Poland offers scholarships to students through the government, various foundations and the universities themselves. They are available to students of Polish origin including disabled applicants as well as to international students both from within the EU itself and from countries outside the EU. The high number of institutions that offer scholarships and their fluid availability makes the situation in the country unique.
Scholarships within bilateral agreements
Financed by the Polish government or its foreign partner. The amount of scholarship is depandant on the type of study. It is also advisable to check with local authorities if they have a scholarship programme that includes studies in Poland. It’s worth to check with local authorities if they have a scholarship. More information ypu can receive from Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange (BUWiWM) www.buwiwm.edu.pl.
CEEPUS exchange programme – The programme involves 16 Central and Eastern European countries whose exchanged students are exempt from paying tuition fees plus grants funded by the hosting country.
Eastern Partnership and Post-Soviet countries scholarships – these scholarships are offered especially to Belarusian students for BA, MA and PhD studies and funded by the Konstanty Kalinowski Foundation.
Scholarships for citizens from developing countries – These scholarships assist students at PhD level of studies in technical fields in Poland. They are funded by the Polish government.
Fulbright Programme – These are essentially grants for funding an exchange program between the United and Poland to enable students, trainees, scholars, teachers, instructors and professors for training in both countries. Funding is administered by the Polish-US Fulbright Commission
Visegrad Scholarship Programme – These are 1-4 semester scholarships for Master and Post-Master degrees. The programme is administered by the heads of the international Visegrad fund.
How to get a scholarship
Foreign students who holds a Card of a Pole will qualify for some scholarships. Other foreign students living in Poland on a temporary residence permit or a visa are not eligible unless they or their family members fulfil the required provisions of Polish law. Students has to pursue study at an academic level in Poland. But first of all student must complete a second level education and have a leaving certificate for entrance into a university institution. Equivalent leaving certificate or diploma does not automatically qualify students to apply for a scholarship. Nostrification must be followed to establish authenticity of certificates or diplomas by issuing countries and compliance with Polish law. Students must have a valid visa and a medical check-up before entering Poland.