First week as a student in Gdańsk: A checklist of things you must do

What to do in the first week?

• To collect and activate your ELS card: Without it, you won’t buy a semester ticket and you won’t enter the library.
• Configuration of the FALA system: Download the app and assign your student ID card to it to enjoy metropolitan discounts.
• Purchase of a semester ticket of the MZKZG: This is the most cost-effective option (approx. PLN 600-700 for 5 months for the whole of Gdańsk or the Tri-City).
• Login to USOS (UG) / MyPG (PG): Check the schedule and sign up for language courses and PE – places for “swimming” or “climbing” disappear in 30 seconds.
• Registration in the Main Library: It requires a personal visit to activate the reader’s account on the card.
• Choosing a primary care physician in the Tri-City: It is best to do so in academic clinics (e.g. at MUG) to avoid driving to your hometown on L4.
• Scholarship Application Submission: Deadlines in USOS usually pass in mid-October, but it is worth uploading income documents earlier.
• Verification of the lease agreement and meters: Write down the meter readings and check if the refundable deposit is secured in the protocol.
• Collection of the “Resident’s Card”: If you are temporarily registered, it gives you free entry to museums and discounts in the premises.
• Local research: Find the nearest “Wrzeszczanka” (shop/bar) and check the road to the Łostowice-Świętokrzyska loop if you live in the south of Gdańsk.

Administrative “Baptism of Battle”: Registration, PIT and Resident’s Card

What do students in Gdańsk really ask about?

In Gdansk in 2026, bureaucracy is not your enemy, as long as you know how to use it to reduce the cost of living. Most students ignore official matters, losing access to free entrances to museums, swimming pools, and cheaper season tickets.

Temporary registration: Your duty and… Privilege

According to Polish law, if you stay in Gdansk for more than 30 days, you are obliged to register for temporary residence. Apartment owners often scare students with “problems with the office“, which is complete nonsense. To register at the Municipal Office in Gdańsk (8/12 Nowe Ogrody Street) you do not need the consent of the owner of the premises – your written lease agreement is enough.

Why do it? Temporary registration is the shortest way to obtain the Gdańsk Resident Card. Without it, you pay full rates for many city services, and with the student package once a year, you have, m.in, free entry to the Oliwa Zoo, the Amber Museum or the tower of St. Mary’s Church.

PIT in Gdańsk – why is it worth it?

Even if you work part-time on a contract basis at Olivia Business Centre or serve coffee on Długa Street, settling your tax in Gdańsk, you have a real impact on the quality of public transport. The city is rewarding “new taxpayers”. In 2027, additional bonuses to the semester ticket are planned for students who indicate the Gdańsk Tax Office (e.g. the one at Żniwna Street) as the right one.

FALA and MZKZG system: Technical configuration of communication

In the academic year 2026/2027, the Tri-City said goodbye to paper tickets for good. If you don’t want to start your studies with a fine of $280, you need to understand the hierarchy of transportation systems.

• WAVE (Metropolitan Ticket System): It’s your command center. Download the application and be sure to pass the student status verification. In 2026, FALA is integrated with the mObywatel system – if you have mLegitymacja active there, the system will automatically assign you a 50% relief.
• Vehicle validators: At the entrance to the Gdańsk tram (e.g. line 6 or 12 going from Łostowice to Oliwa), you must put your phone or ELS card to the reader. The FALA system implements the so-called dynamic tariff – if you forget about “check-out” at the exit of the SKM train at the Gdańsk Politechnika stop, it will charge you a rate until the end of the train’s route, i.e. all the way to Wejherowo.
• MZKZG Metropolitan Ticket for ELS: If you live in Przymorze and study at Gdańsk Tech, you will use SKM. The cheapest way is to load the metropolitan ticket directly onto the ELS card. Thanks to this, in one plastic you have a train ticket (SKM/PKM) and all trams and buses in Gdańsk and Gdynia.

Medical infrastructure: Where to “prescribe” the National Health Fund?

Don’t wait for the first infection in the dorm. In 2026, the healthcare system in Gdańsk is very burdened, and students without an assigned primary care doctor are sent to night medical care (e.g. at the Copernicus Hospital on Nowe Ogrody Street).

• UCK (University Clinical Center): It is a huge complex at Dębinki Street. Although it is mainly a teaching hospital, there are primary care clinics dedicated to students in the area.
• Selection of a doctor by the ICP: Log in to the Online Patient Account and change your primary care physician to a facility in Gdańsk (we recommend clinics in Wrzeszcz or Oliwa, depending on the campus). It is crucial that in the event of illness, the doctor can issue you an e-Sick Leave visible immediately in the university system (USOS/MojaPG).

Student Digital Safety

Your scientific activity begins on the Internet. In the first week, you need to do a “digital hit” so that you don’t lose access to the materials.

• Eduroam (Wi-Fi network): It operates at every university in Gdańsk. Set it up on day one. The login is usually your index number (e.g. ‘[email protected]’). Eduroam allows you to use free internet not only at the university, but also in many public libraries and on the campuses of other universities throughout Europe.
• Verification in mObywatel: From 2025, mLegitymacja is mandatory for most commercial discounts (cinema, theater, premises in the Shipyard). Make sure that your university has submitted the data to the Ministry’s database. If mLegitymacja does not appear in the application, it means an error in your profile in USOS – fix it in the dean’s office in the first week, because the queues in October will be unpassable.

Lease protocol: Verification of “Wrzeszcz” tenement houses

If you rent a room in an old tenement house in Wrzeszcz (e.g. at Wajdeloty or Do Studzienki Streets), you need to be technologically vigilant.

