Poland Immigrant Info

Schools for Children in Poland

Public vs private schools, enrolment for foreign children, language support, and the school year calendar.

Updated 2026-01-20 · 1 min read

Schools for Children in Poland
On this page
  1. Public school (free)
  2. Language support
  3. Enrolling
  4. Private / international
  5. School year

Public school (free)

  • Szkoła podstawowa — ages 7–15, 8 years, compulsory.
  • Liceum / technikum / szkoła branżowa — ages 15–19, secondary.
  • Free for legally resident children, including foreigners.
  • Enrol at the local school or any school with space.

Language support

  • Oddział przygotowawczy — a preparatory class teaching Polish to foreign pupils before mainstream classes.
  • Extra Polish lessons (additional 5h/week) may be provided.
  • Some schools have integration assistants.

Enrolling

  1. Get a PESEL for the child.
  2. Contact the school; bring report cards (translated by a sworn translator).
  3. The school decides the year based on age and prior education.
  4. Submit a health book (książeczka zdrowia) and vaccinations record.

Private / international

  • International schools (British, American, IB) in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław — tuition 40,000–100,000 PLN/year.
  • Bilingual schools — mid-range fees.
  • Useful for short-stay expats; check accreditation.

School year

  • Starts 1 September, ends late June.
  • Holidays: Christmas (~2 weeks), winter (1–2 weeks in Jan/Feb), Easter, summer (July–August).

FAQ

Is public school free for foreign children?
Yes. Public school is free for children legally resident in Poland, including foreigners with a residence card or registered stay.
Do schools teach in English?
Most public schools teach in Polish. Bilingual and international (private) schools teach in English but charge tuition. Some schools offer preparatory Polish-language classes for newcomers.

Sources

  1. gov.pl — Schools for foreigners (updated 2026-01-12)

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