AGH, JU, CUE, and CUT: Hardest Subjects and How to Pass

Mathematical Analysis 1 & 2

• Faculty of Applied Mathematics (WMS) – Limits, Multiple Integrals, Series

General Physics (I and II cycle)

• WFiIS (Pavilion C-1 / A-1) – Laboratory Passes and Tasks

Circuit and Signal Theory

• Department of Electrical Engineering (WEAIiIB) – Complex Numbers, Transient States

Strength of materials

• Katedra Strength (WIMiR) – Diagrams of bending moments and stresses

How to pass Analysis and Physics at AGH UST in the 1st term?

• Master the textbook canon: The basis of the exercises are sets of problems by Krysicki and Włodarski and the series by Gewert and Skoczylas (Mathematical Analysis 1 and 2 – Examples and Problems).
• Colloquia databases from research clubs: In the archives of faculty research clubs (and on yearbook discs) there are sets of exam tasks from the last 5 years. In 80% of cases, the leaders only change the numerical parameters of differential equations or integral systems.
• Reports from physical laboratories: In the physics laboratories in Hall C-1, it is crucial to calculate measurement uncertainties using the complete differential method without error. Submitting the report on time is a prerequisite for admission to the final exam.

Jagiellonian University: Legends of the Faculty of Law and Administration, Chemistry and Mathematics (Roman Law, Biochemistry)

At the Jagiellonian University, the selection subjects depend on the specificity of the faculty – from hundreds of Latin paremias at the Faculty of Law and Administration to complex metabolic pathways on the Campus of the 600th Anniversary of the Renewal of the Jagiellonian University in Ruczaj.

1. Roman Law and Civil Law (Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University)

• Where the difficulty lies: The Roman Law Exam at the Chair of Roman Law (Larisch Palace / Bracka Street) is a legendary multiple-choice test with a negative score for wrong answers or an oral exam on case studies.

• Strategy: Absolute mastery of the textbook of Prof. Dajczak, Giaro and Rozwadowski, regular solving of property law cases and learning Latin legal rules in the system of interval flashcards (e.g. Anka).

2. Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry (Faculty of Chemistry / WBBB in Ruczaj)

• Where the difficulty lies: The need to memorize dozens of chemical structures, enzymes, signal cascades and reaction mechanisms (e.g. electrophilic and nucleophilic substitutions).

• Strategy: Drawing metabolic pathways (Krebs cycle, glycolysis, phosphorylation) on large sheets of paper and rigorous preparation for Thursday’s laboratory passes at Gronostajowa.

Cracow University of Technology: Descriptive Geometry and Building Mechanics

The campus of the Cracow University of Technology at Warszawska Street and in Czyżyny verifies first-year students with the use of basic engineering subjects, in which spatial imagination and drawing precision are crucial.

• How to survive Diagrammatic Geometry: Drawing boards with ink and pencil requires regularity. Postponing the preparation of three boards until the last week before submission results in sleepless nights and disqualification due to drafting errors. Take advantage of consultations at the Department of Descriptive Geometry and Digital Modeling.

• How to Pass Strength of Materials: The key is to automate the determination of shear forces and bending moments in statically determinable and non-determinable beams. Calculation of at least 100 static diagrams before the colloquium guarantees a task-based pass.

University of Economics (CUE): Econometrics, Statistics and Accounting

At the Cracow University of Economics (campus at Rakowicka Street), the most difficult barriers await students in the second and third year of Economic Analytics, Finance and Accounting, and International Economic Relations.

The most difficult courses at CUE:

• Econometrics and Process Forecasting: Combines the theory of estimation of the classical least squares method (KMNK) with practical support for econometric programs (Gretl, R Studio, Python). The exam requires not only the interpretation of the results of statistical tests (Durbin-Watson, White, Dickey-Fuller), but also the derivation of matrix formulas.
• Financial Accounting and Advanced Management Accounting: An exam in the form of balancing accounting accounts (T-accounts), preparing a profit and loss account (comparative and calculation variant) and calculating additional costs. Even a minor mistake in the assignment at the beginning of the task causes a lack of balance for the entire company.

