Poland

Polish universities offer non-repayable financial support – but not all of it is open to every international student:

• rector's scholarship – for outstanding academic results or scientific, artistic or sporting achievements (at least at national level); it is open to students of any nationality. Winners of international olympiads receive it in their first year if they start university in the year they finish school,
• social scholarship – if the monthly income per person in your family does not exceed PLN 2,099.70 net (2026/27); among foreigners, only certain groups qualify, e.g. citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland, permanent residents, holders of the Pole's Card and holders of a C1 certificate in Polish,
• scholarship for students with disabilities,
• hardship grant – if you find yourself in a difficult situation for a while.

The social scholarship and the rector's scholarship together cannot exceed PLN 3,667 a month. You can receive support for a total of 12 semesters across first-cycle, second-cycle and long-cycle programmes. Doctoral candidates in doctoral schools receive a doctoral scholarship.

NAWA also runs scholarship programmes for international students, e.g. Banach scholarships for students from selected developing countries and the General Anders Programme for people of Polish origin – details on nawa.gov.pl. You can also spend a semester or year in Poland through Erasmus+ with your home university.