The Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program

The Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program has been supporting the individual development of young, ambitious, and active citizens from Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia for 25 years. Since 2000, more than 1,000 alumni have participated in the Program, including current government members, parliamentarians, managers from large multinational corporations, local government officials, and well-known social activists.

The author and founder of the Program is the Polish-American Freedom Foundation, and it is also financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).

The Program offers two semesters of study in one of four Polish academic centres (Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, or Lublin) and at least two weeks of professional internship in state, private, or non-governmental organisations. It also includes an extensive training and workshop programme.

The Program is addressed to young leaders and experts with university degrees who are interested in advancing democracy, the economy, and civil society in their own countries and in the region.

The Kirkland scholarships are addressed to individuals who represent the following professional groups:

• civil servants, employees of central and local government institutions;
• lawyers;
• entrepreneurs;
• managers in NGOs, culture, education, media, environmental protection, healthcare, and business;
• leaders of non-governmental organizations, animators in culture and civic activity;
• academic teachers;
• journalists.

Requirements for participation in the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program require candidates to meet specific requirements related to citizenship, education, age, professional experience, and language skills.

Candidates are eligible if they:

• have citizenship and permanent residence in one of the target countries (holders of a Polish residence card and people living or working in Poland when applying for the scholarship are not eligible; however, this criterion does not apply to Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens who arrived in Poland after January 2025 — such persons may apply for Kirkland scholarships);
• have completed higher education — a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree consisting of at least four years of study;
• are up to 40 years of age;
• have at least two years of professional experience;
• have at least a two-year break after participation in a previous scholarship abroad that lasted longer than 6 months (this criterion does not apply to candidates from Ukraine or Belarus who arrived in Poland after January 2025);
• if temporarily residing in Poland (for candidates from Ukraine or Belarus), cannot be employed full-time during the scholarship period.

Program studies may be conducted in Polish or English. Knowledge of Polish facilitates full use of the educational offer at Polish universities and the professional internship. Candidates planning to study in English are required to indicate in their application form a specific educational offer in that language at one of the four academic centres.

During the interview, candidates are required to demonstrate language proficiency at the following levels:

• English — at least B2;
• Polish — basic level A1.

Candidates with insufficient knowledge of Polish but who obtain a high interview score may take a Polish language exam at the end of June 2026. The exam results determine the candidate’s final qualification for the scholarship.

Funding under the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program provides participants with free access to university classes and support from an academic advisor. It also includes a scholarship of PLN 22,500, paid in 9 instalments over 9 months.

The Program offers reimbursement of travel expenses (arrival in Poland and return trip) in accordance with the limits set annually.

In addition, the Program administrator provides further support (worth approximately PLN 5,000 per month), which includes:

• accommodation throughout the entire stay in Poland;
• health insurance for outpatient medical care, coverage of treatment costs in case of emergency, and civil liability insurance;
• one return ticket to Poland (up to an agreed limit);
• public transport cards;
• visa costs;
• research materials;
• participation in an introductory course and in grantees’ conventions;
• a Polish language course (October–June).

Within the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, the following supported activities are provided:

• programme inauguration and an introductory course (8–10 days, second half of September 2026);
• university classes over two semesters in leading Polish academic centres (including Warsaw, Krakow, Lublin, or Wroclaw);
• preparation of two semester papers and one diploma paper;
• participation in 2–3 conventions for all Kirkland grantees held in different cities across Poland;
• professional internship (minimum 2 weeks);
• personal development training and a Polish language course (two semesters);
• graduation ceremony with diplomas awarded (end of June 2027).

Applications to the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program are submitted online. A description of the Program can be obtained directly from the official website www.kirkland.edu.pl, and it can also be requested by email from the Program Office.

The application form must be completed online and must include the following required attachments in PDF format:

• 2 letters of reference;
• a copy of the university degree.

The application deadline is 1 March 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

In the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, preference is given to candidates who:

• are actively working in their professional and social fields;
• have significant achievements;
• have not studied in Poland before.

Candidate selection is carried out through a three-stage evaluation process, with approximately 40 of the best candidates expected to be selected:

• review of applications against the eligibility criteria;
• review of applications by experts in the relevant fields;
• interviews (planned for 7–24 April 2026).

Candidates who advance to the third stage will be notified by email by 30 March. Information on the final nominations will be sent to candidates in May.

Candidates selected to participate in the Program on the condition that they improve their knowledge of the Polish language will have the opportunity to take a language exam organised at the end of June 2026.

To apply for the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, the candidate must prepare and submit a mandatory set of documents.

• Online application form, including a detailed personal questionnaire and a written statement explaining the candidate’s motivation to participate in the Program, the project to be carried out during the stay, an outline of the diploma paper to be prepared if the scholarship is awarded, as well as proposals regarding the implementation of the scholarship and a plan for how the knowledge gained will be used afterwards (4,000–6,000 characters with spaces);
• Two letters of reference (in Polish or English) describing the candidate’s achievements and qualifications, as well as expectations regarding the candidate’s further development and work in their professional or social field (reference letters must not be written by the candidate’s family members and/or life partners);
• Copy of the latest university degree.

To obtain a diploma, it is required to prepare and defend a diploma paper (scientific or practical) and prepare two semester papers.