Polish Government Scholarships for International Students (Poland Scholarships)

The Polish Government Scholarships for International Students, administered by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), offer various opportunities for students to pursue education in Poland. These programs support Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctoral studies, research, and academic exchange. The main programs include the Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme, General Anders Scholarship Programme, Poland My First Choice Programme, and Zawacka NAWA Programme.

Benefits vary by program and application cycle. The Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme typically offers a monthly scholarship of PLN 2,500, tuition fee exemption at public universities, a travel allowance of PLN 2,500, and a NAWA-funded preparatory course for Polish-language tracks or a Polish language and culture course for English-language tracks. The General Anders Scholarship Programme covers full-time studies conducted in Polish and may include a one-year preparatory course. The Poland My First Choice Programme provides scholarship support during Master’s studies and tuition fee exemption at public universities, though the specific scholarship amount is not always stated. For the Zawacka NAWA Programme, the type of financial support and benefits depend on the specific international agreement and annual call.

Ethiopian citizens are explicitly eligible for the Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme for full-time Master’s (second-cycle) studies in engineering, technical, agricultural, exact, and life sciences. For other fields like humanities and social sciences, eligibility is restricted to a different set of countries. The General Anders Scholarship Programme is primarily for foreigners of documented Polish origin or holders of the Pole’s Card (Karta Polaka), including dual nationals who completed secondary education outside Poland. The Poland My First Choice Programme targets talented students from selected countries for Master’s studies. The Zawacka NAWA Programme is for students, doctoral students, academic teachers, and scientists under bilateral and international agreements between Poland and partner countries. All applicants must meet the specific conditions outlined in the latest official call for their chosen program.

Applicants are generally required to be citizens of eligible countries (where specified), apply for an eligible study level and field, and meet all specific eligibility requirements and conditions published by NAWA for the relevant application cycle. For the Poland My First Choice Programme, applicants must first secure admission directly to their chosen university. Specific document requirements are not clearly stated in this overview; applicants should refer to the official program calls.

Interested applicants should carefully review the latest official call for applications on the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) website. The application procedure and program requirements are published with each new call. For the Poland My First Choice Programme, applicants must apply directly to their chosen university for admission and then submit the scholarship application separately following NAWA's instructions.

Funding arrangements, scholarship benefits, eligibility criteria, participating countries, application procedures, and deadlines may change with each application cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to always verify the latest information by consulting the official program guidelines and call for applications on the NAWA website before applying.