The UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2025 offer a unique opportunity for talented individuals from developing countries to pursue advanced research in science, technology, and engineering. Co-organized by the Polish National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair at AGH University of Krakow, the fellowship aims to build human resource capacity, foster international cooperation, and support sustainable development through research. A total of 28 fellowships are available for this year’s edition.
Fellowship recipients will conduct individual research projects for a period of six months at AGH University in Krakow, Poland. The program runs between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2026. Candidates must be from one of the 57 invited developing countries and meet the specific academic and language requirements.
Fellowship Benefits
The UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2025 provide generous support to selected researchers. The benefits include:
- Free Tuition: Full waiver of tuition fees for the six-month research period at AGH University.
- Monthly Stipend:
- 1,800 PLN for BSc degree holders
- 2,200 PLN for MSc degree holders
(Approx. USD 450–550/month, depending on exchange rate)
This stipend is intended to cover living and accommodation expenses in Poland.
- Arrival Allowance: One-time special allowance of 1,800–2,200 PLN arrival to cover medical check-ups, cultural events, and seminars.
- Travel Support by UNESCO: Round-trip international airfare (most direct and economical route) fully covered by UNESCO.
- Health Insurance: Fully funded health insurance for the duration of the fellowship, arranged by UNESCO.
- Pocket Allowance: One-time payment of USD 120 upon arrival in Poland.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Nationality: Must be a citizen of one of the 57 invited developing countries listed in Annex II.
- Academic Qualifications: Must hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree relevant to the proposed research field (see Annex III and IV).
- Language Proficiency: Must demonstrate adequate English proficiency via a completed UNESCO language certificate (if English is not the candidate’s mother tongue).
- Endorsement: Applications must be officially endorsed and forwarded by the National Commission for UNESCO of the candidate’s home country.
Eligible Countries
To be eligible for the UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2025, applicants must be nationals of one of the following invited Member States:
- Africa: Applicants from the following African countries are eligible: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, the Comoros, the Seychelles, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia.
- Arab States Applicants from Bahrain and Iraq are eligible for the fellowship.
- Asia and the Pacific: Applicants from the following countries in Asia and the Pacific are eligible: Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Independent State of Samoa, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nauru, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Maldives, Tajikistan, Thailand, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam.
- Latin America and the Caribbean Applicants from the following Latin American and Caribbean countries are eligible: Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas.
Application Process
Applying for the UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering involves several steps. Here’s how to apply:
- Check Eligibility: Ensure your nationality and academic background meet the criteria outlined in Annex II and III of the call for application.
- Understand the Requirements: Carefully review Annex I and IV to understand the application process and eligible fields of research.
- Contact Your National Commission: Reach out to the UNESCO National Commission in your country to learn about the internal nomination process. Click here for contact info.
- Submit Your Application: Prepare and send your application materials to your country’s National Commission before their internal deadline. Only applications officially endorsed by the National Commission will be considered by UNESCO.
- Final Submission: Once endorsed, email your application to agh.poland@unesco.org (CC: uniune25@agh.edu.pl, Fellowships.Engineering@unesco.pl) and complete the online information sheet linked in the call.
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Required Documents
Applicants must prepare the following documents in English and submit them to the National Commission for UNESCO of their home country. Incomplete or handwritten applications not using capital letters may be disqualified.
- Completed UNESCO Fellowship Application Form: All four pages must be filled in clearly using capital letters.
- Copy of Valid Passport: A legible copy showing full name, date of birth, and expiration date.
- Passport-Sized Photograph: A recent identity photo of the applicant.
- Certified Academic Certificates:
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree certificates (as applicable)
- All certificates must be in English and either apostilled or legalized by a competent authority.
- Certificate of English Language Proficiency: If English is not the applicant’s mother tongue, an official UNESCO certificate of language knowledge must be completed and signed by a relevant authority.
- Two Recommendation Letters: Dated and signed letters from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional work, written in 2025.
Selection Process
Due to the intergovernmental character of UNESCO, individual applications will not be accepted by UNESCO. Only applications endorsed by the National Commissions for UNESCO of the invited Member States will be considered.
The selection process is as follows:
- Preselection by National Commissions: Each National Commission for UNESCO of the eligible countries will review the submitted applications and select qualified candidates at the national level.
- Submission to UNESCO: The National Commissions will forward the nominations to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris along with Letters of Endorsement and all required documents. These should be sent via email to agh.poland@unesco.org (with uniune25@agh.edu.pl and Fellowships.Engineering@unesco.pl in copy) no later than Monday, 26 May 2025, Midnight (Paris time).
- Final Evaluation by Polish Authorities: The Polish authorities responsible for the programme will evaluate the applications and make the final selection, taking into account the quality of the research proposal, academic merit, gender equality, and regional diversity.
- Notification of Selected Candidates: UNESCO will inform the respective National Commissions of the final results. Only successful candidates will be contacted.
Fellowship Duration
The UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2025 will run for a period of six (6) months, starting from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026
Application Deadline
The deadline for the UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowships in Engineering 2025 has been extended to Monday, 26 May 2025 (Midnight Paris time).
