We are opening the call for applications for the Banach NAWA scholarship program for foreign students. This year, we have introduced significant changes into the application process and awarding scholarships – we encourage you to read the entire article.
The Banach NAWA program is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange implemented as part of the Polish development cooperation program, supporting the socio-economic development of developing countries through raising the level of knowledge and education of their citizens. It is one of the Agency's flagship programs, and this year's edition is different from previous ones.
Banach NAWA offers students from a selected list of countries a scholarship for second-cycle studies in Polish or English at Polish universities supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. In public universities, the Program allows to study for free. Studies in Polish may be preceded by a one-year NAWA preparatory course implemented on scholarship terms.
The scholarship amounts to PLN 1,800 per month and is paid for the maximum of 12 months in the academic year, starting from the first month of classes at the studies and at the NAWA preparatory course.
The NAWA preparatory course preceding studies in Poland lasts one year, and its aim is to deepen knowledge of Polish and knowledge of subjects related to the planned field of study. Applicants qualified to participate in the program complete courses at a specific preparatory centre picked by NAWA. Assignments to such centres are determined by the field of planned studies and the availability of places.
The Banach NAWA program is addressed to citizens of the following countries: Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Montenegro, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Colombia, Kosovo, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zambia.
A candidate who meets all the following conditions may apply for participation in the Program:
- being a citizen of one of the countries listed above,
- not having Polish citizenship and not having submitted an application for Polish citizenship,
- planning to start second-cycle studies or a preparatory course in the winter semester of the academic year 2024/25 (since October 2024),
- at the time of submitting the application to the Program, being a student of the last semester of first-cycle studies in one of the countries listed above or having obtained a first-cycle diploma in one of the countries no earlier than in 2022,
- not having previously obtained a diploma of completion of second-cycle studies or uniform master's studies
- not having previously received a scholarship from the NAWA Director (NAWA scholarship) under the Program,
- having documented knowledge of:
- Polish at the level of:
- A2 the minimum if planning to take a one-year preparatory course preceding second-cycle studies in Polish;
- B2 minimum if planning to start second-cycle studies in Polish;
or - English at the level of B2 the minimum if planning to start second-cycle studies in English.
- Polish at the level of:
What's new in this year's requirements?
- In 2024, we are introducing two separate application deadlines, depending on when you start your studies in the 2024/2025 academic year.
If you start your studies in the winter semester of the 2024/25 academic year - take part in the current recruitment
The recruitment of applications will be conducted until June 27, 2024, 3:00:00 p.m. local time (Warsaw) or until 400 applications have been submitted in a given group of countries (the recruitment will be closed after the above deadline or earlier for a given group of countries if 400 applications have been submitted). The division of countries into groups is shown in the table below.If you want to start your studies in the summer semester of the academic year 2024/25 – take part in the next call for applications, which will start in autumn 2024 (follow our website and social media: Facebook or Instagram ) This year, applications are divided into 4 groups of countries:
Group 1: Albania, Argentina, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Montenegro, Ecuador, Colombia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Peru, Serbia, Ukraine, and Venezuela
Group 2: Armenia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam
Group 3: Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Palestine, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zambia
Group 4: Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, NigeriaCandidates may use a lump sum for the cost of international travel related to coming to Poland to study at university (track “second-cycle studies”) or a NAWA preparatory course preceding their studies (track “preparatory course and second-cycle studies”). The rates vary depending on the country of citizenship of the scholarship holders.
The application for participation in the Programme must be developed in Polish or English and submitted electronically.
NOTE: As every year, candidates must take part in the recruitment process for studies at the university of their choice, regardless of the scholarship application they submit.
Very important: at the time of submitting the application, the candidate must already be in the recruitment process or have contacted the selected university.
Formal requirements and all details regarding this year's recruitment can be found in the Announcement of the call for applications.
Information about studies in Poland and fields of study (offers of Polish universities) are available on the Studyfinder website.
Project co-financed within the framework of the Polish development cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.