What rights and opportunities do children displaced to Poland from Ukraine have to access the Polish education system?

Preschool Education

For Children Under 3 Years:

• Nurseries,
• Child clubs,
• Daycare providers.

Attendance at nurseries is not mandatory, and nurseries are not part of compulsory education.

Where to Find Information:

• City/municipality authorities closest to your location.
• On the website of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy (Ministerstwa Rodziny i Polityki Społecznej).

For сhildren from 3 to 6 Years:

• Kindergartens,
• Preschool departments in primary schools,
• Preschool centers.

Preschool education is not mandatory for children aged 3-5. A 6-year-old child must undergo one year of preschool preparation. However, every 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old child has the right to a place in a kindergarten in their municipality if their parents decide to enroll them. Children at the age of 7 start compulsory education in the first grade of primary school.

School Education

Only parents or legal guardians can enroll a child in school.

Important! Children who are older than 18 years old can enter a school by themselves.

It's important to choose a specific school from the school and Educational Institutions Register.

Steps to Enroll:

1. Apply for your child's acceptance to the chosen school.
2. Attach documents confirming your child's attendance at school in Ukraine to the application. Translation into Polish is not necessary.
3. Submit all documents to the director of the chosen school.
4. If you do not have documents confirming your child's education, write a statement indicating the total years of your child's schooling in Ukrainian schools and specify the school(s) where your child studied.

Important! Education in Polish state schools for children and adolescents at the age from 7 to 18 is free.

If you are university student, who is staying legally in Polans, and were a student at a university in Ukraine, you can apply for admission to any university in Poland.

You can find the list of all state higher education institutions here.

Important! Many higher education institutions offer programs in specific areas in English. The list of English-language programs can be found here.

Tuition Fees

You are exempt from tuition fees for full-time studies if:

• you have refugee status,

• you are under temporary or additional protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland,

• you have a Polish Card,

• you are a man/woman, a relative by blood (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) or by descent (children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren) of a Polish citizen residing on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

Important! For educational services related to distance learning fees may be charged.

In the case of continuing education for certain professions such as a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, obstetrician, laboratory assistant, physiotherapist, paramedic, the tuition fee for distance learning or in a foreign language will not exceed the amount you pay at a Ukrainian higher education institution. You may be exempt from tuition fees by the rector of the chosen institution. The higher education institution determines the conditions and procedures for exemption from fees. The admission procedure and conditions are determined by the higher education institution.

Financial Assistance

If you have refugee status, temporary or additional protection in Poland, a Polish Card holder, or a relative of a Polish citizen, you can apply for:

• Scholarship;
• Subsidy;
• Rector's scholarship;
• Scholarship for people with disabilities.

The procedures are determined by each higher education institution.

Language Courses

Numerous free language courses are available for Ukrainians in Poland, both online and offline.

Online:

• Tutlo: https://hello.tutlo.com/help-for-ukraine
• Akademia Finansów i Biznesu Vistula: https://www.vistula.edu.pl/
• Polski Instytut Językowy (FAMI Courses – Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund): https://instytutjezykowy.pl/pl/kursy-online

Offline in Warsaw:

• Fundacja Ocalenie: Courses at ul. Szturmowa, Służew, one to two times a week for an hour to an hour and a half. More information at https://ocalenie.org.pl/kursy-polskiego.
• Fundacja dla Migrantów “Dobry Start”: Regular Polish language courses for foreigners at Bracka 18/63. Register at http://fds.org.pl/kursy-polskiego/.
• University of Warsaw: Periodically offers free courses for Ukrainians to learn Polish as part of the "UW dla Ukrainy" program. More information at https://www.uw.edu.pl/program-uw-dla-ukrainy/.

Vocational Education

Ukrainians can receive vocational education in Poland for free of cost. In specialized educational institutions, one can acquire new knowledge and skills over a period of one to two years and subsequently find employment within the territory of the Republic of Poland.

Politechnic schools are equivalent to Ukrainian vocational schools and colleges. They teach new professions and assist in further employment.

Requirements for Admission:

• Certificate of completion of secondary education and its notarized copy in Polish.
• Copy of the passport.
• Copy of the PESEL number certificate.
• Two passport-sized photos.

No additional exams or tests are required for admission. Detailed information on admission conditions and the learning process should be obtained directly from the chosen technical school.