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 24 years. Since 2000, more than 1,000 graduates have participated in the program. Among the alumni are current government officials, parliamentarians, managers of major multinational corporations, local government leaders, and well-known public figures. The program was established by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation, and is also supported financially by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).

The program offers two semesters of study at one of four Polish academic centers (Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Lublin) and at least two weeks of professional internships in government, private, or non-governmental organizations. It also includes an extensive program of training and seminars. The program is aimed at young leaders and experts with higher education who are interested in the development of democracy, the economy, and civil society in their countries and the region.

Fields:

• Economics and Management
• Administration/Management in Business, NGOs, Culture, Education, and Healthcare
• Public Administration (Central and Local Government Management)
• Law (including Human Rights and Migration Issues)
• Social Sciences (Social Psychology, Sociology)
• Political Science, Journalism, and International Relations
• Environment and Climate Protection
• Security and Cybersecurity
• Crisis Management
• Development Policy and Humanitarian Aid

Financial Information:

• Free access to university courses and support from an academic advisor
• Scholarship amounting to 19,800 PLN (paid in 9 installments over 9 months). Monthly, approximately 248,000 KZT.

The program can be conducted in Polish or English. Knowledge of Polish enhances the full use of educational offerings at Polish universities and during professional internships. Candidates planning to study in English must specify a particular educational program in English at one of the four mentioned academic centers in their application. During the interview, candidates must have Polish language skills at least at the B2 level, or English at the B2 level and Polish at the basic level, i.e., A1. Candidates with insufficient knowledge of Polish but who score highly in the interview will be allowed to take a Polish language exam at the end of June 2024. Exam results will determine the final qualification for the scholarship.

Deadline: No later than March 1, 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.