three adults and a child. Remember that you have to deduct relocation costs from your first year income when compiling your budget.

Even if you were to come alone and leave your family at home, you would have difficulty supporting yourself, supporting your family, and saving up a significant sum of money for future relocation.

Work / Snow Plowing in Poland - is it a worthwhile job? [18]


You are aware that there are years where little snow falls in Poland, and you might well end up with enough to plow only one or two days a year? In my twelve years in Poland, we had only one major snowstorm. Maybe it might snow more somewhere out east like Białystok or up in the mountains, but for the most part, snow removal, when needed, seems to be adequately supplied for all but the most exceptional circumstances. I highly doubt that there is a need for additional providers, and whatever need there might be would soon be addressed by local agents far more economically than by you.

As for retiring in Poland, it is a great idea as long as you are able to comfortably live completely off of your savings and pension. 100%. If you have to earn to supplement that, then Poland is probably not the right place for you. It would be a lot easier for you to remain in the States and work for a few months, and then take an extended vacation in Poland once every year or two.

Work / Is 6500PLN/month enough for 2 people from India to live on in Wroclaw? [40]

Of all the cities in Poland, Wrocław is the most progressive and feels most like the West. The student population is large compared to the general population, and it's probably the city that offers the most in terms of job opportunities and lifestyle to young people. I enjoyed living there very much.

A one-bedroom apartment will cost you about 2000 PLN, rent, administration fees and utilities included. A studio will cost you about 1500. A hidden cost is the administration fees. They are not included in the advertised rent for the apartment. Another hidden cost is heating. Older apartments can be very expensive to heat because they have bad windows that aren't sealed well. Make sure you have an older, experienced native Pole check out the apartment with you so you don't end up renting an apartment that costs a lot more than you can afford.

Also, this is the absolute worst time to be looking for an apartment because you'll be competing with hordes of students and recent graduates. If you come in January or February, it will be much easier.

In terms of public transport, the tram system is great. The most connected neighborhood is Szczepin-Mikołajów, particularly around Zachodnia or Plac Strzegomski, with direct tram lines to practically every part of the city, and where there is a little "private" railway station as well that is a godsend if you travel out of town a lot, and close enough to the town center that you can easily walk. In any case, you don't want to rent an apartment that is far from the center or not serviced by a tram line, preferably by more than one. Cheap apartments are often either 1) substandard, 2) far from tram lines or 3) far from the center, so remember that location counts for a lot when you are looking for an apartment. For the money you are making, it's worth getting a decent apartment in a convenient neighborhood.

Food and household expenses, on the other hand, are going to cost more than 500 PLN a month, unless you absolutely adore home-cooked cabbage and potatoes. Budget on double that, and perhaps more if you like to eat or drink coffee or beer out of the house. Nothing can blow your budget more than alcohol and tobacco, so it is best to abstain from both.

On 4600 PLN net you would be able to live a pretty comfortable existence as a young person. You won't be rich or able to save up a lot, but your basic costs will be covered and you will be able to put away a little for a rainy day. The first year or two may be a little more expensive until you learn Polish and learn the ways locals save on money, but with Russian as your first language, you ought to be able to do that quickly.

As for your long-term plans, eventually you will be tempted to seek employment in the richer countries of Western Europe because of the much higher savings potential there. With nothing holding you in Poland, chances are high that you will eventually leave. The biggest problems with living and working in Poland are the low wages, the high cost of living relative to wages, and, most of all, the low savings potential. People in richer countries are easily able to SAVE as much or more than their Polish counterparts can EARN, which is why so many young Poles leave to find work in the West. As you get older, you will become more and more obsessed with how much money you are able to put away at the end of each month, especially if you plan to have a family and buy a home, and afterwards for putting the kids through college and retiring. But as for getting you foot in the door, Wrocław is a reasonable option for you at this point, especially in terms of convenience and comfort.

