The Lane Kirkland Scholarship in Poland

Deadline: 01 March 2018
Open to: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldavia, Russia and Ukraine
Scholarship: around 434.26862 EUR monthly stipend

Description

The Program is addressed to young leaders, holding Master’s (or equivalent) university degrees, who are determined to be actively involved in the development of democracy, economy and civil society in their countries and the region. The program includes two semesters of study at Polish universities (in Warszawa, Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań and Lublin) and two or more weeks professional internships in public and private institutions.

The candidates who are planning to return to their countries of origin after the scholarship program for the purpose of implementing the newly acquired knowledge therein are welcome to submit their applications.

FIELDS:

  • Economics and management;
  • Administration/management (business, NGO, culture, environmental protection, healthcare, education);
  • Public administration (government and local government);
  • Law;
  • Social science (Social Psychology, Sociology);
  • Political science and international relations;
  • Journalism;
  • Development policy and Humanitarian Aid.

Receiving a diploma is conditional on preparing and defending diploma thesis.  Diploma thesis shall be of theoretical or practical character.

Eligibility

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 business, NGOs, culture, education, environmental protection, healthcare;
•    leaders of non-governmental organizations, animators in culture and civic activity;
•    academic teachers;
•    journalists.

Citizenship and permanent residence in one of the targeted countries (holders of permanent residence card in Poland are ineligible)

  • Master’s degree;
  • Up to 35 years of age (in special cases up to 40);
  • At least 2 years of professional experience;
  • At least two years between any previous foreign scholarships (lasting longer than 6 months) and your application;
  • Polish language proficiency adequate to effectively attend lectures and seminars as well as to prepare a diploma project. During the interview candidates are required to speak Polish at least at the B1 level;
  • Studies within the Kirkland Program are realised in Polish or English (studies in English are not possible for candidates from Belarus and Ukraine), however, only in Polish it is possible to fully use the educational offer at Polish universities and the professional internship offered in program.

Candidates from Belarus and Ukraine and the others planning to study in Polish, at the start of the scholarship must demonstrate knowledge of the Polish language at a level that allows the use of academic activities and allowing the writing of a diploma thesis (B2). During the interview, knowledge of Polish is is advisable at least at level B1. Candidates who pass the qualification in terms of content, but do not know Polish well enough, will have the opportunity to continue learning the language (the Program Administrator provides study materials) and pass the language exam organized at the turn of July and August 2018.

Candidates from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, planning to study in English are required to indicate a specific educational offer in that language in the above-mentioned five academic centers. These persons are required, during the interview, to speak English at least at B2 level and have the basic knowledge of the Polish language – A1 level. Candidates who pass the qualification in terms of content, but not sufficiently know Polish, have the opportunity to continue learning the language (Administrator provides study materials) and pass the language exam organized at the turn of July and August 2018.)

PREFERENCES:

  • Candidates actively working in their professional and social fields;
  • Candidates who have significant achievements;
  • Candidates who have not studied in Poland before;
  • Candidates choosing to study in Polish.

Scholarship

  • Monthly stipend paid to Kirkland grantees for nine months: around 434.268 EUR/month;
  • Free of charge access to academic courses.

In addition, the Program administrator provides the following (worth approx. around 1013.29344 EUR/month):

  • Accommodation in Poland during nine months;
  • Health insurance for medical outpatient care, treatment costs in case of emergency and civil liability insurance;
  • One return ticket to Poland (up to agreed amount);
  • Public transportation cards;
  • Visa costs;
  • Research materials (up to 651.402 EUR/year);
  • Participation in the orientation program and grantees conventions;
  • Polish language course (October- May).

How to Apply?

  • In order to apply, please fill the application;
  • After the online application is completed, the system will generate a confirmation document that needs to be printed;
  • The signed document should then be sent to the Program Office by regular mail with the candidate’s current photograph attached thereto. (Address: Al. Jerozolimskie 133, m. 56, 02-304 Warsaw, Poland);
  • The letters of satisfaction and copies of diploma should be scanned and sent to: kirkland@kirkland.edu.pl

For more information please visit the official website.