Accommodations for the Polish 8th-grade exam (<span lang="pl">egzamin ósmoklasisty</span>) 2027 – ADHD, autism spectrum, dyscalculia. What does a parent need to do?
Exam accommodations for the Polish 8th-grade exam involve changing how the exam is conducted for a pupil who has a basis for it in their documents, e.g. extra time, a separate room, or a different exam paper (arkusz). For the mathematics exam, the standard time is 125 minutes, and a pupil with an opinion on dyscalculia can get up to 40 minutes more (165 minutes in total).
Accommodations are decided by the school's teachers' council based on the document that the parent submitted to the headteacher. In the 2026/2027 school year, the opinion of the psychological and educational counselling centre (poradnia psychologiczno-pedagogiczna) had to be submitted by 15 October 2026. If the application was not submitted on time, talk to the school headteacher this week – some situations can still be sorted out later.
In short
- The document is the basis – a certificate of the need for special education, a counselling centre's opinion, a doctor's certificate, or the teachers' council's opinion.
- Autism spectrum – a certificate of the need for special education, an adapted exam paper (arkusz), 165 minutes for mathematics.
- Dyscalculia – a counselling centre's opinion, up to 40 minutes more, sometimes a simple calculator.
- ADHD – exam accommodations (e.g., a separate room), usually without extra time; decided by the teachers' council.
- Deadlines – 15 October (documents), 20 November (information from the school), 25 November (parent's declaration).
- Year 7 – this is the best time to start the diagnosis for the exam in 2028.
Who is eligible for exam accommodations?
A pupil is eligible for exam accommodations (dostosowania egzaminu) if they hold one of four types of documents. Each document opens up a different scope of changes – so first check which one applies to your child.
| Document | Issued by | Examples of situations |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of the need for special education (orzeczenie o potrzebie kształcenia specjalnego) | assessment team (zespół orzekający) at a public psychological and educational counselling centre (poradnia psychologiczno-pedagogiczna) | autism (including Asperger's syndrome), motor disability, low vision, aphasia |
| Counselling centre opinion on specific learning difficulties (opinia poradni o specyficznych trudnościach w uczeniu się) | psychological and educational counselling centre (poradnia psychologiczno-pedagogiczna) | dyscalculia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysortographia |
| Medical certificate (or other documentation – decided by the teachers' council (rada pedagogiczna)) | doctor; the teachers' council decides on accommodations | illness, temporary disability, as well as neurodevelopmental difficulties, e.g. attention and concentration disorders |
| Opinion of the teachers' council (opinia rady pedagogicznej) | school teachers' council | crisis or traumatic situation, return from schooling abroad, language communication disorders (here, a counselling centre opinion or medical certificate can also be the basis) |
In practice, this means: a diagnosis alone (e.g. “ADHD” in medical documents kept at home) is not enough. The document must be submitted to the headteacher by the deadline, and the method of accommodation is indicated by the teachers' council.
Autism spectrum: what does the certificate change?
A pupil on the autism spectrum (including with Asperger's syndrome) takes the exam on the basis of a certificate of the need for special education (orzeczenie o potrzebie kształcenia specjalnego). They receive an adapted exam paper (arkusz egzaminacyjny) (marked O*-200), and the time is already extended: mathematics lasts 165 minutes.
What other accommodations are possible?
- Marking answers directly on the exam paper (arkusz) without transferring them to the answer sheet.
- A workspace adapted to the pupil's difficulties.
- The presence of a person who helps with communication or handling equipment.
- A supporting teacher for reading or writing – if the pupil was used to this at school.
- A computer with a word processor when handwriting prevents assessment – also only if the pupil worked this way at school.
Dyscalculia: more time and a calculator?
A pupil with a counselling centre opinion on dyscalculia takes the same exam paper (arkusz) as others, but may have their time extended by a maximum of 40 minutes – for mathematics, a total of 165 minutes instead of 125. A simple calculator is allowed only if the opinion explicitly indicates this and the pupil was trained to use it at school.
