Stefan Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme: Eligibility, Funding, Documents and How to Apply

The Stefan Banach NAWA Scholarship Programme is a fully funded Polish government scholarship for a full-time, two-year Master's degree at a Polish public university. It is run by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), and it pays tuition and a monthly living stipend. If your Polish is not good enough yet, it can also fund a one-year preparatory course before the degree starts.

The catch is eligibility. Banach is not open to everyone. It is limited to citizens of a published list of developing and partner countries, and that list changes every year. So the first question for any Pakistani student is not "am I good enough?" but "is Pakistan on this year's list?" You can see the full scholarship details on our site, but the list itself only lives on NAWA's website.

Start with the country list, not the motivation letter

NAWA refreshes the eligible-country list for every annual call. It generally favours countries NAWA classifies as developing or in transition, and the roster usually includes a broad mix of countries across Asia, Africa, the Caucasus, Latin America and the Western Balkans. That description is broad, and it does not name Pakistan. Being in Asia does not guarantee a place on the list.

My honest advice: before you write a single paragraph, open the Banach programme page on the NAWA website and check the current call for your nationality. If Pakistan is not listed in a given year, no amount of strong grades will help, and your time is better spent on other options such as the ones in our guide to all Poland scholarships. Do not rely on a friend's application from a previous cycle either. A country that was eligible last year can drop off.

The programme in one table

What the tuition waiver and stipend actually pay for

Banach removes the two costs that stop most students from studying in Europe: fees and living expenses. Here is what the package includes:

• A full tuition fee waiver at a Polish public university.
• A monthly stipend to cover living costs for the full duration of study.
• A one-year preparatory course in Polish language and academic preparation, funded separately, if you need it.
• No enrolment or recruitment fees charged by NAWA.
• Access to Polish public healthcare during the scholarship period.

The source material does not give a fixed stipend amount, so check the current call document for the monthly figure before you build a budget. What can be said is that Poland's cost of living is significantly lower than Germany, France or the UK, so a stipend there stretches further than it would in Western Europe. Cities like Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Poznań have large student populations, and English-taught programmes in engineering, computer science and business are growing.

One thing to be clear about: the stipend is for living costs, not for your flight or visa fees, which are not listed as covered. Plan some savings for the move itself.

The preparatory year is part of the deal, not a penalty

Some Banach-funded degree programmes are taught in Polish, though a growing share are in English. If you are placed on a Polish-taught programme, or your language level is not yet sufficient, you will do the one-year preparatory course first. The basic Polish language requirement is waived for applicants who complete that course.

A lot of applicants treat the preparatory year as a delay. I would push back on that. It is funded, it adds a language that genuinely helps if you want to work in Poland later, and NAWA's tips say plainly that you should be prepared to commit to it rather than see it as an obstacle. If you are not willing to spend an extra year in Poland, think carefully before applying. Also note that you are matched to a university and programme based on your academic background and stated preferences, so you may not get your exact first choice.

Eligibility beyond nationality

Once your country clears the list, these are the other conditions in the call:

• A completed Bachelor's degree relevant to your intended Master's field. Final-year students can apply if they will graduate before enrolment.
• A strong academic record from your undergraduate degree.
• Meeting any age limit set in that year's call. There is typically no strict cap, but recent graduates are prioritised.
• You must not already be living in Poland on a long-term basis, and you must not hold Polish citizenship.

Fields are open: the programme lists engineering, IT and computer science, business and the sciences, but also says all fields. The relevance of your Bachelor's to your chosen Master's matters more than the field itself. A BBA graduate applying for a computer science Master's will need a convincing story, and probably a strong one.

On age, the wording is soft. If you graduated several years ago, read the specific year's call document before assuming you are fine.

The seven documents NAWA asks for

1. The completed online application, submitted through the NAWA ICT system.
2. A copy of your passport.
3. Your Bachelor's degree certificate and transcript, translated if they are not in Polish or English.
4. A motivation letter explaining your choice of field and your career goals.
5. Two academic reference letters.
6. A CV or resume.
7. A medical certificate confirming fitness to study. This one is requested only after preliminary selection.

Pakistani degrees and transcripts are usually issued in English, which saves you translation costs. Authentication is a different matter and can take weeks, so start early. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the Pakistani side of that process. Ask your referees for letters well before the deadline too. Two academic references means two professors who actually know your work, not a head of department who has never taught you.

Applying through the NAWA ICT system

1. Check the current year's eligible-country list on nawa.gov.pl.
2. Register and complete the application on the NAWA ICT application system.
3. Upload all required documents before the deadline.
4. NAWA runs an initial eligibility and merit screening.
5. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an interview, in person or online.
6. Successful candidates receive a decision letter and are matched either to a preparatory course or directly to a university and programme.
7. You then apply for a Polish national (D-type) student visa using the NAWA award letter.

The application itself can be completed in English. Selection looks at your transcripts, your statement of purpose and, in many cases, an interview. NAWA prioritises applicants with a clear academic or professional reason for choosing that specific field in Poland. Generic letters about "European exposure" will not stand out.

For the visa stage, it helps to know why Pakistani applications get refused in general. Our piece on student visa rejection reasons covers the common problems.

Why the May deadline can arrive early

The yearly cycle follows a fairly steady pattern, though exact dates should be confirmed on the official portal each year:

The phrase that matters is "or until the quota fills." Places are allocated by country, and a country's quota can fill before the stated cutoff. If you wait until the first week of May, you may find the door already shut. Aim to submit soon after the call opens. Since the 2026 call has already closed, the sensible move now is to prepare your documents so you are ready when NAWA announces the next call.

Where applicants usually go wrong

The most common mistake is skipping the country check. The second is writing a motivation letter that could be sent to any university in any country. NAWA wants to know why this Polish university and this programme fit your career plan, so name them and connect them to something concrete in your background.

Other mistakes are quieter. Students leave attestation until April and run out of time. They assume an English-taught programme is guaranteed when the placement depends on matching. They ignore the preparatory year in their planning and are surprised when the timeline stretches to three years. If something in the call is unclear, write to NAWA's helpdesk or the target university's international office with a specific question rather than guessing.

Who suits Banach best? A recent graduate with good grades, a clear subject focus and an openness to living in Poland for the long haul, including learning Polish. Who should skip it? Anyone whose country is not on the current list, or anyone set on a specific Western European university.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Banach NAWA Scholarship fully funded?

Yes. It covers tuition at a Polish public university and pays a monthly living stipend for the full duration of study, plus a funded preparatory year if you need one. Check the current call for the exact stipend amount.

Can Pakistani students apply?

Only if Pakistan is on the eligible-country list for that year's call. The list is updated annually, so check the official NAWA programme page before you start.

Do I need to speak Polish?

Not to apply. The application can be completed in English, and a growing share of programmes are taught in English. If you are placed on a Polish-taught programme, you will take the funded preparatory year, and completing it waives the basic Polish language requirement.

Is there an age limit?

There is no universally fixed age cap, but recent graduates are prioritised. Read the specific year's call document to confirm.

Can I apply in my final year of a Bachelor's?

Yes, as long as you will graduate before enrolment. Your degree must also be relevant to the Master's field you are applying for.

Will I get an interview?

Possibly. Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed in person or online, so prepare to explain your choice of field and your plans after graduation.

Before you apply, confirm the current call, country list and deadline on the official NAWA Banach programme page, and see our Stefan Banach NAWA Scholarship page for the full details in one place.