Study / From UK to Poland - studying for a Masters Degree in Warsaw [14]

I second Germany. I did two years of graduate school there on a very generous fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and would have had guaranteed continued funding had I chosen to stay.

Of course, the competition for such fellowships is fierce. You have to be a top student, be on intimate terms with your dean or a major professor at your own university, have been in steady contact with your prospective professor in German for at least a semester or two before you apply, and have a credible and workable study plan and thesis project well formulated by the time you apply. Even then, speaking German well gave me a huge advantage over the competition.

I also had a one-year grant from the Carlsberg Foundation (yes, the beer company) to study in Denmark, and it was even more generous. The thing that cinched it for me is that I taught myself Danish before I went, to a pretty high level. That impressed them a lot, as few foreigner academics bother learning Danish.

Both of those were for STEM fields. I don't know whether they also have fellowships for non-STEM fields. But generally fellowships in STEM fields are much easier to land than those in non-STEM fields.

If you cannot get a positively glowing letter of recommendation from both your dean or one of the senior professors at your school and also from your prospective professor in your target country, there is little chance that you will be granted a merit scholarship. There are a lot of students with excellent grades who failed to cultivate close relationships with these people, and, regardless of their grades, they would have great difficulty landing a merit scholarship. A cynical, perhaps, but very realistic way of saying this is that the goodies go to those students who have made a strenuous effort to prove that they belong to "the club", and have been accepted into the fold.

Work / Moving from India to Warsaw to study. Need information about Warsaw city, jobs etc. [40]

Even Polish students has great difficulty finding part-time jobs, and many go to work in the richer Western countries during the summer because there are so few good jobs at home. For a foreign student who doesn't speak Polish rather fluently and who has no special skills to offer, there is exceedingly little hope of finding a part-time job. Even working in an Indian restaurant is pretty much out of the question as there are very few Indian restaurants in the country to start with, and the owners hire family and friends, and not random students, especially if those students do not have abundant skills and experience.

Make your plans on the very safe assumption that you will never be able to earn a single penny during your stay in Poland. If you cannot afford to pay your won way 100% from your own savings or family contributions, then Poland is definitely not the place for you.

Also, do not expect to find work in Poland after your studies. The chances are very small. Even Polish graduates have trouble getting their first job. If that is your goal, then rethink your plans.

Life / Canadian Moving to Poznan, Poland - what to bring over, areas to avoid, school for a child. [54]

There are call centers. The work $ucks big time and the pay is very low, but if you're desperate and can take doing cold-call sales, silly marketing surveys or low-level debt collection, you can try that. If you're lucky, you might get to do customer support for a little more money.

There's also English teaching. Problem is you'll need a certificate, or end up working for a lousy school for lousy pay something like Callan, direct method, Avalon or Berlitz, who pay peanuts. You'll need that certificate before the beginning of October, so you'll have to find a course and get moving on it soon. It's not cheap, about 4000 PLN, and it doesn't guarantee you a job. And getting a job doesn't mean you will get enough hours to earn what you'd like to earn. Plus it's almost exclusively split shift, from 8 to 10 in the morning and from 4 to 9 in the evening. There is little demand for lessons in the middle of the day. You won't see much of your husband. You are going to have to decide for yourself whether investing 4000 PLN in a CELTA course is worth it. It might not be if you're only going to be working a few hours a week.

You could try private lessons, but it will take you a considerable amount of time and some pretty aggressive and effective marketing to build up a good clientele that is willing to pay what you want and that doesn't flake on every other lesson. Plus not speaking Polish is definitely going to cramp your ability to advertise yourself. Being able to talk to students' parents in their own language is a very big plus.

As a Canadian, employers are unlikely to go through the hassle of applying for a work permit for you and to offer you a full-time job. Schools strongly prefer that you work as an independent contractor for whatever hours they feel like throwing your way. Which could be a lot if they like you or practically nothing if they don't. The demand for native English speakers from outside of the EU has dropped drastically in recent years.