Recent regulatory changes have severely impacted the financial stability of several private universities in Poland, leading to a sharp decline in student enrollment. These institutions, which rely heavily on tuition fees for funding, are now grappling with serious financial challenges. Among the hardest hit is the Academy of Applied Sciences in Lublin, where 72 percent of the student body comprised international students.
In 2024, a significant number of foreign students faced rejections for study visas, with Algerian applicants being the most affected. Half of all visa applications from Algeria were denied. Students from Bangladesh and Ethiopia also faced high rejection rates, with 247 and 270 applications rejected, respectively.
The new measures include stricter verification processes for international students. Those unable to provide valid high school diplomas now face the possibility of visa cancellations. These legal changes were introduced in response to reports of foreign students allegedly misusing their student visas for purposes other than education.
As a result, Polish private universities that depend on international students are struggling to cope with the financial fallout of these policies.