10 Best Scholarships in Poland for International Students (with Real-Life Examples)

Are you interested in continuing your studies in Europe? Poland is a strong European study destination for international students. Many Polish universities offer programs in Polish and English, and some offer courses in other languages as well. You can choose from a wide range of programs across technical fields, medicine, economics, finance, social sciences, and more.

Another thing worth noting is that Poland’s cost of living can be relatively affordable compared with many other European Union countries, although costs vary by city. Tuition fees also vary by institution, program, and student status. Some students can study tuition-free on the same terms as Polish citizens, while other international students pay fees set by their university. To ease your financial burden further, Poland offers government, university, and external scholarship opportunities. In this article, we will look at top scholarships in Poland for international students. Where we have scholarship recipient stories, we include them as well.

Top Scholarships in Poland

1. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: Participation costs and a monthly scholarship of €1,400
• Eligible Degree/s: Master’s

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Program is a prestigious European Union initiative that allows international students to pursue integrated Master’s degrees offered by international university consortia. These programs usually last 12, 18, or 24 months and include study periods at more than one higher education institution. Polish institutions may also participate in Erasmus Mundus consortia, giving students the chance to include Poland as part of an international Master’s pathway.

For scholarship holders, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programs cannot charge tuition fees or other mandatory participation costs. The scholarship is calculated at €1,400 per month for the full duration of the program and is intended to contribute to travel, visa, installation, and living costs.

We have many stories of recipients who received Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarships. Check out stories of Rabiu Kabo Alhassan from Nigeria, who earned a double Master’s in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition across Poland at the University of Agriculture in Krakow and Turkey at Ondokuz Mayıs University; Nolitha Khungwayo from South Africa, who completed an Applied Ecohydrology Master’s with study including Poland; and Yogita from India, who pursued a Joint Master’s in Surface, Electro-, Radiation, and Photochemistry (SERP+) at institutions including Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland.

2. POLONISTA Scholarship and Fellowship Program

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: PLN 7,500 for each month of the stay, plus applicable lump-sum allowances
• Eligible Applicants: Researchers and academic teachers with at least a doctoral degree

Are you a researcher working on the Polish language, literature, culture, art, or history? The POLONISTA Scholarship and Fellowship Program supports academic mobility in these fields. The current call is designed for researchers and academic teachers, not regular degree-seeking students.

The incoming offer allows researchers from foreign academic and research centers to complete mobility periods lasting from 3 to 12 months at Polish universities and research institutions. During the stay, scholarship holders may carry out research or research-and-teaching projects, collect research materials, prepare publications, complete a postdoctoral internship, teach at the host center, or take intensive Polish language training.

The application is submitted through the NAWA ICT system. Applicants should review the current call documents carefully because the required documents include, among others, a doctoral diploma or confirmation of obtaining a doctoral degree, proof of employment, publications, and an invitation from the host institution.

3. Stefan Banach Scholarship Programme

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: PLN 2,500 per month, tuition-fee exemption at public universities, and travel allowance
• Eligible Degree/s: Master’s

The Stefan Banach Scholarship Programme is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) in the form of Polish development aid.

The main objective of this scholarship in Poland for international students is to support the socio-economic development of developing countries by improving the level of education and professional qualifications of their citizens. The program supports full-time second-cycle studies conducted in Polish or English at universities supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education.

The current program is open to citizens of 36 countries covered by Polish Aid from Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The full list of eligible countries is available in the official call announcement. Benefits include a monthly scholarship of PLN 2,500, exemption from tuition fees at public universities, a preparatory course funded by NAWA for Polish-track students, a PLN 2,500 travel allowance, and Polish language and culture courses for English-track students.

4. Ignacy Lukasiewicz Scholarship Programme

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: Closed program; check current NAWA calls for similar opportunities
• Eligible Degree/s: Master’s

Important update: the Ignacy Lukasiewicz Scholarship Programme is now listed by NAWA under closed programs. It previously supported tuition-free second-cycle studies in Poland for eligible candidates from selected developing countries, together with a preparatory course focused on the Polish language and Polish culture.

Students who are interested in similar Polish government scholarships should check current NAWA programs, especially the Stefan Banach Scholarship Programme and the Poland My First Choice NAWA Programme, depending on their citizenship, study level, and academic plans.

5. University of Warsaw Social Scholarship

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: PLN 864 to PLN 1,828, or PLN 1,404 to PLN 2,368 at the increased rate, for 2025/2026
• Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s

The University of Warsaw offers several scholarship options to students, including the social scholarship. International students of the University of Warsaw may apply for the social scholarship if they meet at least one of the eligible conditions, such as studying free of charge, holding a permanent residence permit, having refugee status, holding a Polish language certificate at C1 level or higher, having a Pole’s Card, benefiting from temporary protection in Poland, or meeting one of the other categories listed by the university.

