The aim of the START Scholarship is to honor the research achievements of young scientists and support their scientific development.

The scholarship is awarded for 12 months.

Outstanding young scientists with significant scientific achievements who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for the scholarship:

• they have a track record documented by publications (articles in recognized scientific journals or books);
• meet one of the following conditions:
  are doctoral students in Poland,
  are doctors working in science in Poland,
  conduct research or development work at a university,
• are not older than 30 years of age in the year of application (the year of birth is taken into account, not the date of birth). This age limit may be extended in the following cases:
  due to the birth or adoption of a child,
  due to a break in scientific work, the age limit is extended by all documented periods of interruption in scientific research lasting a total of not less than 12 months in the case of applying for a one-year extension, or not less than 24 months in the case of applying for a two-year extension, which is the maximum extension period for this reason. 
• The applicant in the competition is UKW.   

Complete applications prepared in the FNP system can be submitted for verification by the Science Department until October 23, 2025, and a signed internal “application for project funding” must be submitted, endorsed: in the case of a UKW employee, by the Dean/Director of the Institute and the Head of the Department/ Department, or in the case of a UKW doctoral student, by the Supervisor and the Director of the Doctoral School. Applications that are not made available to the employees of the Science Department within the specified time limit will not be verified and will not be sent to the FNP.

Deadline for submitting applications to the Foundation – November 5, 2025.

Detailed information about the competition is available on the FNP website.