Żłobek: Nursery in Poland for Under-3s and the 1,500 zł Subsidy
Short answer: Polish nurseries (zlobki), children's clubs and day carers look after children under 3; each nursery sets its own enrolment. The Aktywnie w zlobku benefit pays up to 1,500 zl a month (1,900 zl for children with a disability certificate) toward fees capped at 2,200 zl, via ZUS online channels only.
When parental leave ends and the baby is not yet three, Polish families turn to the żłobek - the public or private nursery - a klub dziecięcy (children's club), or a dzienny opiekun (day carer). The system is decentralised, but the money side is national: the state pays eligible parents up to 1,500 zł a month toward nursery fees. Here is how enrolment and the subsidy work, based on gov.pl guidance current for 2026.
The three forms of care for under-3s
All three are regulated by the Act of 4 February 2011 on care for children under 3:
- Żłobek - a nursery, run by a gmina, a company or a foundation; the most structured option, with trained staff and a statute that sets age ranges, fees and daily routines
- Klub dziecięcy - a smaller, more informal children's club with shorter daily hours
- Dzienny opiekun - a registered day carer looking after a small group, often in their own home
Nurseries normally take children under 3, but each one sets its own age limits - some do not take infants, and in exceptional cases (for example, when local kindergartens are full) a nursery may keep three-year-olds. The nursery's statute is the document that tells you the required age, fees and meal costs; read it before you apply.
How enrolment works
There is no single national enrolment procedure - each nursery, and each gmina for public nurseries, sets its own. The general pattern:
1. Pick your nursery and ask when recruitment opens and whether it runs online 2. If it does: fill in the online application on the nursery's or the city's site, print it, sign it, and deliver the paper copy - many gminas let you apply to several nurseries and deliver documents to your first choice 3. If it does not: collect the application form from the nursery, fill it in, and submit it in person 4. Wait for the list of admitted children, then confirm the place and bring the remaining documents by the deadline
Public nurseries in larger cities recruit once a year for a September start, with waiting lists for mid-year places; private ones usually enrol year-round when they have space. Parents and legal guardians apply - citizenship is not a criterion; these rules cover every child resident in Poland.
The Aktywnie w żłobku subsidy
The state benefit that pays toward nursery fees is called Aktywnie w żłobku ("Active in Nursery"), part of the Aktywny Rodzic programme run by ZUS:
- up to 1,500 zł a month per child - or up to 1,900 zł if the child has a disability certificate and meets the additional conditions
- paid up to the amount of your actual monthly fee - if the nursery charges 1,200 zł, you get 1,200 zł
- the fee itself must not exceed the programme's cap: 2,200 zł a month (rate valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027)
Parents with court-ordered alternating custody can each apply and receive half the monthly amount. The benefit is not paid if the child attends kindergarten, or if you already receive another Aktywny Rodzic benefit (Aktywni rodzice w pracy or Aktywnie w domu) for the same child.
How to apply for the subsidy
Applications are online only, through:
- the ZUS electronic platform (PUE/eZUS)
- the Emp@tia portal
- most online banking systems
- the mZUS mobile app
Two timing rules matter:
- you cannot apply before the child starts attending the nursery, club or day carer
- the benefit is granted from the month you apply - apply in the child's first month and it covers that month; apply later and earlier months are lost
If you apply through Emp@tia or your bank and have no PUE/eZUS profile, ZUS creates one for you and sends the login details by email and SMS.
Frequently asked questions
### Do foreign parents get the Aktywnie w żłobku subsidy?
The programme is administered by ZUS for parents working and living in Poland, and the application channels (PUE/eZUS, Emp@tia) are the same for everyone. In practice, working foreign residents apply on the same terms; the legal-residence requirements follow ZUS rules for family benefits.
Is there a single enrolment date for all nurseries?
No. Public nurseries typically recruit once a year for September through the gmina's online system; private nurseries and children's clubs enrol whenever they have a free place.
My nursery charges 2,400 zł. Can I get the subsidy?
No - the monthly fee must not exceed the programme cap, which is 2,200 zł from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Fees below the cap are subsidised up to 1,500 zł (1,900 zł for a child with a qualifying disability certificate).
Can I apply before my child starts?
No. The application can be filed no earlier than the day the child begins attending, and the benefit is paid from the month of application - so file in the first month.