The social scholarship is designed for students in a difficult financial situation. For the 2025/2026 academic year, the income threshold is PLN 1,908.90. Applications are submitted through USOSweb and must include the required income statement and supporting documents. Students should check the current University of Warsaw instructions before applying because application windows, income documents, and payment rules are updated by academic year.

6. Jagiellonian University Scholarships

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: Varies by scholarship program
• Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD

The Jagiellonian University lists several scholarship options for international students, including its scholarship fund, the university’s own scholarship funds, NAWA scholarships, and U.S. financial aid. Because these opportunities are administered under different rules, the value, eligibility, deadlines, and required documents vary by scholarship.

Students should check the linked scholarship pages and the NAWA guidelines that apply to their citizenship, study level, and program. The payment conditions, study duration, and basis for undertaking studies may depend on the specific scholarship decision or funding agreement.

7. Poland My First Choice Program

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: PLN 2,000 per month, tuition-fee exemption at public universities, and one-off travel allowance
• Eligible Degree/s: Master’s

The Poland My First Choice NAWA Programme encourages talented international candidates from countries and territories with a high level of socio-economic development to pursue full-time second-cycle studies at Polish academic institutions. Applicants choose the university and field of study independently, based on the offer of Polish academic institutions that have signed a framework agreement with NAWA.

The official list of eligible countries and territories includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay.

For the 2026/2027 call, the scholarship includes a monthly NAWA scholarship of PLN 2,000, tuition-fee exemption at public universities, and a one-off travel allowance for coming to Poland. NAWA does not participate in the university admission process, so applicants must apply separately to the chosen university and meet its admission requirements.

8. SWPS Scholarship for International Candidates

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: One of 10 scholarships covering the first-year tuition fee
• Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s

SWPS University offers scholarships for international candidates who plan to begin undergraduate or graduate studies. The scholarship competition offers 10 scholarships covering the first-year tuition fee.

Applicants should submit the required online application and supporting documents according to SWPS University’s current admissions and scholarship rules. The exact documents and evaluation criteria may vary by intake, so candidates should review the official scholarship page before applying.

The scholarship covers the first-year tuition fee. Visit the SWPS website’s scholarship section for the latest application timeline, competition rules, and renewal conditions.

9. Lazarski University Foundation Scholarship

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: 30% off the first year of education, according to the latest published call
• Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s

The current Lazarski University scholarship page describes the Lazarski Merit Scholarship rather than a foundation grant. This scholarship is designed for high-achieving non-Polish citizens who are new applicants for Bachelor’s or Master’s programs taught in Polish or English at Lazarski University.

According to the latest published call, the scholarship offered 20 awards for the 2025/2026 academic year and covered 30% of the first year of education. Applicants were expected to have strong academic performance, with a GPA of at least 80%, an IELTS certificate with a minimum score of 6.0, and a successful Zoom interview with the Lazarski University committee.

Applicants should complete the admission process and check the scholarship page for updated deadlines before applying, since the current page may be updated for future intakes. The university also states that scholarship applicants must pay the registration fee and at least one semester of tuition to be considered.

10. UMCS Tuition Waiver Scholarship

• Scholarship Page
• Scholarship Value: Full tuition waiver for selected English-taught programs
• Eligible Degree/s: Bachelor’s, Master’s

Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) offers the Best Applicant Contest, a full tuition-waiver scholarship opportunity for international applicants interested in studying selected English-taught Bachelor’s or Master’s programs at UMCS.

For the 2026 edition, the contest is open to international applicants at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Selected scholarship recipients receive a full tuition waiver for the entire duration of the selected degree program. Scholarship spots are available only for selected English-taught programs, including Bachelor’s programs such as Biology with a Medical Biology specialization, Business Analytics and Data Science, International Relations, and Tourism Management, as well as selected Master’s programs such as Biology with a Molecular Biology specialization, Chemistry with a Material Chemistry specialization, Business Analytics and Data Science, Business Management, International Relations, IT Cyber Security, and Tourism Management and Marketing.

To apply, candidates must first register in the UMCS Online Recruitment System, choose an eligible fee-paying program, pay the application fee, and then complete the Best Applicant Contest form using the IRK identifier issued in the recruitment system. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an online interview to discuss their extracurricular achievements and fit for the program.

In conclusion, there are many scholarships in Poland that can support international students and researchers. The level of support varies, but these opportunities can help students manage tuition fees and living costs while adapting to the Polish education system and study environment.

If you are on a budget or do not want to overspend on your studies abroad, explore the scholarships listed above and choose the opportunity that best fits your citizenship, degree level, academic background, and field of study. Always check the official scholarship page before applying because deadlines, eligibility rules, and scholarship values can change by academic year.

We hope this article on the best scholarships in Poland for international students was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Study in Poland and Available Programs in Europe for International Students pages for more informative articles.