Matura 2026: the schedule, the final declaration by 9 February and what to do now

Key dates

The Central Examination Board (CKE) published the 2026 matura (secondary-school leaving exam) schedule back in August. The written part of the main session runs from 4 to 21 May and the oral part from 7 to 30 May (exact times are set by each school).

• 4 May: Polish, basic level (9:00).
• 5 May: mathematics, basic level.
• 6 May: modern foreign languages, basic level.
• 7–21 May: extended-level subjects, e.g. mathematics on 11 May and Polish on 20 May.
• 1–16 June (written) and 8–10 June (oral): the additional session, for those who missed May for valid reasons.
• 8 July: results and certificates.
• 24–25 August: resits, results on 11 September.

Final declaration — by 9 February

Students who submitted a preliminary declaration in the autumn have until 9 February 2026 to submit the final one (the statutory deadline of 7 February falls on a Saturday). This year declarations are filed online through the Integrated User Interface (Zintegrowany Interfejs Użytkownika, ZIU) at ziu.gov.pl.

It is the last chance to change an extended subject, add more subjects or change the foreign language. Afterwards changes are very difficult, so decide now, not in the last week.

• Check the admission requirements of the university programmes you are considering — they decide which extended subjects make sense.
• Make sure the foreign language is the same in the oral and written parts.
• If you are entitled to adjusted exam conditions, ask the school which documents are needed and by when.

How to pass

To receive the matura certificate (świadectwo dojrzałości) you need at least 30% in every compulsory exam — written (Polish, mathematics and a foreign language at basic level) and oral (Polish and a foreign language) — and you must sit at least one additional subject at extended level. The extended exam has no pass mark, but it counts for university admission.

Additional subjects do not depend on what you studied at extended level at school. Besides the compulsory extended subject you can take up to five more.

A plan for January–April

Four months remain, including the winter break. A sensible plan moves gradually from topic reviews to full papers.

• January: settle the subject choices and list topics to review.
• February–March: one full paper a week in the most important subject, with error analysis.
• April: classes for final-year students end on 24 April — leaving time for revision and timed practice.
• Oral Polish: practise answers aloud, ideally with another person.

Calm is part of preparation

Many students combine studying with sport, part-time work or other commitments. It is better to plan shorter, regular sessions and leave room for sleep than to count on an intense final month. If stress gets in the way, talk to the school counsellor or psychologist before the exams.