Scholarship to Start for Doctoral Students

The Scholarship to Start for Doctoral Students is an award granted to first-year PhD candidates in Doctoral Schools who, during the admission process, ranked among the top 20% of applicants.

The Scholarship to Start was established in 2023, based on the provisions of the Law on Higher Education and Science, which allows universities to create their own scholarship funds. Unlike, for example, the social scholarship or the rector’s scholarship, which are financed from the dedicated Scholarship Fund, the Scholarship to Start is funded from the University’s own resources.

First-year doctoral students enrolled in Doctoral Schools who, in the admission process, achieved a score ranking them within the top 20% of admitted candidates as of October 1 of the academic year in which the student applies for the scholarship, assessed separately for:

• the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School,
• the Warsaw Doctoral School of Mathematics and Computer Science,
• and in other cases: separately for each doctoral school, divided by fields of study.

Applications are usually submitted at the beginning of the calendar year, in March, and the process lasts for approximately one month.

The exact start and end dates for submitting applications are announced in the news section on the BPM website.

First and foremost, an application must be submitted ([LINK TO APPLICATION]).

Unlike other types of support, the Scholarship to Start cannot be applied for through USOS.

The completed application should be submitted to BPM by one of the following methods:

• In person during office hours (see the Contact section),
• By post (see the Contact section),
• By email to bpm@uw.edu.pl, provided that the application is signed with a qualified electronic signature, or
• Via EPUAP/e-Delivery.

PLN 18,000 – this is the amount of the scholarship, which is paid as a one-time grant.

1. What are the criteria for receiving the Scholarship to Start?
There is one criterion: the applicant’s admission result must be within the top 20% of scores in their discipline. Other achievements, such as publications, conference participation, or completion of the study program, are not taken into account.

2. How is the top 20% calculated?
The top 20% is determined based on the number of admitted students as of October 1 of the relevant academic year. It is calculated separately for each discipline within each Doctoral School, and separately for:

• the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School,

• the Warsaw Doctoral School of Mathematics and Computer Science.

If 20% results in a non-integer number, it is rounded down, but the number of scholarships is never less than 1.

3. I was admitted outside the quota. Can I receive the Start Scholarship?
Unfortunately, no. The scholarship is offered only to students admitted within the quota specified in Annex 1 of the Resolution (more information).

4. Do I need to attach a certificate from the Doctoral School with my admission result?
No, it is not required. The scholarship eligibility is confirmed using lists provided by the Doctoral Schools.

5. Can I submit an application after the deadline?
No, late applications will not be considered.

6. Are official decisions issued regarding the Scholarship to Start?
No, the scholarship is not an administrative procedure under the Administrative Procedure Code. Recipients receive a commemorative diploma, and applications from ineligible candidates are not considered. There is no appeal procedure for non-award of the scholarship.

7. How will I be informed about the results of the application?
Applicants will be notified by email at their University of Warsaw email address. Processing the application may take approximately one month.

8. Is the Scholarship to Start taxable?
No. The University does not issue a PIT-11 for this scholarship.

9. What happens if I lose my doctoral student status?
If a recipient loses their doctoral student status during the academic year for which the scholarship was awarded, the scholarship must be returned.

10. How is the Scholarship to Start paid?
The scholarship is transferred to the bank account listed in USOSweb. Make sure your account number is up to date. Changes and verification can be done via Dla Wszystkich → Konto bankowe i urząd skarbowy in USOSweb.