You have specific rights regarding maternity/paternity/parental leave interruptions of your PhD studies. During the suspension of doctoral studies on grounds of maternity leave, leave on maternity leave conditions, paternity leave and parental leave (cf. Act of 26 June 1974 – Labour Code, Journal of Laws 2018, item 917, as amended), the doctoral student retains the entitlement to a doctoral scholarship. During the period of suspension of education, the provisions for establishing maternity allowance are taken into consideration while determining the amount of a doctoral scholarship, however, the basis for this calculation shall be understood to be the amount of the monthly doctoral scholarship due on the date on which the request for suspension is submitted to the director of GSSR (cf. art. 209.6 of the Law).

Poland’s National Representation of Doctoral Students (in Polish, Krajowa Reprezentację Doktorantów), through the project “Doctoral Students Rights Ambassadors” (Lokalni Ambasadorzy Praw Doktoranta, https://prawadoktoranta.pl/o-projekcie/) provides detailed information on this matter.  The original document (in Polish) discussing applicable laws and their interpretation for students of doctoral schools in Poland, called “Kompendium Doktorat i rodzicielstwo” is available here. You can also find an AI-informed translation to English here.

For any questions regarding interruptions of your doctoral studies, including for reasons related to parenthood, please contact GSSR administration.