According to the amended Article 93 of the Law on Higher Education and Science (Act of 20 July 2018, Journal of Laws 2021, item 478 as amended), student benefits are available for a total of 12 semesters, regardless of whether the student receives them.
Within this period:
First-cycle (Bachelor’s) benefits are available for no more than 9 semesters
Second-cycle (Master’s) benefits are available for no more than 7 semesters
These regulations apply to students whose disability existed from birth or occurred before they began their studies.
Extended support for students whose disability developed during or after studies:
If a disability developed during the course of study or after the student had already earned a professional degree, the student may receive disability benefits for an additional 12 semesters.
The revised legislation also clarifies that all started semesters count towards the benefit period, including those during official leaves of absence. However, semesters completed during additional first-cycle studies undertaken after earning a Bachelor's or equivalent degree are excluded. In the case of simultaneous study programmes, overlapping semesters count as one.