Scholarships for International Students With Work Experience in Poland 2026/2027

International students with professional experience can find several useful scholarships for international students with work experience in Poland, particularly for Master’s, business, management, research and doctoral studies.

However, there is an important distinction: Poland does not currently have a major national scholarship awarded simply because an applicant has several years of employment. Instead, professional experience can strengthen an application when universities assess motivation, achievements, leadership, research potential or overall profile.

Some programmes are particularly suitable for experienced professionals, while others—such as Banach NAWA—actually target relatively recent Bachelor’s graduates.

Does Work Experience Help You Win a Scholarship in Poland?

It can.

Relevant professional experience may strengthen applications in fields such as:

• Business and management.
• Finance and accounting.
• Data science and IT.
• Engineering.
• International relations.
• Public administration.
• Economics.
• Research-oriented programmes.

The strongest applications connect previous employment directly with the proposed degree and future career plans.

Work experience is particularly valuable when it demonstrates leadership, technical expertise, measurable achievements or responsibility.

1. Kozminski University Master’s Scholarships

Kozminski University in Warsaw is one of the most interesting options for international students with professional backgrounds, particularly those pursuing business-related Master’s degrees.

For 2026/2027, Kozminski offers a Scholarship for the Best Students that can cover 100% of tuition fees for selected Master’s programmes.

English-taught programmes included in the scholarship competition include:

• Master in Management.
• Master in Finance and Accounting.
• Master in Big Data Science.
• Master in Global Leadership and Geopolitics.

For full-time Master’s programmes, seven scholarships were available across the listed English-language programmes.

How Are Applicants Selected?

For Master’s applicants:

• 90% of the ranking score comes from the admission examination.
• 10% comes from the Bachelor’s GPA.
• Applicants must achieve at least 90% of the maximum score on the relevant admission examination to qualify for the scholarship competition.

The scholarship initially covers the first semester and can continue into the second semester if the recipient maintains the required academic performance. The published 2026 application deadline was July 31, 2026.

Professional experience is not mandatory for these scholarships, but applicants with relevant careers can use that background to strengthen their overall academic and professional profile.

2. Kozminski Foundation Scholarships

Students already enrolled at Kozminski University can also apply for scholarships from the Kozminski Foundation.

For 2026/2027, applications are scheduled from October 1 to October 31, 2026. The Foundation offers several scholarship categories designed to recognize different types of achievement.

Examples include:

• EXCELLENCE: PLN 6,000.
• PERFORMANCE: PLN 5,000.
• IMPACT: PLN 4,000.
• Other awards recognizing academic, creative or external achievements.

Some categories evaluate academic activity, publications, conferences, organizational involvement and other documented achievements.

For experienced students returning to university, professional and external achievements may therefore help build a stronger portfolio, although applicants must still satisfy the specific scholarship criteria.

3. Banach NAWA Scholarship

The Banach NAWA Scholarship is one of Poland’s leading government-funded Master’s scholarships.

For 2026/2027, recipients receive:

• PLN 2,500 per month.
• Tuition fee exemption at eligible public universities.
• PLN 2,500 travel allowance.
• Polish-language preparation where applicable.

A total of 130 applicants from 25 countries received scholarships in the 2026 selection round.

Is Banach NAWA Good for Experienced Professionals?

Possibly, but there is an important restriction.

For the 2026 call, applicants had to have obtained their Bachelor’s degree no earlier than 2024, or complete it by July 15, 2026. They also could not already hold a Master’s degree.

Therefore, Banach NAWA is mainly suited to recent graduates and early-career professionals, not applicants who completed university many years ago.

Work experience is not a compulsory eligibility requirement.

4. Poland My First Choice NAWA

Another government programme is Poland My First Choice NAWA.

For 2026/2027, it offered international Master’s students:

• PLN 2,000 per month.
• Tuition exemption at public universities.
• One-time international travel allowance.

The 2026 application deadline was May 29, 2026.

Like Banach NAWA, this programme required applicants to have obtained their Bachelor’s degree no earlier than 2024 or complete it by July 15, 2026.

This makes it suitable for young professionals with limited work experience, but generally not for someone returning to university after a long career.

5. Funded PhD Study for Experienced Applicants

Professionals who already hold a Master’s degree should seriously consider doctoral study.

Poland’s official Study.gov.pl portal confirms that every student admitted to a doctoral school receives a doctoral scholarship regardless of citizenship, and doctoral schools are tuition-free for foreigners.

This can be especially attractive for experienced candidates in:

• Engineering.
• Artificial intelligence.
• Economics.
• Management.
• Life sciences.
• Environmental sciences.
• Social sciences.
• Public policy.

Relevant professional experience can strengthen a PhD application when it connects directly to the proposed research topic.

Applicants should highlight:

• Industry projects.
• Research experience.
• Publications.
• Technical skills.
• Conferences.
• Leadership responsibilities.
• Professional certifications.

What About MBA Scholarships in Poland?

Experienced professionals frequently search for MBA scholarships, but applicants should distinguish between scholarships and other financing options.

For example, Kozminski University’s English Executive MBA requires at least:

• 8 years of professional experience, including
• 5 years of managerial experience.

Admission for the 65th edition remains open until September 15, 2026, with the programme scheduled to begin in October 2026.

However, the university currently promotes educational financing and loans for MBA study rather than presenting the standard Executive MBA as a universally fully funded scholarship programme. Applicants should therefore verify available discounts or external funding separately.

How to Use Work Experience in Your Scholarship Application

Simply writing job titles on your CV is not enough.

Use professional experience strategically:

1. Quantify your achievements. Mention measurable results, projects, revenue, efficiency improvements or teams managed.
2. Connect your experience to the degree. Explain why postgraduate education is the logical next step.
3. Highlight leadership. Management responsibilities are particularly valuable for business programmes.
4. Show technical expertise. Certifications and specialist skills can strengthen STEM applications.
5. Include professional recommendations. A strong reference from a supervisor can demonstrate capabilities beyond academic grades.
6. Explain your career plan. Scholarship committees want to understand how the degree will affect your future.

Best Scholarship Route Based on Experience

Your best strategy depends on how long you have been working.

Recent graduate with 0–2 years of experience:
Banach NAWA or Poland My First Choice may be strong options if your nationality and graduation year qualify.

Professional with several years of experience:
University Master’s scholarships such as Kozminski funding may offer more flexibility.

Experienced applicant with a Master’s degree:
A funded Polish doctoral school may be the strongest option.

Senior manager or executive:
MBA or Executive MBA programmes may fit your career better, but scholarship availability should be checked separately from educational loans and tuition discounts.

Final Thoughts

There are several valuable scholarships for international students with work experience in Poland, but professional experience is usually an advantage rather than the sole eligibility requirement.

Kozminski University’s Master’s scholarships can provide 100% tuition coverage for selected programmes, while Banach NAWA and Poland My First Choice provide government-funded Master’s scholarships for eligible recent graduates. Experienced applicants who already hold a Master’s degree should also consider Polish doctoral schools, where admitted doctoral students receive scholarships and study tuition-free regardless of citizenship.

The best approach is to choose a scholarship that matches both your academic history and career stage, rather than assuming that more years of employment automatically improve eligibility.

Official Sources

• Banach NAWA – Official Programme Information
• Poland My First Choice NAWA – Official Programme
• Kozminski University – Scholarships and Discounts
• Kozminski University – Executive MBA
• Study.gov.pl – Doctoral Study and Admission Requirements