ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ZAWACKA NAWA PROGRAMME
No. 3 of 23 January 2024
I. SCOPE OF THE CALL
Pursuant to Article 19 section 1 of the Act on the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (hereinafter referred to as the “Agency”) of July 7, 2017, the Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange announces the call for applications for participation in the Zawacka Programme of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange - incoming offer for the academic year 2024/2025 (hereinafter referred to as the “Programme”). |
II. PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
2.1 Aim of the Programme
The aim of the Programme is to deepen international academic cooperation through the arrival of students, doctoral students, academic teachers and scientists to Polish higher education and science institutions, pursuant to international agreements concluded between Poland and the partner countries indicated in the announcement. The stays will also allow improving the competences of participating representatives of the academic community.The programme is implemented in cooperation with institutions from countries covered by the agreements, hereinafter referred to as partner institutions.The list of countries with which cooperation is carried out, along with a description of the available forms of stay in Poland, information about the country paying the scholarship and contact details of the partner institution is attached as Appendix 1 to the Announcement. |
The offer presented in Appendix 1 to the Announcement may change if subsequent international agreements and cooperation programmes enter into force, the Republic of Poland undertakes bilateral cooperation with other countries or the Agency receives a scholarship offer through diplomatic channels. Moreover, if the partner country withdraws from cooperation, the incoming offer may be withdrawn, also after assessment of applications is completed. The following may apply for participation in the Programme: a) secondary school graduates who, at the time of starting their education in Poland, have a school leaving certificate, giving them the right to undertake studies in the country of issue of the certificate in any field and type of university; b) students; c) university graduates applying for admission to the next level of education who obtained a diploma no earlier than 2022; d) people with the status of a doctoral student in accordance with the principles of the higher education and science system of their country; e) scientists and academic teachers conducting research or teaching in a country participating in the Programme, who are not employed in a Polish institution of the higher education and science system. |
2.3 Thematic scope of activities implemented under the Programme
Type of possible scholarship stays should be checked in the offer of a given country, as attached in the Appendix 1 to the Announcement. Visits are eligible under the Programme for the following purposes: a) completing full or part-time studies[1] at universities supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education; b) education at a doctoral school; c) scientific stay, e.g.: scientific internship, study visits, obtaining materials for scientific work, conducting teaching classes at the host center, other forms of scientific or academic activity related to the implementation of studies, doctoral thesis or scientific work. The programme is open to students, doctoral students and employees of universities and research institutes representing all fields of science, unless a given international agreement provides otherwise. In the application, the applicant presents one or more activities that they intend to implement in the Polish host center. They indicate their goals, importance for the undertaken studies or development of a scientific career, and justify the choice of the host center for the planned activities. The available forms of activities to be carried out during your stay in Poland are described in Appendix 1 to the Announcement. |
2.4 Deadlines and other conditions for submitting an application
1) People interested in participating in the Programme submit applications to partner institutions in their countries in accordance with their rules and deadlines.[2] The list of countries from which you can come under the Programme, along with a description of the available forms of stay in Poland, information about the country paying the scholarship and contact details of the partner institution is attached in the Appendix 1 to the Announcement. 2) Foreign partner institutions shall submit lists of recommended candidates to the Agency by June 30, 2024 (hereinafter referred to as “the applicant”). The list of applicants from a given country should contain the following data: a) name; b) surname; c) gender; d) date of birth; e) applicant's e-mail address; f) the hosting center in Poland where the applicant intends to stay;[3] g) form of residence for which the applicant is applying. 3) After receiving lists from foreign partner institutions, the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange will provide applicants with information on the method and date of registration (submitting an application) in the Agency's IT System.
