10,000 PLN of support for a "good start." Applications for this year's high school graduates are now open.

• The program supports young people from rural areas and small towns.
• In addition to financial support, scholarship recipients gain access to workshops and training. They can also apply for internship funding in the future.
• To receive a scholarship, you must meet several conditions.

The Bridge Scholarship is a nationwide program aimed at supporting young people from rural areas and small towns. In the 2025/2026 academic year, it amounts to PLN 10,000, paid in monthly installments over 10 months.

To apply for a scholarship in this year's 24th edition of the program, you must:

• complete high school, technical school or second-degree vocational school and pass the Matura exam in the current year (2025);
• be admitted to the first year of full-time first-cycle studies or long-cycle master's studies at a Polish public academic university;
• come from a village or town of up to 20,000 inhabitants;
• come from a family where the monthly income per person (in June this year) does not exceed PLN 3,266 gross;
• achieve good academic results, i.e. at least 100 points in the Matura exam (the number of points is calculated using an algorithm).

According to the information on the program's website, it is sufficient to convert each percentage score from the written Matura exam (basic and advanced) into points (e.g., 50% = 50 points), then multiply the number of points obtained from the basic exams by 0.4, and the number of points from the advanced exams by 0.6. Finally, the calculated points should be added together.

How to submit an application?

In addition to the above requirements, candidates must meet one of the following conditions:

• be a finalist of a national secondary school subject competition;
• be a member of a large family (3+) or a foster family or a state orphanage resident (this also applies to emancipated persons);
• have a recommendation from a local non-governmental organization participating in the current edition of the Program ( list of non-governmental organizations ).

To apply for a scholarship, you must:

• register on the website: stypomostowe.pl and select the "For candidates" option;
• complete the online form, including selecting the university to which you have been accepted (only academic universities are listed);
• print and sign the application;
• send the application by post to the indicated foundation.

Applications can be submitted until August 18, 2025, but it is worth hurrying, as the number of scholarships is limited.

More than just benefits. Scholarship recipients gain access to workshops and training.

In addition to financial support, scholarship recipients receive access to workshops, training courses and conferences organised as part of the programme, which develop soft skills and other skills necessary for their future professional careers.

Those who receive a bridge scholarship in their first year of studies can also apply for support for subsequent years of study. Top students can also receive funding for language courses and internships abroad (e.g., through the TFLF and PAII programs). Developmental training is available regardless of whether they receive scholarships in a given year.

The Bridge Scholarships Program was initiated by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation. To date, 28,000 scholarships of various types have been awarded under the program, including over 19,000 to first-year students. The total amount of support exceeded PLN 149 million.

The program is implemented by the Educational Enterprise Foundation, and its author and strategic partner is the Polish-American Freedom Foundation.

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