Ukrainian students join Polish schools, face isolation
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In Poland, approximately 210,000 Ukrainian students are enrolled in Polish schools as of April 2026, a number that includes both recent refugees and migrants who arrived before 2022.
Following the start of the war, children from Ukraine entered the Polish education system with varying levels of Polish language proficiency and different experiences. While some have integrated well, forming Polish friendships and speaking without an accent, others remain isolated, interacting primarily with other Ukrainian students or being alone during breaks.
Reports indicate these students experience a range of reactions from peers, including kindness, insults, discrimination, and xenophobic violence. Support systems, like preparatory classes for language acquisition, have diminished. In the 2021/2022 school year, 25,700 refugee students attended these classes, but by 2025/2026, the number dropped to 2,600, and the percentage receiving extra Polish lessons fell from 48% to 28% over the same period.
Experts observe that Polish and Ukrainian students often exist in parallel communities within schools, lacking sufficient opportunities for meaningful interaction. While overt hostility isn’t always reported, instances of bullying and violence do occur, sometimes involving both Polish and Ukrainian students, and schools may prioritize maintaining order over addressing underlying issues. Experts believe that attitudes learned at home contribute to these problems and that teachers need more training to navigate diverse classrooms effectively.
