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Prisoners earn degrees at the Catholic University of Lublin

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5 hours ago

June 27, 2026

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Prisoners earn degrees at the Catholic University of Lublin

At the prison in Lublin, Poland, inmates are offered the opportunity to pursue full-time university degrees in person from inside the prison as students of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin John Paul II.

By Monika Stojowska – Lublin

The inmates are grateful to the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) for the opportunity to study while serving their sentences. Each inmate has a different life story and a different sentence, but each achieved a very good diploma result.

On 24 June, seven more inmates completed this program inside the prison in Lublin.

The defense of the bachelor’s theses lasted nearly two hours. The questions were not easy. The exam stirred strong emotions.

“I feel proud. It was hugely stressful, but also a great joy. I am moved that I am doing something with my life. My sentence is such that I will still have time to complete a master’s degree while in custody,” said one inmate just after leaving the room.

Prisoners earn degrees at the Catholic University of Lublin

Each of them has a different life story and a different sentence, but each graduated with very good results and a high grade average in Family Studies.

“It is a tremendous joy to see the tangible results of our work. This is a summary not only of a full year of study but, in fact, of three years. We hope these gentlemen will begin second-cycle studies,” said Fr. Mirosław Kalinowski, the professor and priest who supervised the bachelor’s theses.

University sets academic requirements

As Fr. Kalinowski emphasized, the studies are both a reward and a sound method of re-education.

“We create the conditions for learning, involve university staff and other communities, and give these people a chance—but we also set requirements. We talk about them in the media. We know that 80 percent of them do not return to crime, but family and the environment to which an inmate returns after serving their sentence are also important in this process,” the KUL rector said.

Studies are both reward and sound method of re-education

KUL launched its higher education model for inmates in 2013. It currently offers bachelor’s programs and supplementary master’s programs.

So far, 63 people have completed this university program in prison. People from across Poland, including women, are taking part.

The program has attracted international interest, including from prison authorities in Rome, which are considering launching similar studies in cooperation with LUMSA University.