The aim of the article is to describe patterns and mechanisms of entering the Polish labour market by a specific group of Ukrainian migrants — graduates of Polish universities who become self-employed. Ukrainians constitute the biggest groups of foreign students at Polish universities, however, the share of Ukrainian students with Polish origins decreases. It may indicate that educational migrations from Ukrainę to Poland are professionalising, they are becoming morę separated from the ethnic context. The article is based on the results of qualitative research (in-depth interviews). Ukrainian migrants constitute an increasingly numerous group at Polish universities. In their economic activities they may experience problems connected with the student status (unavailability of highly ąualified jobs, limited chances of professional advancement, limited opportunities of full-time employment) and problems associated with the status of foreigners (discriminatory practices, weak knowledge of the language, limited participation in the networks of the host society). Student jobs may be an opportunity to overcome such adaptation problems and deepen the social, cultural and economic integration. The most freąuent strategy of students is combining work and studies. However, in some cases one can also observe a ‘jump’ to the labour market after graduation.