The Banach NAWA Programme, run by Poland's National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of Poland's official development cooperation, funds full-time master's study in Poland for citizens of 36 partner countries: Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Montenegro, the Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Nigeria, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree obtained no earlier than 2024, or be in their final semester and due to graduate by 15 July of the application year, must not already hold a master's degree, and must not have previously held a NAWA second-cycle scholarship. Two study paths exist: a Polish-language path, which can include a NAWA-funded one-year preparatory course for applicants who hold Polish at B1 level and leads to study in Polish at B2, and an English-language path for applicants who already hold English at B2, paired with a short Polish language and culture course. Applicants choose their own university and field from among institutions supervised by Poland's Ministry of Science and Higher Education that have a framework agreement with NAWA; NAWA does not place students itself, so admission to the chosen university must still be arranged separately. The scholarship pays PLN 2,500 a month, for up to 12 months in each academic year, plus a one-time PLN 2,500 lump sum toward international travel to Poland, paid together with the first month's stipend. Tuition is free at public universities that have signed the NAWA agreement; private universities set their own fee terms. The call for study or a preparatory course starting in the 2026/27 winter semester closed 8 May 2026 at 3:00pm Warsaw time, or earlier for any of four country groups once that group's application quota was reached.
Eligible nationalities
Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam