The strong admissions figures are linked to an unusually large cohort of high school graduates, known as a "double cohort," resulting from an education reform introduced in 2014-2016 that lowered the compulsory school age to 6 before the policy was later reversed.
The second of the two cohorts is now in its final year of high school and will apply to universities for the 2027/2028 academic year.
Last academic year, 2025/2026, about 450,000 people were admitted to first-year programmes at universities overseen by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The figure is expected to be higher this year.
Prof. Bogumiła Kaniewska, rector of the Adam Mickiewicz University in the western city of Poznań and chairwoman of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Institutions of Higher Education, said the record admissions had temporarily eased the impact of the country's demographic decline on universities.
According to the latest data by Statistics Poland (GUS), the state-run statistical office, more than 1.28 million students were enrolled at Polish universities in the 2024/2025 academic year.
About two-thirds studied at public institutions, while the average cost of educating one student was more than PLN 34,600 (around EUR 8,000, USD 9,000).
(gs)
Source: IAR/PAP