The President of the Polish competition authority has issued decisions regarding tuition fee increases during students' studies, which were prohibited until 2023. Both Uniwersytet SWPS in Warsaw and Politechnika Lubelska are required to refund students amounts exceeding the tuition fees established at the time of contract signing.

The total fines for the universities amount to nearly 3 million PLN. Prior to the amendment of higher education law, a regulation guaranteed students that established tuition fees would remain unchanged throughout their studies. This rule was in effect until September 2023, after which new regulations allow for annual tuition increases capped at the inflation rate.

The President determined that students at both universities faced tuition hikes during periods when the legal framework prohibited such actions. Some contracts with students remain valid, and the authority has mandated the cessation of practices violating collective consumer interests and the return of improperly collected fees.

Contracts with universities are established once, prior to the start of studies, and remain in effect until the completion of the educational cycle. The tuition amount should be set before recruitment begins, allowing candidates to understand the costs associated with their chosen programs. For students who began their studies in the 2023/2024 academic year, fees may change under the new regulations, but earlier students should not face increases.

However, some students at Politechnika Lubelska who started their studies in the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years were charged higher fees for subsequent semesters than those in effect at the time of their contract. The differences amounted to several hundred PLN per semester. Similarly, students at Uniwersytet SWPS faced unexpected rising costs during their studies.

The President of the competition authority emphasized the importance of price transparency in paid education, stating that students must be aware of the payment conditions to obtain their desired qualifications. Despite previous legal prohibitions on fee increases, tuition rose for thousands of students at both universities.

Fines imposed include 2,075,000 PLN for Uniwersytet SWPS and 921,000 PLN for Politechnika Lubelska. Both institutions are required to inform students about the refunds within three months of the decisions becoming final, detailing the refund amounts and payment timelines.

The decisions are not yet final and can be appealed in court.