Information on how to register for people interested in coming from Germany: People from Germany interested in coming to Poland should apply individually to the Agency, by e-mail, to the following address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by June 30, 2024. The Agency will verify the submitted applications[4] and will invite applicants to register in the Agency's IT System. 4) Recruitment of participants for selected forms of stay a) a full cycle of education at first and second-cycle studies; single Master studies and education at a doctoral school. Applicants applying for a scholarship for full first-cycle, second-cycle studies, single Master studies and doctoral school education take part in the recruitment process at the university of their choice. Universities in Poland have an electronic candidate registration system. Persons applying for studies under scholarship conditions should register in the universities' online systems within the deadlines required by them under the rules applicable to foreigners. The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange does not take part in recruiting the Applicants for university studies. The Applicants individually and independently participate in recruitment at a chosen university regardless of submitted application in the Programme. If studies are preceded by a one-year preparatory course, Applicants complete the course at a center indicated by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange. Assignment to centers offering a preparatory course depends in particular on the field of planned studies and the availability of places in the centers. Scholarship holders participate in recruitment for studies during the course, on the dates indicated by the selected university. b) research stays and part-time studies Applicants contact host centers themselves to confirm the possibility of implementing the selected form of stay. The final decision on accepting the applicant for a given form of stay is made by the hosting centers (does not apply to preparatory courses). | |
Application submission deadline | Applicants register (submit applications) in the Agency's IT System within the deadline specified in the message from the Agency sent electronically, but no later than September 30, 2024.[5] |
Form of submitting an application | Only in electronic form in the Agency's IT system, //COMPLETE THE APPLICATION// |
Language in which the application must be developed | The application must be completed in Polish or English. Appendices should be submitted in Polish or English. Other language versions must be translated into one of the above languages. It is allowed to submit a copy of a doctoral diploma in Latin. |
Maximum number of applications an applicant can submit | An applicant may submit only one application in a given call under the Programme. If more than one application are submitted, the application submitted last in the recruitment process will be assessed. |
2.5 Implementation time frame
Start date and project implementation period | The offer under the Programme applies to arrivals starting in the academic year 2024/2025. The permissible length of stay in Poland is specified in Appendix 1 to the Announcement. The stay should be continuous. By way of derogation from the above rule, after starting your stay in Poland, the permissible period of stay outside the host facility may be no longer than 1/5 of the entire stay.[6] |
2.6 Submitting the application
The application submitted in the Agency's IT system should be accompanied by: 1) applicants applying for admission to a full cycle of education at first-cycle, second-cycle studies or uniform master's studies in Poland (studies may be preceded by a one-year preparatory course): a) a secondary school leaving certificate, giving the right to undertake first-cycle studies in the country of its issue in any field and type of university. For people who, at the time of application, are students of the last year of secondary school - a list of grades for the last semester of study; b) a copy of the first-cycle studies diploma giving the right to undertake second-cycle studies. For people who, at the time of applying, are students of the last year of first-cycle studies - a transcript of grades from their previous studies. 2) applicants applying for admission to part-time studies: a) a copy of the diploma or a transcript of grades from the previous course of study; b) CV no longer than 2 pages (in the case of a longer CV, the first 2 pages will be taken into account); c) cover letter (justification for choosing the host center in Poland); d) a copy of confirmation of admission to part-time studies by the Polish host center (or invitation); e) a recommendation of an academic teacher from the home university; f) a confirmation of knowledge of Polish or a foreign language (at least B1 level), enabling communication with the host center in Poland. 3) applicants planning studies at a doctoral school or research stays: a) a research plan describing the activities planned to be carried out in the Polish host center, along with a justification for the selection made; b) a copy of the highest diploma obtained; c) CV of the applicant, including publications, ongoing research projects, foreign internships and special achievements of the applicant - max. 3 pages (in the case of a longer CV, the first 3 pages will be taken into account); d) a copy of a confirmation of admission to the type of stay for which the applicant is applying (or invitation) issued by the Polish host center (does not apply to applicants planning education at a doctoral school who start their stay by participating in preparatory courses in Polish); e) a recommendation of an independent researcher (does not apply to people with the degree of Ph.D. or the title of professor). f) a confirmation of knowledge of Polish or a foreign language (at least B1 level), enabling communication with the host center in Poland. |
2.7 Procedure for assessing and selecting applications for funding
General assumptions | Applications submitted in the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange IT System are subject to formal assessment. |
Formal assessment | Formal assessment criteria: 1. Application by a foreign partner institution from the applicant's country;[7] 2. Compatibility of the application and the offer for the applicant's country; 3. Registration - submitting an application[8] with all required attachments described in point 2.6. The purpose of the formal assessment is to verify applications in terms of meeting the formal criteria indicated in the Announcement. Applications are verified in terms of the limits of places, types and length of stays indicated in Appendix 1. |
The source of financing for the stay depends on the provisions of the agreement pursuant to which bilateral international cooperation takes place. If the agreement provides for the payment of funds by a foreign partner, the scholarship is paid by and on the terms of the sending party. In the current recruitment the Agency will pay scholarships to people coming from North Macedonia, Moldova and Serbia. If the agreement provides for the payment of funds by the Agency, the scholarship is paid monthly for the duration of the scholarship holder's stay in Poland. If the agreement provides for the payment of funds by the Agency (receiving party), the scholarship is paid through the university where the Scholarship Holder is studying/carrying out a research stay, in the amount indicated in the table below: SCHOLARSHIP RATES