List of the most difficult subjects in Krakow (Table 2026/2027)

The table below presents a list of courses generating the largest number of conditions and corrections at the leading universities in Krakow.

4-step strategy: How to pass on the first date and not take the condition?

Passing the most difficult subjects without having to pay for repeating ECTS credits requires the implementation of an organized study plan from the beginning of the semester.

Schedule of preparations for exam subjects (semester 2026/2027)

• Obtain materials from trusted sources: Visit photocopying points with traditions (e.g. Photocopying in Hall C-4 at AGH, Photocopying at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University or Bratniak PK), where archival studies of colloquia prepared by older years are available.
• Use the Spaced Repetition: Instead of studying for 3 nights in a row before an exam, enter definitions, formulas, and legal rules into the paper app and repeat them every day for 20 minutes on a tram or bus.
• Learn in project groups: Dividing difficult issues among group members (e.g. one person works on tasks from surface integrals, the other from differential equations) and translating the material to each other cuts learning time in half.
• Control the deadlines and the deficit of ECTS credits: If you know that a given subject is extremely risky, make sure that you have earned a set of ECTS credits in easier electives and language courses, so that in the event of a stumble, you do not exceed the permissible limit of the credit debt.

Parallel preparation for difficult colloquia in mathematical analysis, implementation of engineering projects and keeping an eye on payment deadlines for a station in Krowodrzy can cause enormous stress. If you want to organize your finances and academic life in one simple panel, check out how the Student360 student cloud works for billing and studio management. The tool is equipped with an automatic calculator of ECTS points and grade point average, a calendar of credits and colloquia, a 5 GB cloud disk for university scripts and task databases, as well as a module for fair sharing of utility bills with roommates.

Where to study in Krakow before the exam? (Best Readable)

The conditions in a student apartment or dormitory are rarely conducive to many hours of concentration. There are several free academic reading rooms in Krakow with the ideal infrastructure for quiet work.

Recommended quiet learning zones in Krakow

During the winter session (January/February) and the summer session (June), the AGH UST Main Library and selected reading rooms of the Jagiellonian University organize actions such as “Night in the Library”, extending the opening hours to 10:00 p.m. or 12:00 p.m., which allows for safe learning in comfortable conditions.

Good session planning is a guarantee of a quiet holiday without September corrections. Check out the Student360 app to fine-tune your exam schedule, archive revision materials, and manage your student’s budget on a daily basis.

Board Exam (Commission) – Rescue Procedure and Student Rights

The board exam is an extraordinary mode of verifying knowledge, which is the last instance of defense against being removed from the list of students or the need to repeat the entire year. A student of Krakow universities is entitled to it in a situation where the statutory procedures were violated during the basic or retake exam or if the grade was issued in a biased manner.

Procedure for applying for the board exam

When will the application for “commission commission” be accepted by the dean’s office?

The dean will not agree to a proposal justified only by the statement “I could do it, but the professor doesn’t like me”. The application should refer to specific formal deficiencies:

• The exam questions went beyond the scope of the material specified in the official syllabus of the subject (module card).

• The examiner did not meet the statutory deadline for announcing the results, which made it impossible to prepare for the correction.

• Violation of the form of the exam (e.g. conducting the oral exam alone behind closed doors, without the presence of a second teaching employee).

The presence of a representative of the faculty student council guarantees full impartiality of questions and proper recording of the course of answers.

The phenomenon of “Zeros” in Krakow – how to legally double your chances?

An early exam (commonly referred to as “kindergarten”) is an unofficial or official exam date organized before the start of the actual exam session – usually in the last or penultimate week of classes.

Why is kindergarten the most important opportunity in the semester?

• Failure to enter an unsatisfactory grade: In the event of failure to pass the zero exam (obtaining a grade of 2.0), a negative grade is not entered into the official protocol in the USOSweb or My AGH system.
• Keeping the full pool of deadlines: After failing the kindergarten, you are still entitled to take the first basic term in the session and the second retake date. This means that you get 3 exam attempts instead of the standard 2.
• Calm session: Passing a difficult subject (e.g. Physics at AGH UST or Roman Law at the Jagiellonian University) in kindergarten frees up the whole of January or June to prepare for other, lighter credits.

