Missed document could cost students their September pay

6 September 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

ZUS warns graduates they may lose their September pension without one document. Read how to avoid losing payments and insurance benefits.

The Social Insurance Institution has issued a warning that some recent high-school graduates may lose their September pension. Consequently, recipients who plan to start university must act fast and submit a single document to ZUS.

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How to secure your September pension

Polish law allows family pensions (renta rodzinna) to continue for pupils until August 31. However, graduates who will study must prove continued education. Therefore, ZUS asks that accepted students file an application for continued pension payments. In addition, applicants must provide a certificate from their university confirming admission. If the university cannot issue that certificate early, ZUS accepts a written statement of intent. Moreover, the student must then deliver the official confirmation in the month the studies start. If you file only in October, you forfeit the payment for September. Consequently, ZUS only pays the benefit from the month when the complete application arrives.

Contract work and insurance contributions

There is a separate issue for graduates working on a civil-law contract called umowa zlecenia. Until August 31 they counted as pupils. Therefore, employers generally did not charge social or health contributions for workers under 26. However, from September 1 a graduate no longer has pupil status. As a result, an employer may need to calculate contributions on September wages. There is a way to keep the favourable treatment. If a new student gives their employer a university admission certificate for a course starting in October, the employer may treat them as a pupil until September 30 for insurance. Consequently, the employer will not deduct social and health contributions on September pay. If the employee fails to provide the certificate, their net pay could fall. In addition, they might face retroactive deductions.

Practical steps and traps to avoid

First, submit the ZUS application and either the university certificate or the intent statement as soon as possible. Second, follow up by handing the final admission certificate to ZUS in the month you begin studies. Third, give a copy of the admission certificate to your employer to keep favourable insurance treatment for September. Moreover, keep receipts and written confirmations for all submissions. If ZUS later finds missing documents, it may require you to return payments already received. Therefore, do not delay these simple actions.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you are an expat or a foreigner with a Polish link, ZUS means the Social Insurance Institution. NFZ means the National Health Fund. PESEL is the national ID number used in many state procedures. For rent-related benefits, submit your application at a local ZUS office or via PUE ZUS (the institution’s online portal). If your documents come late, ZUS pays only from the month it receives a full file. For umowa zlecenia workers, show your employer the admission certificate to avoid social and health contributions for September. Finally, keep copies and ask for written confirmation when you hand in any documents.

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