The Year Abroad Scholarship 2018-19 in Poland

The Year Abroad Scholarship supports Polish language studies at the Jagiellonian University's Center of Polish Language and Culture in Cracow, Poland. Scholarships are awarded under the auspices of the Foundation's Exchange Program with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The Polish Ministry provides scholarship recipients with admission to the program, a tuition waiver and 1,350 zloty per month for living expenses. Additional funding of $900 per semester is awarded by the Kosciuszko Foundation. Airfare is not covered by the scholarship.

 Studies in Poland begin in early October and end in late June.  Students may apply for an academic year or one semester. Please note that the Ministry may elect to award semester-only grants.

Polish studies for foreigners catalog

For an overview of the program, please see the most recent catalog that is available: Polish Studies for Foreigners 2017-2018.  The catalog includes an academic calendar, list of courses, information on dormitory housing, medical insurance, the University's grading system, and more.  

Eligibility

Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and who are US citizens may apply.  Polish citizens are not eligible. 

Selection Criteria

Selection is based on academic excellence, the applicant's motivation for pursuing Polish studies, interest in Polish subjects and involvement in the Polish American community. Applications are first reviewed by the Foundation's selection committee.  Applications which are reviewed positively are sent to Poland for review by the Polish Ministry.  

Application Procedure

The application posted for the Year Abroad Scholarship is used by the Polish Ministry  to administer a variety of programs/scholarships.  Read and follow the guidelines and instructions posted here.

I – Prior to applying, review the application questions at this link: Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange.

II - Prepare the following supporting materials before applying on-line:

For Application - PART III

Question #18 - a list of practical and professional work experiences during or after college/university studies. Include your name, "Year Abroad 2018-2019" and "Question #18" in the upper right hand corner of the page.

Question #21 – a well-reasoned personal statement detailing your reasons for applying for the program. Include your academic and career goals. Your essay will be a minimum of 2 pages, double-spaced and will include your name, "Year Abroad 2018-2019" and page number in the upper right hand corner of each page. 

For Application - PART IV

Item A – is not applicable to the Year Abroad program.  

Item B – copies of certificates/diplomas. Save to a file and upload to the on-line application. 

Item C - send hard copy transcripts of studies (3 years of academic work) to the Kosciuszko Foundation via USPS.

Item D – Request letters of recommendation from two professors you have studied with in the US. Letters should be written on university letterhead and sent by professors to the Kosciuszko Foundation via USPS or via e-mail to Addy@thekf.org. 

Item E – is not applicable to the Year Abroad program. 

Item F – upload other documents such as Polish language certificates to the on-line application. 

Item G – upload a photo of yourself, which is suitable for creating an ID card and which can be used by the Kosciuszko Foundation for publication purposes. Save to a file and upload to the on-line application.

Use the following file naming conventions when saving files to upload to the on-line application form:

1. Question #18 
2. Question #21 
3. Item B 
4. Item D 
5. Item F 
6. Item G -

III - Complete the on-line application form at the Click Here to Apply button found below. All responses must be in English.

• In question 14a choose "Other".
• In question 14b type in "Jagiellonian University".
• In question 14c type in "Polish language and culture studies".
• In question 15, choose "I am applying for a scholarship from the government of the Republic of Poland".
• In questions 20a and 20b, indicate the start and end dates  you wish to apply for (first semester, second semester, full year ). Use relative dates provided in the Polish Studies for Foreigners 2017/2018 catalog (2018/2019 dates will differ slightly).  
• In response to question 18, upload the "work experiences" file.  
• In response to question 21, upload the "essay" file.  

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Founded in 1925, the Kosciuszko Foundation promotes closer ties between Poland and the United States through educational, scientific and cultural exchanges. It awards up to $1 million annually in fellowships and grants to graduate students, scholars, scientists, professionals, and artists, and promotes Polish culture in America. The Foundation has awarded scholarships and provided a forum to Poles who have changed history.