The condition for admission to kindergarten is usually obtaining good grades (4.0 or higher) in all partial colloquia and no unexcused absences from exercises.

Digital Engineering Tools and Simulators: How to Learn Science?

Manually solving hundreds of differential equations, designing beams or analyzing transients in electrical circuits without verifying the results leads to the consolidation of calculation errors. Students of AGH UST and the Cracow University of Technology commonly use dedicated auxiliary software for learning.

A list of tools supporting learning for difficult exams:

Free repetitions and support of Scientific Circles before the session

Before the start of the winter and summer sessions, Krakow’s student governments and scientific circles organize free, open repetition marathons, led by outstanding senior students and doctoral students.

Cyclical replay actions in Krakow

These events usually take place in large auditoriums (e.g. in the AGH UST Main Building, at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University in Ruczaj or in the Auditorium Maximum at Krupnicza Street) or in the form of webinars on the MS Teams platform. During the 4-hour sessions, only exam sheets from the previous academic year are solved, with an emphasis on the most common pitfalls of examiners.

Biohacking and session psychology: how to avoid collapse and “emptiness in the head”?

Exam stress, combined with excessive consumption of caffeine, energy drinks and sleep deprivation, causes the so-called white-card syndrome – an acute release of cortisol that blocks access to long-term memory during the first minutes of the exam.

Rules of energy management in the exam week:

• Caffeine optimization: Avoid drinking coffee immediately after waking up. Take your first dose of caffeine 90–120 minutes after getting out of bed, when your natural morning cortisol levels begin to drop. This prevents a sharp drop in energy in the afternoon.

• Pre-exam sleep protocol: The memory consolidation phase (transferring knowledge from short-term memory to the structures of the cerebral cortex) occurs in the NREM and REM deep sleep phases. Studying all night before an exam reduces the ability to think logically by 40%. The absolute minimum before entering the exam room is 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

• First 5 minutes in the classroom technique: Once you receive the worksheet, don’t start writing immediately. Read all the questions calmly, choose the simplest task and solve it first. Success on the first question lowers your heart rate and unlocks logical thinking.

Planning an exam session in difficult subjects, regular revisions and simultaneous management of the household budget at the Krakow station require appropriate support. See how the Student360 application for settling bills and managing studies helps students in everyday student life – you get an automatic ECTS credit calculator, a clear calendar of colloquia and kindergartens, a secure 5 GB cloud space for university scripts and notes, and an intuitive module for fair distribution of utility fees with roommates.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does a condition (repetition of a subject) cost at Krakow universities?

The fee for repeating failed ECTS credits depends on the university and faculty. In the academic year 2026/2027, the rate is usually between PLN 80 and 160 for 1 ECTS credit. In the case of a course with a weight of 6 ECTS (e.g. Mathematical Analysis at AGH UST or Strength of Materials at PK), the cost of conditional entry ranges from PLN 480 to 960.

What is the ECTS deficit?

The permissible ECTS deficit (the so-called credit debt) is the maximum number of ECTS credits that a student may not earn in a given semester, while retaining the right to register for the next semester of studies. If the limit in your faculty is 12 ECTS and countless subjects have a weight of 6 ECTS, you can apply for conditional entry and continue your studies.

Is there a retake date if I fail the exam?

Yes. In accordance with the regulations of studies at AGH, JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY and CUE, a student is entitled to at least one free retake in each subject ending with an exam. In special cases (e.g. illness confirmed by sick leave), the dean may set an additional committee date.

Is attendance in the USOS / My AGH system checked during the exams at the Jagiellonian University of Science and Technology and the AGH UST system?

The condition for taking the exam is to obtain an earlier credit from auditorium exercises or laboratories, which the instructor enters into the USOSweb system (at the Jagiellonian University, PK, UEK) or the Virtual University / My AGH (at AGH). Failure to pass the exercises makes it impossible to take the exam in the 1st term.

How to apply for an extension of the exam session?

A request for extension of the session is submitted electronically through the university system (USOS/Moja AGH) or in paper form to the Vice-Dean for Student Affairs before the end of the basic retake session. The application must be accompanied by a justification (e.g. a medical certificate, a documented trip to a research internship or sports competition).