The Banach NAWA scholarship is a master’s scholarship from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) and Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for young people from 36 developing countries, and it pays PLN 2,500 a month plus a tuition exemption at Polish public universities. Competition is real: NAWA received 887 applications in the latest round and awarded 130 scholarships. This guide covers who can apply, what the scholarship covers, how NAWA scores applications, and where the programme stands right now.
Last checked against NAWA’s website on 20 October 2026.
Banach NAWA scholarship at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Prof. Stefan Banach NAWA Programme |
| Funder | Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NAWA, under Polish development cooperation |
| Level | Master’s (second-cycle) studies, or a preparatory course followed by master’s studies |
| Study language | Polish or English |
| Monthly stipend | PLN 2,500 |
| Tuition | Exemption at public universities |
| Eligible countries | 36 countries covered by Polish Aid |
| Latest call | Closed on 8 May 2026 (for studies from October 2026) |
| Application system | NAWA online system, programs.nawa.gov.pl |
| Contact | banach@nawa.gov.pl |
Table of Contents
What is the Banach NAWA scholarship?
The programme is named after the Polish mathematician Stefan Banach and exists to support the development of developing countries by raising the education level of their citizens. NAWA runs it together with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of Poland’s development cooperation budget.
Scholars study full time at universities supervised by Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education that have a framework agreement with NAWA. At the 2026 selection, the most popular choices included the University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University, the University of Wroclaw, Warsaw University of Technology and the Poznan University of Life Sciences.
What the Banach NAWA scholarship covers
- Monthly stipend of PLN 2,500, paid for up to 12 months in an academic year (at most 5 months in the winter semester and 7 in the summer semester).
- Tuition exemption at NAWA preparatory courses and at public universities. At private universities, fees are set by the university, so you would have to settle them with the university yourself.
- A one-off travel allowance for coming to Poland, paid together with your first monthly stipend.
- A preparatory course if you choose the Polish-language path, or a Polish language and culture course before classes if you choose the English path.
The stipend is a living allowance, not a salary. Check current rents in the city you pick before you decide.
Who can apply for the Banach NAWA scholarship?
You must meet all of these at the time of recruitment, according to NAWA’s 2026 call:
- You are a citizen of one of the eligible countries (see the list below).
- You do not have Polish citizenship and have not applied for it.
- You plan to start a master’s programme or a preparatory course in the winter semester of the academic year the call covers.
- You earned your bachelor’s degree in a programme country no earlier than 2024, or you are in your final semester and will graduate by 15 July of the call year.
- You do not already hold a master’s degree.
- You have not received a NAWA Director’s scholarship for second-cycle studies before.
- You can document your language level: Polish B1 for the preparatory course, Polish B2 to study in Polish, or English B2 to study in English.
Two of these rules catch people out. The 2024 cut-off means older graduates are not eligible in that call. And your first degree must come from a programme country, not just your citizenship.
Banach NAWA scholarship eligible countries
NAWA lists these countries in its 2026 call, grouped by how applications are counted:
| Group | Countries |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | Albania, Argentina, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Kosovo, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, Ukraine |
| Group 2 | Armenia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Vietnam |
| Group 3 | Angola, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Palestine, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia |
| Group 4 | Azerbaijan, Nigeria |
Kenya and Nigeria are on the list. Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh were not on the 2026 list, so applicants from those countries could not use this scholarship in that call. The list can change between calls, so check the announcement again when the next one opens.
The group matters. The 2026 call was set to close early for a group once it reached 300 applications (groups 1 to 3) or 200 applications (group 4, which includes Nigeria). If you are from Nigeria, do not wait for the final week.
Is the Banach NAWA scholarship open right now?
No. The 2026 call ran until 8 May 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Warsaw time, and NAWA has published the results: 130 scholarships went to applicants from 25 countries out of 887 applications. That is roughly one winner for every seven applicants. In 2023, NAWA reported almost 4,000 applications and had to postpone the announcement of results.
On 20 October 2026 we did not find an announcement for the next call. Recent calls have opened in spring or early summer, so check NAWA’s Banach page from March onward. Be careful with websites that say a 2027 call is open without linking to a NAWA announcement.
How to apply for the Banach NAWA scholarship
The application is online only, in Polish or English, and you may submit one application. Based on the 2026 call, here is how the process works.