• Energy certificate: In 2026, the owner must show it to you. In Białołęka or Morena, the buildings are insulated, but in Wrzeszcz, electric heating in an uninsulated tenement house can eat up your budget (bills of PLN 800 per month per room).
• Occasional rental: Most agencies in Gdańsk require this form of contract. This involves a visit to a notary and the indication of a substitute premises. If you don’t have a family in Poland that will take you in, look for “ordinary rental” offers – they are rarer, but they will save you PLN 500 in notary fees.
• Photo protocol: Before you unpack your first carton, take 50 photos of every corner, scratched panels, and moisture behind the closet. Send these photos to the owner by email. In Gdańsk, disputes over a refundable deposit when moving out are standard – photos with a date are your only proof.

Where does the heart of Gdańsk beat in 2027?

Studies are not only USOS. Gdańsk offers unique places that are worth visiting in the first week to “feel the city”.

• Electricians and 100 people: The shipyard area is the center of nightlife and culture. In the first week, numerous “Otrzęsiny” take place there. Student discounts at bars work there mainly after showing mLegitymacja.
• Garrison of Culture (Wrzeszcz): Close to the University of Technology. A place for coffee, a concert in the Old Manez and project meetings. An ideal alternative to noisy shopping malls.
• Main Library of the University of Gdańsk (Oliwa): Even if you are studying at Gdańsk Tech, get there. It is the most modern facility in northern Poland. In the session, it’s your second home, but in the first week, make a library card there (the ELS card must be activated in the system).

How to buy a semester ticket and does it include SKM?

A semester ticket in Gdańsk is the topic that generates the most inquiries every year. You have two main options: a ticket for buses and trams only (ZTM Gdańsk) or a metropolitan ticket for MZKZG. If your apartment is located close to the SKM stop (e.g. Przymorze, Żabianka), the MZKZG metropolitan ticket “all means of transport” is an absolute must, despite the higher price. It includes trams, buses, trolleybuses in Gdynia and SKM and PKM trains in the Tri-City. You can buy a ticket in the FALA app or stationary at MZKZG service points (e.g. at the Main Railway Station). Remember that you are only entitled to a 50% relief with a valid ELS card – without it, the fine in SKM is several hundred zlotys and is irrevocable.

Where to eat cheaply and well in the vicinity of the UG and Gdańsk Tech campuses?

In Gdańsk, the iconic “student-friendly” places are mainly milk bars and local chain stores. In Wrzeszcz, near the University of Technology, the “Academic Bar” at Do Studzienki Street reigns supreme – classic home-made dinners at prices that will not ruin the budget. In Oliwa, close to the UG campus, students choose “Akwen” or numerous kebab and pizza points along Wita Stwosza Street. It is also worth checking out the “TooGoodToGo” offer – Gdańsk bakeries and restaurants in the vicinity of Grunwaldzka Street are massively displaying food packages for 1/3 of the price. If you are looking for an atmosphere, visit “Wrzeszczanka” or the legendary “pajdy” in the vicinity of student dormitories.

How does the ELS card work in the FALA system?

The FALA system, fully implemented in 2026, requires the student to link a physical ELS card to an account in the application. In practice, this means that the ID becomes your ticket. In Gdańsk trams and buses you will find phallomats – devices to which you put a card at the entrance (check-in) and exit (check-out). If you have a semester ticket uploaded to ELS, the system will simply verify its validity. If you use single tickets, FALA will automatically select the cheapest student fare. Note: forgetting to “bounce” at the exit of PKM or SKM may result in charging the full rate for the ride to the final station.

How to get a place in a dormitory and what are the conditions in the Gdańsk University of Technology Student Campus?

The Student Village of the Gdańsk University of Technology in Wrzeszcz is a specific ecosystem. The recruitment process for DSs (Student Dormitories) takes place through the MojaPG system and is based on distance from the place of residence and income. DS 4 and DS 12 are the most popular due to their location close to the faculties. Conditions in 2026 are varied – from renovated “singles” with annexes, to classic double rooms with a shared bathroom in the hallway. Be sure to have a refundable deposit (usually the equivalent of one rent) that you must pay before you check in. Living in a dormitory is a huge saving – prices start at 600 PLN, which is unbeatable at 1800 PLN per room on the market.

Which library in Gdansk is best for studying in a session?

Where to look for a casual job for a student in Gdańsk?

The casual job market in the Tri-City is based on tourism, gastronomy and logistics. In 2026, you will find the most offers on portals such as OLX and dedicated FB groups (“Jobs for students Gdańsk”). The best rates (approx. PLN 30-35 net/h) are offered by bars and restaurants in Gdańsk Główny and Wrzeszcz. If you’re looking for something more stable, aim for business centers in Oliwa (Olivia Business Centre, Alchemia) – many corporate companies are looking for students for simple office work or customer service. Remember that the status of a student (mandate contract) is your biggest bargaining chip, because the employer does not pay social security contributions for you.

Is it worth owning a bicycle in Gdańsk and how does the MEVO system work?

Gdańsk is the cycling capital of Polish, and the route along Grunwaldzka Avenue connecting Wrzeszcz with Oliwa is perfectly prepared. The MEVO 2.0 system (city bikes, including electric bikes) works dynamically and has stations at each faculty of the University of Gdańsk and Gdańsk Tech. For a student, the most advantageous is a monthly subscription for about PLN 30, which allows for 60-90 minutes of driving a day. Cycling is often the fastest way to avoid traffic jams at the Baltic Opera or to get from Przymorze to campus. If you have your own bike, make sure that your dormitory or tenement house has a secure coach house – thefts in stairwells in Wrzeszcz still happen.