According to the survey results, the costs incurred by parents at the beginning of the school year vary significantly. Only 2 percent respondents spent up to PLN 300, 10 percent was in the range of PLN 301-500, and 12 percent allocated from PLN 501 to PLN 800 for this purpose. The most, 28 percent. parents, declared expenses exceeding PLN 1,500.
CBOS draws attention to an increase in the number of families who spent from PLN 301 to PLN 1,000, which was 43%, i.e. 7 percentage points more than last year. At the same time, there was a decline in the share of parents spending over PLN 1,500 – from 33%. in 2024 to 28 percent this year.
Analyzing expenses depending on the number of children in the family, CBOS reports that the average amount for a layette for one child was PLN 1,693. In the case of two students, parents spent an average of PLN 3,314, while in families with three or more children, the average expenses amounted to PLN 1,825. The costs per child increased by PLN 536 compared to the previous year, reaching an average of PLN 1,588.
A record percentage of parents, as many as 80 percent, declared that their children participate or will participate in additional paid educational and general development activities. CBOS emphasizes that this is the highest result since the beginning of the research in the 1998/1999 school year.
According to the report, parents' education has a significant impact on the decision to send children to extra-curricular activities – the higher the level of education, the greater the likelihood of financing such activities. It is worth noting, however, that most parents with vocational education or less also decide to provide such support for their children.
The most popular forms of additional activities in the current school year are sports activities, which are paid for by 57%. parents. This is 7 percentage points more than last year. Language classes, although still popular, have seen a decline in interest – 48% take advantage of them. children (2 percentage points less than in 2024). In turn, tutoring and preparatory courses as well as artistic classes gained in popularity, reaching 34% respectively. (increase by 5 percentage points) and 30 percent (increase by 6 percentage points).
Average expenses per child – almost a thousand zlotys
Average monthly expenses for additional classes for children are currently PLN 944, which means an increase of PLN 48 compared to last year. The most frequently declared amount is PLN 500 per month. On average, parents spend PLN 675 per month per child, which is PLN 72 more than in the previous school year.
The study was conducted on October 2-13, 2025 on a group of 901 adult Poles, of which 178 were parents of school-age children. Respondents could choose one of three research methods: direct interview with an interviewer, telephone conversation or completing the online survey on their own.