- Choose your path. Pick one: study in Polish (with or without the one-year preparatory course) or study in English. The choice is binding.
- Apply to a Polish university separately. NAWA does not handle admission. For the English path and for Polish studies without a preparatory course, you must attach proof that you are in the admission process, such as an admission decision, an acceptance letter, a registration confirmation or an email exchange with the university about a named programme.
- Gather your documents:
- passport data page
- your bachelor’s diploma and transcript showing your average grade (or a university certificate if you have not graduated yet)
- proof of admission process (see above)
- proof of language level
- a self-presentation video
- optionally, a recommendation letter from a Polish embassy or consulate
- Translate if needed. Documents not in Polish or English need a certified translation.
- Submit in the NAWA system before the deadline, and before your country group fills up.
- If selected, sign your scholarship agreement within 45 days of it being made available in the system.
How NAWA scores Banach NAWA scholarship applications
Applications get up to 110 points:
| Criterion | Maximum points | Minimum needed |
|---|---|---|
| Average grade from your bachelor’s degree | 70 | 50 |
| Self-presentation video (goals, why this field, why Poland, expected impact) | 30 | 20 |
| Recommendation from a Polish diplomatic mission | 10 | none |
You need at least 70 points in total, including the minimums above. Grades are converted with a simple formula: your average divided by the maximum on your scale, times 70. That means you need roughly 71% of the maximum grade just to reach the 50-point minimum. If your grades fall below that, NAWA does not evaluate your video at all.
Scholarships are then awarded to the top scorers within the quota for each country.
Tips to improve your Banach NAWA scholarship application
- Treat the video as a 30-point exam. It must be 1 to 3 minutes, in Polish or English, with no other people visible. Say what you want to study, why that field, why Poland, and what you will do with the degree. Rehearse until you can do it in under three minutes without reading.
- Do the university application first. Start admission paperwork early because your proof of contact or admission is a required attachment for most paths.
- Ask the Polish embassy early. The recommendation letter is optional, but it is worth up to 10 points. Contact the Polish embassy or consulate that covers your country and ask how to request one.
- Pick the path that matches your language level. A B1 Polish certificate gets you a year of preparatory course. If you only have English, take the English path and prepare your B2 evidence.
- Keep your grades documents clean. An unclear average is a common reason for formal problems. Ask your registrar for a transcript that shows the average.
- Do not forget other scholarships. This call does not ask for academic referee letters, but many other master’s scholarships do. If you apply to several, our guide to a recommendation letter for scholarship will save you time. Also see our guides to scholarships in Poland and Europe scholarships for international students.
Frequently asked questions about the Banach NAWA scholarship
What is the Banach NAWA scholarship?
It is a scholarship from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange and Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for master’s study in Poland. It is open to citizens of 36 developing countries and covers a monthly stipend, tuition exemption at public universities and a travel allowance.
How much does the Banach NAWA scholarship pay?
The stipend is PLN 2,500 a month, paid for up to 12 months in each academic year. Scholars also get a tuition exemption at public universities and a one-off travel allowance.
Can students from Nigeria and Kenya apply for the Banach NAWA scholarship?
Yes. Both countries were on the 2026 eligible list. Kenya was in group 3 and Nigeria in group 4, which had the smallest application limit. Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh were not on the 2026 list.
Is the Banach NAWA scholarship open now?
No. The 2026 call closed on 8 May 2026 and the results are out. We found no announcement of the next call on 20 October 2026. Recent calls have opened in spring or early summer, so check NAWA’s Banach page regularly.
Do I need IELTS for the Banach NAWA scholarship?
You need documented English at level B2 or higher to study in English. NAWA publishes a list of recognised English certificates with each call, so check that list before you book a test.
Official sources
- NAWA: Banach NAWA Programme page
- NAWA: 2026 call announcement (PDF)
- NAWA: results of the 2026 call
- Polish Aid: results of the Banach NAWA Programme call
Related Guides:
Scholarships and grants Austria, Europe scholarships hub, Czech Government Scholarships
Conclusion. The Banach NAWA scholarship is one of the few funded master’s routes in Poland for students from its partner countries, and Kenyan and Nigerian applicants can use it. The next call has not been announced, so now is the time to line up your degree documents, your language certificate and a Polish university to apply to before the spring window opens.