President Karol Nawrocki has signed a landmark amendment ensuring that postgraduate students with disabilities receive comprehensive university support and specialized learning aids starting in January 2027.
Breakthrough in Postgraduate Education: New Rights for Students
From January 2027, individuals with disabilities applying for or participating in postgraduate studies will receive expanded support from their universities. President Karol Nawrocki signed the amendment to higher education regulations, which was prepared by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to ensure postgraduate studies become accessible to everyone without exception.
University Funding for Assistants and Technical Support
New regulations allow higher education institutions to finance solutions facilitating recruitment and learning for postgraduate students with disabilities. Instead of direct stipends to participants, universities will receive funds to organize learning conditions, including the provision of assistants, sign language interpreters, specialized IT equipment, and adapted teaching materials.
Under the new rules, universities can prepare audio recordings, large-print materials, and modify exam formats—for instance, changing a written exam to an oral one—to accommodate specific needs.
Optimizing the 68 Million PLN Support Budget
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education notes that these changes will not increase total budget expenditures but are designed to improve the utilization of existing funds. Last year, 68 million PLN was allocated to support education for people with disabilities, but between 20 and 30 percent of those funds returned to the budget unused.
Distribution Criteria and Commission Oversight
Funds are distributed among universities based on the number of students and the specific types of disabilities represented at each institution. University committees for persons with disabilities are responsible for deciding how the support is allocated. These new provisions are set to take effect in January 2027.
Scope of Impact: Support for 270 Postgraduate Students
Previously, similar support was exclusively available to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, as the law provided no basis for assisting those in postgraduate programs. Ministry data indicates the new solutions will benefit approximately 270 postgraduate students. Currently, there are about 23,000 students and 455 doctoral candidates with disabilities across Polish universities.