Number of foreign students at Polish universities falls due to pandemic

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign students studying at Polish universities is to decrease, according to estimates by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

PAP has learnt that a smaller number of foreign students have already been confirmed by some universities, e.g. University of Lodz, central Poland, which recorded 1,600 students this year, down from around 2,300 in the previous academic year. The number of foreign students at other Polish universities has also decreased.

The Ministry of Science together with the National Agency for Academic Exchange are consulting the situation at universities on an ongoing basis.

"Fewer admissions of foreign students are projected, due to global restrictions related to COVID-19. The situation of universities in Poland is of course no exception, universities all over the world are struggling with similar problems and challenges due to COVID-19," the ministry said.

According to data from the Education Foundation "Perspektywy", there were 85,000 foreign students studying in Poland in January 2020. Restrictions regarding crossing state borders and the prospect of possible further limitations caused some students to give up on the opportunity of studying at foreign universities.