The Pole’s Card (Karta Polaka) is a document confirming a person’s affiliation with the Polish Nation and the rights granted under the Act on the Pole’s Card. Holding the card does not mean acquiring Polish citizenship, nor does it in itself constitute a document allowing its holder to cross the Polish border or legalise their stay in Poland.
A decision confirming Polish origin is issued on the basis of the provisions of the Act on Repatriation.
Holders of the Pole’s Card or a decision confirming Polish origin are exempt from tuition fees for full-time studies conducted in Polish at public higher education institutions.
They may also, subject to the applicable regulations, apply for a maintenance grant and a student loan.
Foreign students may also apply for other forms of financial support, including:
- rector’s scholarship,
- scholarship for students with disabilities,
- emergency grant,
- scholarship funded by a local government unit,
- scholarship for academic or sporting achievements funded by a natural person or legal entity,
- minister’s scholarship.
Education in doctoral schools is tuition-free. As a rule, doctoral candidates who do not already hold a doctoral degree receive a doctoral scholarship, subject to the exceptions specified by law.
The General Władysław Anders NAWA Programme is a scholarship programme for young people of Polish origin who plan to begin or continue their studies in Poland in the Polish language.
The Programme covers first-cycle studies, long-cycle Master’s studies and second-cycle studies, and provides a scholarship from the Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange for the standard period of study at institutions participating in the Programme.
Applicants may include, among others, persons with documented Polish origin, including holders of the Pole’s Card (Karta Polaka) or a decision confirming Polish origin, as well as persons who hold both Polish citizenship and the citizenship of another country, provided that they meet the conditions specified in the relevant call for applications.
For first-cycle studies and long-cycle Master’s studies, NAWA also conducts calls for scholarships funded by the Minister of Health for students at medical higher education institutions and by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for students at arts higher education institutions.
Studies may be preceded by a one-year NAWA preparatory course, also provided under scholarship conditions. The course is designed to improve participants’ knowledge of Polish and prepare them for their future field of study.
Scholarship holders are selected through annual calls for applications. Detailed information about current eligibility requirements, deadlines and required documents is available on the General Władysław Anders NAWA Programme website.