Free school textbooks in Poland 2026: who pays, classes, amounts
Short answer: Public primary schools lend textbooks to pupils, paid by a state grant to municipalities and schools, not to parents. In 2026 the ceilings run from 119 zł (classes I-III) to 396 zł (VII-VIII).
Free school textbooks are one of the first things parents ask about when a child starts at a Polish public primary school. The short version, based on the Ministry of Education pages: the state pays for textbooks, educational materials and exercise materials through a yearly grant, but the money goes to municipalities and schools, not to parents. The child receives the books at school, usually on loan from the school library.
What the grant is
Every year the government sets a targeted grant (dotacja celowa) to equip schools with textbooks, educational materials and exercise materials. The Ministry of Education page on the 2026 grant is dated 1 April 2026. It refers to a regulation of the Minister of Education of 25 March 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 434) and a Council of Ministers regulation of 16 March 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 385). These two acts set the rules and the amounts for 2026.
The programme covers public primary schools and artistic schools that provide general education at primary level. Private schools are not described in the ministry page as part of the grant, so ask the school directly if you are considering one.
Who gets which books in 2026
As of the 1 April 2026 ministry page, the scope for 2026 is split by class:
- Classes I, IV and VII: textbooks and educational materials for all pupils.
- Classes I to VIII: exercise materials (materiały ćwiczeniowe).
In practice this means that in the years when a new stage of education starts, the school can buy a full set of new textbooks. In the other years, pupils keep using the books they were lent earlier. Check with the school which books your child receives and in which year, because the school and its head teacher decide the practical details.
Maximum grant per pupil
The ministry page lists the maximum grant amounts per pupil for 2026. These are ceilings for what a school can receive from the state, not amounts paid to families.
- Classes I to III: textbooks and educational materials up to 119 zł, exercise materials up to 66 zł.
- Class IV: up to 222 zł.
- Classes V and VI: up to 286 zł.
- Classes VII and VIII: up to 396 zł.
- Exercise materials for classes IV to VIII: up to 33 zł.
If a school chooses books that cost more than the ceiling, the school has to cover the difference or choose cheaper titles. That is one reason schools sometimes ask parents to buy extra workbooks or supplies such as notebooks, art materials or sports clothes. Those items are not part of the textbook grant.
How the books reach the child
The money is paid to the municipality (or other body running the school), which passes it to the school. The school buys the books and lends them to pupils. Pupils are expected to look after them and return them at the end of the year, so that they can be used again. A book that is lost or badly damaged can lead to a request for compensation under the school's own rules, so ask about this at the start of the year.
Parents normally do not fill in an application for the textbooks. The school handles the purchase. What parents can do is ask the school secretary or the library when and where the books are handed out, and whether the school expects any contribution for items outside the grant.
What the ministry page does not say
The 2026 page does not address foreign pupils or foreign families. It describes the programme by type of school and class, not by the nationality of the child. A child enrolled in a public primary school is a pupil like any other in that school, but the page does not state this in so many words, so the safe approach is to confirm with the school that your child is on the list for the loan of books.
The page also does not say anything about pupils who join mid-year, about books in other languages, or about Polish-language support materials for children who are still learning the language. Ask the school about these separately.
An older ministry page on free textbooks for primary school pupils is dated 8 September 2023. Use it for general background only. For amounts and classes, use the 2026 page, because the grant is set again each year and the list of classes changes.
Practical steps for parents
1. Confirm enrolment with the school and ask whether your child will receive the textbooks on loan. 2. Ask which books are free and which materials the school expects you to buy. 3. Ask when books are handed out and when they have to be returned. 4. Keep the books clean and covered, since they will be passed on to another pupil. 5. Read the school's rules on lost or damaged books.
Note that rules and amounts can change each year. The figures here are as of the 1 April 2026 ministry page and should be checked against the latest version before you rely on them.
* Photos: illustrative images from Wikimedia Commons (public domain): textbooks and a historical classroom, not Polish schools.
Frequently asked questions
Do parents in Poland pay for primary school textbooks?
For public primary schools the state grant covers textbooks and educational materials, which the school lends to pupils. Parents may still need to buy items outside the grant, such as notebooks or extra workbooks, depending on the school.
Is there an application form for the free textbooks?
The ministry page describes a grant to schools and municipalities, not an application by parents. The school organises the purchase and the loan. Ask the school how and when books are issued.
Does the grant apply to foreign children?
The 2026 ministry page does not mention foreign pupils. It describes the programme by type of school and class. Confirm with your child's school that the child will receive the books on loan.
How much is the grant per pupil?
As of 1 April 2026, the maximum is 119 zł for textbooks and 66 zł for exercise materials in classes I to III, 222 zł in class IV, 286 zł in classes V and VI, and 396 zł in classes VII and VIII. Exercise materials for classes IV to VIII are up to 33 zł.
