When you move to another country to study, the problems do not start with the exams. The legalisation process, finding housing, integrating into the foreign academic system and local student community, your first attempts at making money, and the endless struggle with bureaucracy, combined with the stress of relocation, all look more like a direct path to a therapist’s couch rather than to your desired alma mater.

This is why the Belarusian Students’ Association (BSA) launched the project called “Together we adapt”. Running from 15 August 2024 to 15 July 2025, the project covered five cities in Poland: Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, Lublin, and Poznań. It was supported by the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe (EYF). The project's primary goal was to assist the recently arrived Belarusian students in adapting to their new lives in Poland by providing them with what they often lack initially, such as clear information, practical skills, and a safe community where it is not embarrassing to ask a “stupid question” or admit that things are difficult.

The project was intended not only for activists but for all young Belarusians who were facing the challenge of studying in another country. To better understand their needs, we conducted a supporting study in which students described the problems they were dealing with, such as legalisation and paperwork (e.g., residence permits, diploma recognition, various authorisations), financial difficulties, weak institutional support, social isolation, and constant stress.

As part of the initiative, the BSA team deliberately focused on simple, accessible formats that would feel safe to attend for the first time, where participants could immediately gain something useful. Rather than organising one large, all-encompassing event, we held a series of meetings in each of the five cities so that students would not have to travel to the capital. Initially, 35 events were planned, but ultimately, 40 were held.

The first integration meetings took place in autumn 2024. Designed as a soft start for newcomers, they offered an opportunity to meet new people, learn about the local community, ask questions, and simply feel that they were not alone at their new place. For many, this turned out to be more important than it might seem because, in the first months after relocation, human contact and a sense of support are precisely what most are lacking.

Next came meetings and lectures focused on issues that cause the most concern in everyday practice. Particular attention was given to topics that directly affect safety and finances, such as labour law and online security. These sessions often naturally turned into long Q&A discussions. When people are unsure about how to work legally, which documents to sign, how to avoid fraud, or how to protect personal data, a conversation with an expert can save them a great deal of stress.

There were also broader topics that were no less important: human rights, the European Union, and educational opportunities at Polish universities. At the same time, the project was not limited to lectures alone. We deliberately included accessible, low-threshold events that did not require attendees to be highly outgoing, such as board game evenings, film screenings, discussions about migration and rights, and workshops on traditional embroidery. These meetings gave people the opportunity to socialise, feel less like outsiders, and engage more quickly with daily life in their new surroundings.

Another important outcome of the project was the publication of a practical guide for people who want to study at a Polish university. The guide contains useful information to help readers navigate bureaucratic procedures and everyday questions, such as where to go, what to look for, and what to pay attention to. It also provides information on where students might find opportunities for personal development. Participants repeatedly noted that such materials and practical lectures helped them to feel more confident in their situation and to deal with bureaucracy and scholarship programmes.

A total of 261 people took part in the project. Six people expressed a desire to join ZBS after participating, five of whom remained as new members or volunteers. While numbers are important in this project, they need to be considered in context. Our organisation has been labelled as “extremist” by the Belarusian authorities, which makes it much more difficult for us to communicate with people and significantly complicates public communication.

“Together we adapt” is about making the life of a migrant student more comfortable by providing clear information, helping them not to be left alone with the stress, and creating simple, safe opportunities to be together. Sometimes, this can be enough to make a foreign country gradually begin to feel like home.