Visa Denials for International Students Heading to Poland Surge Due to New Strict Measures

Key Points

1. Rise in Visa Rejections: Since Poland implemented a new verification process for international students, nearly 5,000 visa applications have been rejected.
2. Most Affected Nationalities: The highest rejection rates have been for students from Algeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern and African countries.

The new regulations have negatively impacted universities that rely on international students’ tuition fees. The Polish government’s stricter approach has led to a significant decrease in student visa applications and an increase in rejections.

According to Poland’s Foreign Ministry, since the introduction of these measures, over one-third of student visa applications have been denied, while 8,200 were approved, primarily for Ukrainian and Belarusian students. Nationalities such as Pakistanis, Yemenis, and Bangladeshis have seen the largest declines in visa approvals, with rejections nearly quadrupling this year.

Impact on Polish Private Universities

Private universities in Poland, particularly those funded by international student tuition, have been severely affected. The Academy of Applied Sciences in Lublin, where 72% of students are foreign, has experienced major financial losses.

In 2024, Algerians faced the highest rate of study visa rejections, with every second application being denied, followed by 247 rejections for Bangladeshis and 270 for Ethiopians. The new measures require verification of students, and those unable to present high school diplomas risk having their visas revoked. These regulations were introduced to prevent abuse of student visas, as many applicants were using them to gain entry to Poland for purposes other than education.

Recruiters Warn of Decline in International Student Enrollment

Krzysztof Szymański from Marhaba Poland agency estimates that 40-50% of international students will no longer come to Poland due to these measures. He criticized the timing of the new rules, stating they were introduced without consulting universities, during the peak recruitment period, harming Poland’s reputation. He suggested that, like in Lithuania, the verification process should be completed before students arrive in Poland.

In contrast to recent years, when Poland issued 33,300 student visas in 2019, with only 10.3% being rejected, the current rejection rate has significantly increased.