Open-ended tasks of a pupil with dyscalculia are checked according to detailed assessment criteria described in the CKE announcement (komunikat CKE).
In practice, this means: exam accommodations should resemble what the child uses at school on a daily basis. If there is no extra time during tests, ask your form tutor (wychowawca) why – this is also important for the exam.
ADHD: what does the CKE announcement say?
The CKE announcement (komunikat CKE) does not use the term "ADHD". However, it includes pupils with psychological, emotional, behavioural or neurodevelopmental difficulties, including attention and concentration disorders, in the group of "ill or temporarily disabled" pupils.
Accommodations are decided by the teachers' council – when it considers that the difficulties affect the pupil's work during the exam. A medical certificate helps, but does not oblige the council to grant all the changes proposed in it.
For this group, conditions are adapted: workspace, a separate room or the possibility of using medicines and medical equipment. There is no extra time in this group – the exception is pupils with a certificate of the need for individual teaching. If the child also has an opinion on dyslexia or dyscalculia or a certificate of the need for special education, the accommodations from that document apply.
Who diagnoses ADHD and where to look for help?
ADHD is diagnosed by a doctor, most often a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The psychological and educational counselling centre (poradnia psychologiczno-pedagogiczna) helps at school: it issues opinions and certificates and advises teachers on how to work with the pupil. Start by talking to your form tutor (wychowawca) and the school counsellor (pedagog szkolny) – they know local counselling centres and waiting lists.
What are the deadlines in the 2026/2027 school year?
| By when | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2026 | parent | submits the counselling centre opinion or medical certificate to the headteacher |
| 20 November 2026 | school | informs the parent in writing about the accommodations indicated by the teachers' council |
| 25 November 2026 | parent | submits a declaration on whether the child will use the accommodations |
| 10–12 May 2027 | pupil | exam (mathematics: 11 May) |
In practice, this means: if your child is now in Year 8 and has documents, check by 20 November whether the school has provided written information on accommodations. If they are in Year 7 – now is a good time to visit a counselling centre.
What can you do right now?
- Check what document the child has and whether it is at school.
- Ask your form tutor (wychowawca) what accommodations the child uses during tests.
- Wait for written information from the school (by 20 November) and read it with your child.
- Submit the declaration by 25 November.
- Practise under exam-like conditions – at the same time and with the same accommodations.
Parents’ questions
How much time does a pupil with dyscalculia have on the mathematics paper of the Polish 8th-grade exam?
Will a pupil with ADHD get extra time on the exam?
What should I do if I did not submit the opinion by 15 October?
Can you opt out of accommodations?
Where can I get a dyscalculia diagnosis and how much does it cost?
Read next
Sources
- Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji w sprawie szczegółowych zasad działania publicznych poradni psychologiczno-pedagogicznych – Dziennik Ustaw 2023 poz. 2499, 2023. Help from public counselling centres is voluntary and free of charge.
- Komunikat dyrektora CKE w sprawie szczegółowych sposobów dostosowania warunków i form przeprowadzania egzaminu ósmoklasisty w roku szkolnym 2026/2027 – Centralna Komisja Egzaminacyjna, 20 sierpnia 2026. Source document: pupil groups, documents, time, deadlines.
- Harmonogram, komunikaty i informacje – rok szkolny 2026/2027 – Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej CKE, 2026. All CKE communications for this year in one place.
- E8 2027 dostosowania – ważne terminy dla dyrektora szkoły – Portal Oświatowy, 25 sierpnia 2026. Deadline calendar from the school's perspective.
- Egzamin ósmoklasisty 2027 – harmonogram – Portal Oświatowy (komunikat dyrektora CKE z 20.08.2026), 24 sierpnia 2026. Exam dates in 2027.
This article explains exam regulations. It is not medical or legal advice. Discuss the diagnosis with a doctor or a counselling centre, and the exam with the school headteacher.
Found a mistake or outdated information? Write to: [email protected].