A diploma with distinction is an honorable recognition awarded at Polish universities to students who have achieved very high academic results. The criteria may vary depending on the university, faculty, and even year — typical requirements include:
- achieving a high grade point average for the entire study period,
- very good grades on thesis and defense (if applicable),
- meeting all formal requirements — e.g., no outstanding debts, completing required ECTS credits, etc.
Typical GPA thresholds for a diploma with distinction are usually around ≈ 4.5 (on a 2–5 scale) — but can also be much higher: e.g., 4.8–4.9. In practice, there is no single, universal threshold.
A diploma with distinction is recognition of overall academic achievements — not only the GPA counts, but also the final thesis, diploma exam, and overall verification of requirements.