Secondary school admissions 2026: how to count points and the key dates

200 points: where they come from

In admissions to general secondary, technical and vocational schools a candidate can earn up to 200 points. Half comes from the eighth-grade exam and half from the primary school leaving certificate.

• eighth-grade exam: up to 100 points,
• grades in four subjects on the certificate: up to 72 points,
• certificate with distinction (świadectwo z wyróżnieniem): 7 points,
• competition and contest achievements entered on the certificate: up to 18 points,
• social activity, including volunteering: 3 points.

Points from the exam

The percentage result in Polish and mathematics is multiplied by 0.35, and in the foreign language by 0.3. Example: 80% in Polish (28 points), 70% in maths (24.5 points) and 90% in English (27 points) give 79.5 exam points in total.

Points for grades

Grades in Polish, mathematics and two subjects chosen by the school for a given class count (e.g. biology and chemistry in a medical-profile class). The conversion is the same across the country:

• excellent (celujący) — 18 points,
• very good (bardzo dobry) — 17 points,
• good (dobry) — 14 points,
• satisfactory (dostateczny) — 8 points,
• pass (dopuszczający) — 2 points.

Dates, using Mazowsze as an example

Each region's education superintendent (kurator oświaty) sets the timetable, so dates differ across the country. In Mazowsze in 2026 it looks like this (some powiats run separate online systems — you need a separate application in each):

• 11–13 May: eighth-grade exam;
• 14–27 May: applications (until 16:00 on the last day);
• 28 May – 11 June: aptitude tests for sports, bilingual and arts classes;
• 3–7 July: submitting the certificate and the exam results statement;
• 17 July: qualified lists;
• 17–21 July: confirming the intention to enrol (original documents);
• 22 July: admission lists.

How to rank your choices

You can list several schools and classes in order of preference. A candidate is placed in the highest-ranked class for which their points suffice — so the order matters.

A sensible list has three tiers: dream classes (thresholds above your expected score), realistic ones (thresholds around it) and safe ones (clearly lower thresholds). Schools and local authorities publish past thresholds — only a guide, as they change every year.

Common mistakes

The most common slips happen not in counting points but in the paperwork.

• Applying in only one system although the chosen schools are in different powiats.
• Not submitting the certificate and results statement by the July deadline.
• Not confirming the place with original documents — the place is then lost.
• A list made up only of the most popular classes, with no safe options.