Welcome!
Dear International Erasmus students from around the world, we would like to warmly welcome you at the Medical University in Wroclaw and make your life as easy as possible!
Coordinator for incoming Medical students:
Zygmunt Domagala, PhD
zygmunt.domagala@umw.edu.pl
Department of Anatomy, ul. Chałubińskiego 6a
Contacting hours: Mon, Wed Thurs 11.00-14.00
If you are not a student of medicine, please check your coordinator here.
Contact person for incoming students:
Dominika Lucinska
dominika.lucinska@umw.edu.pl
International Relations Office,
ul. Chałubińskiego 6a
Student Guide
Created by Wanda Ambrosius
This is a little guide for you to navigate the new waters in Wroclaw easily. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) has done the same, and with it you should have quite enough information: student guide book
Student dorms:
You would have checked the box on your application form for this university. Dorms are located in the northeast part of the city, close to the Kliniki campus (10 minute walk), but quite far from the Borowska campus (about 1 hour bus ride). Rooms are shared with 1 or 2 other students (making it 2 bed or 3 bed rooms), bathrooms on the hall, shared kitchen.
Must be found individually. Look on Facebook in different WMU groups. If you want to live with medical students, we have a group called Wroclaw Medical University Event Group, which might be your best option.
OLX:
https://www.olx.pl/
Another option when searching for a private/shared flat. This is a polish online website were people sell used/new items, but also advertise their apartments for rent.
Nadodrze: Lively neighborhood with lots of tiny stores and restaurants
Plac Grunwaldzki: Very close to the campus Kliniki and still close to city center.
City center: Would be described as close to ‘Rynek’, its busy with bars, restaurants, tourists.
Przedmiescie Olawskie: Somewhat in the middle of the campus Kliniki, Borowska and the city center.
In pink: Kliniki campus and Borowska campus;
In blue: the neighborhoods which are advised 🙂
Buses/Trams:
Wroclaw is a big city with nearly one million inhabitants (depends on how you count it – students, Ukrainian refugees, etc.).
Tram and bus lines run all through city and take you to the places you need to go.
You can use the app Jakdojade to find my connections, but you might like Google better.
In the buses and trams you can only pay by credit card (or phone) with NFC function, no cash needed. Some of the busier tram/bus stops have a machine where you can buy tickets with cash/card.
Once you get your student ID, it’s best to buy a long term (semester) ticket called ‘urban card’. You will need to activate a you student ID at an urban card office before you can buy the ticket.
This is how it works:
Wroclaw by bike:
Many students are big fans of traveling by bike. It’s especially recommended if you are in Wroclaw during the summer semester. There are more and more bike lanes opened around the city and going places by bike makes you much more conscious about your surroundings – it’s a wonderful way to get to know a city.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to bring your own bike, there are different options: NextBike, buying a new/used bike. With NextBike download the app. You can rent a bike for 20 min. for free, or a small fee for longer rides. Best places to buy a bike is Facebook Marketplace, OLX, or the Sunday flea market at the Old Mill (click to get the location).
Please make sure you have bike lights and a helmet. Bike carefully, cars are sometimes a bit aggressive!
Panek/ 4mobility carsharing
If you have a drivers license you can rent out a car for short distances if needed. Helpful especially when you’re in a hurry or need to transport big items. Just download the app and follow the instructions.
Bolt/Uber/FREE NOW
These are your taxi options.
Bolt and Lime scooters
Fun and very fast. Perfect when you’re late to class and walking is taking too long.
Tap water is drinkable, though most people filter it – especially when living in old buildings. There is a very persistent rumor about lead in the pipes. Filters can be bought in any large supermarkets.
Stores are open Monday to Saturday from 08.00-22.00. There are only a few Sundays a year when shopping centers are open, but Sunday is a day of rest.
Small grocery stores called ‘Zabka’ (the frog in Polish) open every day 06.00-23.00.
Alcohol is not sold after 22.00 and it is not allowed to consume alcohol openly on the street (if it is not a bar).
One place in the city called ‘student island’ (Wyspa slodowa) is the exception to the rule: Its always crowded with students (hence the name) playing beer ball or other drinking games.
Schedule:
Classes, seminars, and lectures – we have a 100% attendance policy at our university. This might pose a problem for you once you try to figure out your schedule.
Lectures are held online and taking attendance in those (even if taken) is not according to the university statutes, so do not be scared if you did not make it to one of them.
Classes and seminars on the other hand must be attended! Erasmus students have them separately from English Division and have their own time slots. You will soon find out (if you have not already!) that it might be impossible to plan a schedule without overlaps.
In such cases you should contact the teachers/professors/doctors or departments before simply attending a class with a different group: Some professors do not have such a high opinion of Erasmus students and might get very angry at you if you were to just show up, (especially if 6 students want to join additionally).
The International Student Council has a page with maps, where we linked the department websites as well: Please check it out!
WhatsApp:
Most everything at our university is communicated via WhatsApp from the year representatives to the year WhatsApp group.
I have a group with just myself, that is constantly pinned on top of the chats, to forward everything that is important into that one place. I also use the function to ‘star’ individual messages in the chats, so that I can delete the rest from time to time. 🙂
MAKE SURE to join all the year WhatsApp groups that correspond to your schedule. This is the main way to get presentations/class materials/important information. Please don’t spam these groups with questions/unnecessary comments as this has been an issue in the past.
Clinical classes:
Bring your own scrubs/lab coat, as they are not provided by the hospital or university. You can buy them in Wroclaw (e.g. Scrubs store in Wroclaw), but if you already have one at home, simply pack it into your suitcase.
The Borowska locker room can be accessed: when facing the hospitals main entrance, there are stairs to the right that lead to -1 level. You will see all students entering this way. Enter through the doors and go straight. First and second door on the left are the locker rooms. You must go the main locker room to give your ID in exchange for a key to a locker.
Last note:
The polish mentality and system is most likely different then what you have ever experienced.
Be prepared:
Some matters take longer than you’d expect
Professors/doctors can be late, and you might be standing in the hallway for a while. If this happens repetitively, please let ISC know using the Student Affairs page.
Usually the beginning of the semester is chaotic and disorganized, but this settles down within a few weeks.
Some professors/doctors have been known to make inappropriate jokes/rude comments. If this happens to you, please inform the ISC about it on the Student Affairs page.
The locker room at Borowska hospital can be very busy in the mornings. Make sure to give yourself extra time if your classes start between 8.00-8.30.