Key Takeaways: Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27

• 4 programmes, 1 agency: Banach, General Anders, My First Choice, and Zawacka all run through NAWA.
• Top payout: Banach NAWA Scholarship pays PLN 2,500/month plus tuition exemption and a PLN 2,500 travel allowance.
• Heritage track: General Anders is reserved for applicants of documented Polish origin or Pole's Card holders.
• Deadlines shift yearly: the 2026/27 Banach call closed 8 May 2026, and General Anders closed 9 July 2026 — always confirm the next call on NAWA's site.
• Apply only through NAWA: all applications go through the official NAWA ICT system, never through paid agents.

If you're searching for a fully funded route into a European university, the Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27 is one of the most realistic options available right now. It isn't a single award — it's an umbrella term for four distinct programmes run by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), each with its own funding level, eligible nationalities, and study level. Depending on which one you match, you could receive a monthly stipend of PLN 2,000–2,500, a full tuition waiver at a public Polish university, and a one-time travel allowance to get you there.

The catch: most applicants pick the wrong programme, or miss a nationality rule buried inside the official call. This guide breaks down all four tracks side by side, tells you exactly who qualifies, and links you straight to the official application portal so you don't waste time on outdated information.

What Is the Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27, Exactly?

The Poland Government Scholarship is the collective name for NAWA-administered funding aimed at international students, doctoral candidates, and researchers who want to study in Poland. It is a government-to-student initiative rather than a private or university-specific award, which is why eligibility depends heavily on your nationality and, for one track, your Polish ancestry.

Why Study in Poland in 2026?

• Internationally recognised universities with strong engineering, science, and research output.
• Living and tuition costs that undercut Western Europe by a wide margin.
• A fast-growing catalogue of English-taught degree programmes.
• Central location with easy, affordable access to the rest of the EU.
• A Polish degree functions as a credential recognised across the European Union job market.

The 4 NAWA Scholarship Programmes, Compared

Each track exists for a different applicant profile. Match yourself to one before you start the paperwork.

1. Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme

Best for: students from developing countries pursuing a full-time Master's degree.

Banach targets citizens of developing economies and funds full-time, second-cycle (Master's) studies in engineering, agricultural sciences, exact sciences, and life sciences — with selected humanities and social science options for applicants from certain Eastern European and Central Asian countries.

• Monthly stipend: PLN 2,500
• Tuition: Fully exempted at public universities
• Travel allowance: PLN 2,500
• Extras: NAWA-funded preparatory course (Polish-track students) or a Polish language and culture course (English-track students)

Eligible nationalities span a long list including Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan-adjacent Central Asian states, the Philippines, Ukraine, and Vietnam, among many others — always confirm your specific country against the current official call before applying.

2. General Anders Scholarship Programme

Best for: applicants of documented Polish origin, including Pole's Card (Karta Polaka) holders.

This track funds full-time Bachelor's, Master's, and long-cycle Master's studies conducted in Polish, and includes an optional one-year preparatory course for applicants who need it.

• Tuition: Fully exempted at eligible public universities
• Stipend: Monthly payment for the statutory duration of the programme
• Timing rule: Bachelor's applicants must apply within two years of finishing secondary school; Master's applicants within two years of finishing their Bachelor's

Note: double degree programmes, applied linguistics, and most foreign-language degrees (aside from Polish philology) are excluded from this track.

3. Poland My First Choice Programme

Best for: high-achieving students who already know which Polish university and Master's programme they want.

Unlike the other tracks, NAWA does not manage admissions here — you apply directly to your chosen university first, then submit a separate scholarship application.

• Monthly stipend: PLN 2,000
• Tuition: Exempted at public universities
• Extra: One-off travel allowance for arrival in Poland

4. Zawacka NAWA Programme

Best for: students, doctoral candidates, academic teachers, and scientists moving under an existing bilateral agreement.

Zawacka supports full or partial study, doctoral-school enrolment, and research stays (internships, teaching, study visits) at Polish institutions, under the terms of the specific international agreement between Poland and the partner country or institution.

General Eligibility Criteria for Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27

Across all four tracks, NAWA generally expects applicants to:

• Hold citizenship of a country (or Polish-origin status) named in the current official call.
• Apply for a study level and field explicitly covered by that call.
• Meet the academic prerequisites of their chosen degree level.
• Submit through the correct channel — the NAWA ICT system for Banach, Anders, and Zawacka, or direct university admission first for My First Choice.

Application Process and Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27 Deadlines

Deadlines are programme-specific and change with every annual call, so treat any date you read online — including this one — as a starting reference point, not a final answer.

• Banach NAWA Scholarship: 2026/27 cycle deadline was 8 May 2026.
• General Anders Scholarship: 2026/27 cycle deadline was 9 July 2026.
• My First Choice & Zawacka: published with each new call — check NAWA directly.

Application steps in brief:

• Read the current official call for your target programme in full.
• Confirm your country, field of study, and degree level are listed as eligible.
• For My First Choice, secure university admission first, then file the scholarship application separately.
• Submit electronically through the NAWA ICT system before the stated deadline.
• Keep copies of every document you submit, and monitor your email for follow-up requests.

Why Trust This Guide

This guide was compiled and fact-checked against the official NAWA programme descriptions and the eligibility, funding, and deadline data published for the 2026/27 application cycle. Where a detail can change year to year — deadlines, eligible countries, funding amounts — we've flagged it explicitly and pointed you to NAWA's own portal rather than guessing. We do not act as a paid agent for any scholarship programme; our role is to organise public information into a format you can act on in minutes rather than hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NAWA?

NAWA (the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange) is the government agency that designs and administers Poland's international scholarship programmes.

Who can apply for the Poland Government Scholarship 2026-27?

Eligibility depends on the track: Banach targets developing-country citizens, General Anders targets people of Polish origin, and My First Choice targets students from a shorter list of partner countries.

Are the Poland NAWA scholarships fully funded?

Most cover tuition plus a monthly stipend, though the amount varies: PLN 2,500/month for Banach versus PLN 2,000/month for My First Choice.

Do I need to speak Polish to apply?

Some tracks, like General Anders, require study in Polish and include a preparatory course; others accommodate English-track students with a supplementary language course instead.

Can I apply to more than one NAWA programme at once?

Yes, but check every eligibility clause carefully for each programme — overlapping applications don't guarantee overlapping eligibility.

Where do I find the official, current deadline?

Always confirm on NAWA's own foreign-students page: nawa.gov.pl/en/students/foreign-students

Apply Now

Once you've matched yourself to the right track, don't wait on the deadline — NAWA calls close on the date stated and are rarely extended.

Direct application link: Apply via the official NAWA portal

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