Dropping a student from the list does not always mean the end of their studies. The university may make such a decision, among other reasons, due to an uncompleted semester, lack of progress in studies, overdue tuition fees, or złfailure to submit a diploma work. However, the student has the right to know the reasons for the decision and, in principle, may appeal against it within 14 days of receiving it. What exactly does dropping a student from the list means, when a student loses their status as a student, and can they return to the university? We explain the procedures in effect in the 2026/2027 academic year.
In short – the most important information:
The reasons for removing students from the list are determined by Article 108 of the Act on Higher Education and Science.
The regulation distinguishes situations in which the university he is obliged to exclude the student, and such, in which may decide to remove it, But it doesn't have to.
This is a very important difference, especially if you plan to apply to stay in school.
In accordance with Article 108(1), deletion occurs in the following cases:
In these cases, the law mandates the cancellation if the specified condition is met.
However, it is still necessary to properly determine the circumstances and issue an administrative decision.
Article 108(2) provides for four further situations:
In such cases, the decision does not have to be automatic. The institution should consider the circumstances of the specific case in accordance with the rules and regulations of the study program.
Reason | Is the deletion mandatory? |
Not taking up studies | Yes |
Resignation from studies | Yes |
złFailure to complete the thesis or exam within the deadline | Yes |
Disciplinary penalty: expulsion | Yes |
Absence from mandatory classes | No – the university can reject it |
No progress in science | No – the university can reject it |
Failure to complete a semester or a year | No – the university can reject it |
Delays in paying for studies | No – the university can reject it |
Yes, but One uncounted session does not automatically disqualify a student from the list.
Many universities provide other options for resolving such a situation. These include:
The availability of these solutions depends on the study regulations.
Example: The second-year economics student did not pass one exam in the remedial session, but passed the remaining subjects. He/she may złbe allowed to apply for conditional admission to the next semester if the university allows such a possibility.
It will be different in the case of a person who did not pass several basic subjects, exceeded the limit of missing ECTS points and has already used the opportunity to repeat the classes.
In such a situation, the risk of being disqualified can be significantly higher.
It is best to contact the dean’s office before a decision is made and to determine whether there is a possibility of continuing your studies.
Yes. Failure to pay fees related to studying is one of the statutory grounds for cancellation.
This primarily applies to students studying for paid degrees, such as those that are not held at a campus or are taught by non-public universities.
Before issuing a decision, the university should determine whether there is indeed a backlog and whether there are grounds for cancellation.
If you have financial problems, it is worth checking beforehand whether it is possible:
Important: The removal of students from the list does not automatically cancel previous financial obligations.
The institution may continue to collect fees for educational services that have been properly invoiced.
Removing students from the list should not mean removing their names from the university system.
In accordance with Article 108(3) of the Act, it is carried out by means of an administrative decision. This means that the relevant provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure apply.
In practice, the procedure usually involves several stages.
The university determines that a specific situation has occurred, such as not counting a year, not participating in classes, or unpaid tuition fees.
In the case of an action initiated ex officio, the student should be informed of its initiation in accordance with the relevant regulations.
As a rule, they also have the right to present explanations, review the evidence, and submit relevant documents.
The decision should include, among other things:
This is a particularly important moment for calculating the deadline for the appeal.
The decision may be served in the manner provided by law, e.g., by registered letter or through an appropriate electronic system.
In 2026, more and more universities will use formal delivery through information technology systems.
For example, the University of Gdańsk has been using the eUczelnia system since April 1, 2026 to handle removal proceedings, while the John Paul II Pontifical University in Krakow has been using the EDoK USOS in this regard since September 1, 2026.
However, a simple notification of the subject not being counted is not the same as a formally served decision.
If you received a removal decision and do not agree with it, you can use the appropriate means of appeal.
The standard term is 14 days from the date of delivery of the decision.
The most important thing is to check the instructions, because the mode depends on who issued the decision.
