Starting in 2025, the Ukrainian language will be added to the list of foreign languages available for graduation exams in Polish schools. According to the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, students who are citizens of Ukraine will take the eighth-grade exam (the graduation exam in secondary school) in mathematics and a modern foreign language.
Read more: Ministry of education and science of Ukraine launches the “ReFormEd” program
Additionally, students who are studying remotely in the 11th grade of a Ukrainian school but are located in Poland may be exempt from taking the Polish exam. The decision regarding the exemption is made by the student themselves.
The Ministry of Education of Ukraine emphasized that Poland is providing Ukrainian schoolchildren the opportunity to continue studying their native language while ensuring they receive care and education under the same conditions that apply to Polish students.
Starting from September 2024, Polish authorities have mandated that all Ukrainian families with preschool and school-age children enroll them in local educational institutions. In case of refusal, families may lose child benefits, which amount to approximately €185 per month.
According to official data from the Polish Ministry of Education, about 20,000 new refugee children from Ukraine have started attending schools in Poland. This number is significantly lower than the government’s expectations, which anticipated the integration of an additional 60,000 to 80,000 children. In the first half of 2024, child assistance was received by 247,000 Ukrainian children—this is half the number compared to 2022.
