A child born in New Jersey speaks Polish "at home" but has never learned about Polish history – and in three months is supposed to start at a Polish school. This is one of the biggest stresses for families returning from emigration, yet it is an area where Polish law offers returning families surprisingly much: the local school must accept the child, they are entitled to free additional Polish lessons (even for 2 years), remedial classes, and real accommodations for the eighth-grade exam and matura. This guide covers everything based on current regulations (Education Law, t.j. Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1043, and the regulation on the education of persons arriving from abroad, t.j. Dz.U. 2023 poz. 2301) – including fees for private schools and changes from September 2026.
The most important message for returnees: the regulations regarding "students arriving from abroad" also cover children with Polish citizenship who have studied in schools abroad – language and organizational support is not "only for foreigners." There are two exceptions: assistance from a teacher who speaks the child's language and intercultural assistant is literally only available to students without Polish citizenship.
Enrollment: the local school must accept
Choose the local (district) school
A child arriving from abroad is accepted to the local school (based on residence) by law – even during the school year. Other public schools – if they have available spots (a refusal requires a written justification and is subject to appeal). School attendance is mandatory starting in the calendar year when the child turns 7; education is compulsory until the age of 18.
Class assignment: based on years of education, not a test
The class is determined based on documents – a foreign certificate or even a written statement from the parent about the total years of education; the principal may consider the child's age and the parent's opinion. Important: the translation of school documents does not have to be certified, and apostille is not required. If documents are missing – an interview (if necessary in the language the child speaks).
Start support from day one
Submit requests to the principal for: additional free Polish lessons (minimum 2 hours per week, for up to 24 months), remedial classes in subjects where the teacher identifies curriculum differences (1 hour/week per subject, for up to 12 months; including Polish max 5 hours/week), and psychological-pedagogical support due to adaptation difficulties after studying abroad.
Consider a preparatory class
For children who have a limited knowledge of Polish, schools organize preparatory classes (max 25 students, at least 6 hours of Polish per week, also for Polish citizens) – for the school year with the possibility of extension for another year. They can be joined during the year.
Eight-grade exam and matura: real accommodations
There are no exemptions from exams for returnees – however, there are official accommodations from CKE for the category "students with adaptation difficulties related to previous education abroad" (based on a positive opinion from the pedagogical council):
| Exam | Accommodations for returnees |
|---|---|
| Eight-grade exam | Extended time (Polish 150 min, math 125, foreign language 110), separate room, bilingual dictionary, milder grading criteria for open-ended tasks in Polish |
| Matura | +30 min for written exams, +15 min for oral exams, bilingual dictionary, milder grading for open-ended tasks in Polish |
Be aware of strict deadlines: accommodations must be arranged in the fall (in the 2025/26 school year: information for parents by September 26, documents to the principal by October 15), and extended time is granted if such support was documented during the year. Separate, different exam papers (so-called C100) are reserved for foreigners – a child with Polish citizenship writes the standard paper with the above accommodations.
Alternatives: private schools, international schools, homeschooling
- Non-public and social schools: tuition in large cities typically around 1500–3500 PLN/month (plus enrollment fee around 1000–1500 PLN) – smaller classes and more experience with bilingual children.
- International schools (IB): for children who will return to the English-speaking system or do not know Polish at all – e.g., International School of Krakow: about 75,000 PLN per year (grades 0–12); American and British schools in Warsaw provide prices upon request – realistically count on 45,000–90,000+ PLN per year.
- Homeschooling – legal and increasingly popular (about 60,000 students): principal's consent upon parents' request (even during the year), the child takes annual classification exams, and the school provides textbooks and consultations. It is often chosen by returnees as a "soft landing" for the first year – without the pressure of current grades.
- Preschools: children aged 3–5 have a statutory right to a place (the municipality must provide it, although not necessarily at the desired institution), six-year-olds have mandatory "zero grade"; recruitment usually takes place from February to April, but during the year, admission is decided by the principal.
Before you return: Polish school at a distance (ORPEG)
The best preparation for returning starts while still abroad. The state ORPEG (orpeg.gov.pl) offers free distance learning in a supplementary plan – Polish language and "knowledge about Poland" (elements of history, geography, and social studies) alongside local school – as well as Polish Schools at diplomatic missions; it also has a dedicated "Returns" service with ready guides for parents. Saturday Polish schools form a separate, community network – completing such a school is sometimes rewarded, e.g., in NAWA scholarships (we discuss studies in Poland in the guide on studies for Polish youth).
What changes from September 2026
- New core curriculum ("Compass of Tomorrow" reform, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 378): from the 2026/27 school year, it will apply in grades I and IV of primary school and will be phased in by year groups; other grades will finish their education according to the old curriculum. A child entering grade I or IV in September 2026 will start "under the new system".
- Religion/ethics: from September 2025, 1 hour per week, planned directly before or after compulsory classes (participation is voluntary as always).
- Homework: from 2024, in grades I–III there will be no written homework, in grades IV–VIII it will be optional and ungraded – a significant cultural difference for children from the American system.
- Order note: the current regulation on the education of those arriving from abroad is set to be replaced by a new one from September 1, 2027 – the support rules may change then (check the legal status when planning a return for 2027/28).
Return plan with a child (chronologically): (1) one year before: enroll the child in a Polish school or ORPEG online – Polish + knowledge about Poland; (2) gather school documents (a regular translation is sufficient); (3) upon arrival: local school by law + requests for Polish and remedial lessons on the first day; (4) in the fall, keep track of exam accommodation deadlines; (5) all other aspects of the move – offices, NFZ, return relief – are described in the guide on returning to Poland after years.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!