For example, at the University of Warsaw, an appeal to the Rector is available to those who have been dissatisfied with the decision of the unit’s director. At universities where the Rector issues the decision in the first instance, a request for reconsideration of the case is generally made.
Do not count 14 days from the date shown on the decision, but from the day it is effectively delivered.
The day of delivery is not counted as part of the deadline.
For example, if you received the decision on October 12, 2026, the standard fourteen-day deadline ends on October 26, 2026.
If the last day of the term falls on a Saturday or a day legally free from work, the term is generally postponed to the next day, which is not such a day.
Read the justification for the decision. Determine whether the university correctly defined:
It is also worth checking whether the university has considered złprevious applications and requests.
You don't have to use complicated legal language.
However, it is worth specifically explaining why the decision should be changed or repealed.
Arguments may include, among others:
Just stating that you are interested in continuing your studies may not be enough. It is better to present specific facts and documents.
Follow the instructions contained in the decision.
If the appeal is to be made to the Rector, it must be submitted through the authority that issued the decision.
In the case of an application for reconsideration of the case, the addressee is the authority that issued the decision at first instance.
If the university has implemented a special electronic system pursuant to Article 358a of the Act, it may be necessary to złsend the document through that system.
Keep the confirmation of the document złbeing signed.
The following example can be used as a starting point for preparing your own letter. Before getting złmarried, you should adapt the addressee, request, and justification to the content of the decision received.
Town and date
Name and surname:
Album number:
Course of study and year:
To the Rector [name of the university]
through [the authority that issued the decision]
Appeals against the decision to remove a student from the list
I am appealing against the decision no. [number of decision] of [date], which was served on me on [date of service], regarding my removal from the list of students in the [name of the course] program.
I am requesting the annulment of the contested decision and the permission to continue my studies.
Justification
The cancellation occurred due to [a description of the reason, e.g., failure to obtain a grade for the subject].
The failure to obtain a grade was due to [a brief, true description of the circumstances]. To confirm the information provided, I attach [name of documents].
I am interested in continuing my studies and catching up on the remaining work. I request that your situation be reviewed again, taking into account the circumstances presented and the possibilities provided by the study regulations.
With respect
[Name and surname]
Attachments:
[List of documents]
If the decision at first instance was issued by the Rector, the title of the letter should be appropriately changed to „Request for the re-examination of the case”.
As a rule, yes.
Article 130 of the Code of Administrative Procedure stipulates that a decision is not subject to enforcement before the expiry of the period for appeal, and a timely filed appeal suspends its enforcement.
However, there are exceptions, among others related to the granting of a decision with immediate enforceability.
Therefore, after the złannulment, it is worth contacting the university and confirming your current status until the proceedings are concluded.
It should not be assumed automatically that every „deleted” message visible in the university system already means a legally effective loss of status.
Failing to meet the deadline makes it much more difficult to challenge the decision, but in exceptional circumstances you can apply to have it reinstated.
According to Article 58 of the Code of Administrative Procedure, it must be proven that failure to meet the deadline occurred without your fault.
The request to restore the deadline must be złrenewed within 7 days from the cessation of the cause of the delay and at the same time complete the action for which the deadline was exceeded, namely złbring about the appropriate remedy.
For example, the basis may be a sudden hospitalization that actually prevents the timely filing of the document.
Just forgetting about the case or neglecting the deadline will usually not be sufficient justification.
Yes. In many cases, it is possible to resume studies, commonly referred to as reactivation.
However, this is not the same as appealing against the decision to remove the applicant from the list.
Cancellation serves to challenge the decision.
Reinstatement of studies means applying for re-admission to the program after the successful completion of the current student status.
For example, the Medical University in Łódź allows the resumption of studies for individuals who have completed the appropriate stage of education and meet the regulatory requirements.
In this institution, an application for renewal can generally be złsubmitted within three years of the relevant event. The deadlines for other universities may be different.
Upon resumption, the university may require:
If a resumption is not possible, the rules for re-recruitment remain in effect.