For students, the scholarship of the Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange also includes exemption from fees for education at preparatory courses or at public universities supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. Full and part-time studies For people participating in a preparatory course for studies and in the case of students of: first-cycle, second-cycle and long-cycle master's studies, the scholarship is paid for a maximum of 10 months in an academic year, depending on the length of stay, starting from the first month of classes on the preparatory course or studies. If education begins in the summer semester or ends in the winter semester, the scholarship is paid accordingly for a maximum of 5 months in the academic year. The scholarship is paid during the statutory period of education in a given study program (full studies) or during the period of education in Poland for part-time studies. Costs of participation in preparatory courses in Polish and education are covered by the Polish party. Education at a doctoral school For doctoral students studying at a doctoral school, the scholarship is paid for a maximum of 12 months in an academic year. Research stays To receive the full monthly scholarship rate, a Scholarship Holder must stay at the host facility for at least 15 days within a period of 30 consecutive days[9]. If the stay lasts less than 15 days, then a Scholarship Holder is entitled to a payment amounting for a half of the scholarship rate. The program implementation cannot be combined with financing in the form of a scholarship from other sources, including a scholarship from the EU Erasmus+ program. |
2.9 Amount of funds available in the Call
The total allocation for the recruitment is PLN 3,375,000, and the Agency reserves the right to change the allocation of funds. |
2.10 Additional information
Scholarship agreement The scholarship agreement with the scholarship holder to whom the scholarship is paid by the Agency is concluded after a positive formal assessment of the application and the acceptance of the candidate by the Polish host center and after the final decision of the Agency Director to grant financial resources. The scholarship agreement is signed in the Agency's IT system. The scholarship holder has 30 days to sign it, from the date the agreement is made available in the Agency's IT system. If a scholarship holder is qualified to come to Poland from a country with which the agreement provides for the payment of the scholarship by the sending party, they may be obliged by the foreign partner institution to sign a scholarship agreement, the content of it is specified in the regulations of the sending country. Submitting reports and verifying them Within 30 days of the end of the stay, a scholarship holder receiving an Agency scholarship is obliged to post a report on the stay in the Agency's ICT System. Students of full first-cycle, second-cycle or long-cycle Master's studies who continue their studies in the next academic year are obliged to submit part-time (annual) reports by September 30 of each year. They take the form of a certificate from the host institution containing the average grade for the completed academic year and a confirmation of enrollment in the next year of studies. Failure to submit the report may constitute grounds for withholding the scholarship payment. Students are also required to submit a final report. Failure to submit the final report may constitute the basis for requesting the return of the funds received and preventing the scholarship holder from participating in the next recruitment process for the Programmes announced by the Agency. Rights and obligations of the programme Scholarship Holders Duties of the scholarship holders include the implementation, in accordance with the application, of the study programme, scientific, teaching or other activity indicated in the application, on a continuous basis during the stay. Duties of a scholarship holder who receives the Agency scholarship include: 1) timely submission of the final report, along with a certificate from the host facility confirming the completion of the stay. In the case of university education, also annual reports. 2) immediately informing the Agency about changes in the implementation of the project; 3) informing the Agency about their scientific and teaching successes - both during the project and at the reporting and evaluation stage - including publications, obtained grant applications/implementation projects, etc.; 4) including the full name of the Agency (Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange) in Polish or English on all publications resulting from the stay; 5) proper execution of the scholarship agreement. Duties of the scholarship holders who do not receive the Agency scholarship and whose education is financed by the Polish party include submitting a final report in the Agency's ICT system. |
2.11 Planned date of announcing results of the Recruitment
Recruitment results will be announced by December 31, 2024. |
2.12 Source of financing for the Program
State budget |
III. APPENDICES
- List of countries with which cooperation is carried out, along with a description of the available forms of stay under the Programme and contact details of partner institutions;
- REGULATIONS OF THE POLISH NATIONAL AGENCY FOR ACADEMIC EXCHANGE Programmes for natural persons undertaking education of February 15, 2023;
- REGULATIONS OF THE POLISH NATIONAL AGENCY FOR ACADEMIC EXCHANGE Programmes for natural persons of August 8, 2022.
IV. CONTACT THE AGENCY
Coordinator at the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange
Department of Programmes for Students
Bilateral Programmes Unit
For additional information, please contact (working days, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.):
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
telephone number:
+48 451 058 639
+48 451 058 635
The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange
Polna 40
00-635 Warsaw
Telephone number:
22 390 35 00
[1] If the provisions of a given agreement provide for admission to a full cycle of education for first-cycle studies, second-cycle studies, uniform master's studies or for education at a doctoral school in Poland, then the duration of the Scholarship Holder Programme is the statutory duration of the undertaken education cycle in Poland. Studies may be preceded by a one-year preparatory course in Polish.
[2] The rules described in point 2.4, subsections 1.-3. do not apply to candidates from Germany.
[3] Does not apply to applicants - recommended candidates for a full education cycle, preceded by a preparatory course in Polish.
[4] In accordance with the provisions of the cooperation agreement between the Agency and DAAD
[5] The Agency will contact applicants using the e-mail addresses provided by foreign partner institutions.
[6] Applies to people coming for part-time studies and research stays
[7] Does not apply to applicants from Germany
[8] In the Agency's IT system
[9] Monthly deadlines are calculated in accordance with Article 114 of the Civil Code