Share of students from abroad in Poland
Poland: Share of students from abroad was 6.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of students from abroad in Poland, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of students from abroad in Poland stood at 6.8%. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 246.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students from abroad in Poland peaked at 6.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2001.
That places Poland 57th out of 134 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of students from abroad in Poland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.5% | — |
| 1999 | 0.4% | -13.4% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | +21.1% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | +10.2% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | +14.5% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +14.3% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +16.5% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +17.7% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +24.5% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | +34.8% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | +34.3% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +29.5% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | +20.6% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | +15.8% |
| 2021 | 5.5% | +22.8% |
| 2022 | 6.7% | +22.4% |
| 2023 | 6.6% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 6.8% | +2.9% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 6.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.6%, 64% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Poland's 6.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9.9%, 69% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 0.9% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.0% | 4.5% | 6.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Poland
More education data for Poland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 322,900 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,398 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 776,213 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 735,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.60 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students from abroad in Poland?
- Share of students from abroad in Poland was 6.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students from abroad recorded in Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of students from abroad recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2001.
- How does Poland rank for share of students from abroad?
- Poland ranks 57th out of 134 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of students from abroad rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 246.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Poland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of students from abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International students as a share of the country's overall tertiary enrollment. International students are those who move from their home countries for education, identified based on their past education, residence, or distinct immigration regulations.