It is also worth asking about the possibility of crediting previously earned ECTS points.
No. After being effectively removed from the student list, the document no longer confirms the current status of the student.
This applies to both the plastic ELS card and the mLegitimation app in the mObywatel application.
It does not matter that the physical card contains a hologram with the date of the event in questionzł.
Example: The student was effectively removed from the list on November 15, 2026, and the hologram on his ID contains the date 31-03-27.
Despite the later date, the hologram no longer confirms the right to discounts associated with student status.
It is worth remembering that ELS student holograms available in collector's editions They are purely for hobby purposes. They do not replace the official safeguards issued by universities and do not restore lost rights.
As a rule, no, if the right to a specific allowance resulted solely from the current status of a student.
This applies, among other things, to:
Remember that showing an ID later that has a hologram that is immediately obvious to the eye does not restore the right to discounts after losing the status.
Loss of student status can also affect one's professional and insurance status.
Students under the age of 26 working under a typical contract are generally exempt from paying ZUS contributions for this reason.
After losing the status of a student, the exemption no longer applies.
If you work under a contract, you should inform your employer about the change in your status.
This may affect the way contributions are paid and the amount of net remuneration.
Loss of student status does not immediately mean the loss of the right to receive benefits funded by the National Health Fund.
According to the applicable regulations, the right to health care benefits after being removed from the student list remains in effect for another period of time. 4 months.
However, this period should not be equated with continued possession of the student status.
If you do not have another health insurance policy, it is worth taking care of your insurance situation in advance.
Yes, it can affect both of these rights.
After being effectively removed from the list, the student loses the right to receive benefits related to their current student status, such as the Rector’s Scholarship or the Social Scholarship.
The institution may also require the reimbursement of the services received if an overpayment has occurred.
In the case of an academic, the rules of accommodation and the regulations of the student house are important.
Loss of student status may be the basis for ending the accommodation, but the specific date of departure must be agreed upon with the administration.
If you receive a decision to be removed from the list, it is worth contacting the scholarship department and the academic administration as soon as possible.
Failure to pass an exam does not automatically result in expulsion. If it leads to the failure of a semester or year, the university may make such a decision, but there is often the possibility of obtaining conditional admission or repeating the subject.
As a rule, 14 days from the date of delivery of the administrative decision. It is necessary to check the instructions in the decision, as the method of appealing depends on the university and the authority that issued the decision.
A timely appeal essentially suspends the enforcement of the decision. However, there are statutory exceptions. It is worth confirming the current status and the possibility of participating in classes at the university.
The cancellation must be carried out in the appropriate administrative procedure. As a rule, the student has the right to information about the proceedings and to be given explanations. The detailed procedural obligations depend on the circumstances and the grounds for the cancellation.
Yes, many universities provide the possibility of resuming studies. The conditions depend on the regulations, the stage of previously completed education, and the time that has passed since the cancellation.
Not always. During the renewal, the university may take into account previously completed courses and ECTS points earned. However, it may impose the obligation to complete the program differences.
No. Cancellation does not automatically cancel previous arrears. The scope of the debt and any settlement agreements depend on the regulations, contract, and policies applicable at the university.
After successful cancellation, the ID loses its validity as a document confirming the student status. This applies to both ELS and mLegitimation. The date on the hologram does not extend the validity after losing the status.
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The Hologramykolekcjonerskie24.com editorial team has been specializing in the topic for over 10 years. collectible holograms and patterns related to educational documents. We are preparing practical guides on ELS student holograms, doctoral ELDs and school-based ones, and their dates, variants, safeguards, and histories.
The published content is based on reliable sources regarding the Polish education system, applicable legal regulations, regulations of the relevant ministries, and official information provided by universities, schools, and public institutions. We regularly update the materials to reflect changes in regulations, document templates, and policies applicable in Polish education.
The website is informational and collector-oriented and is not affiliated with any university, school, ministry, or other public institution.
