590 students received scholarships to study under this year's round of the Bridge Scholarships Program. Among them are nearly 400 people who received scholarships for their first year of study. On November 28, 2025, the inauguration of the 24th round of the program took place in Warsaw.
“Bridge Scholarships” is a nationwide, extensive scholarship program that provides talented, underprivileged youth from rural areas and small towns with scholarships for their first year and subsequent years of study, as well as access to a wide range of development opportunities. The program was initiated in 2002 by Polish-American Freedom Foundation. It is currently one of the largest non-governmental scholarship initiatives in Poland. Over the past 23 years, the program has awarded nearly 29,000 scholarships. More than 19,000 high school graduates have received scholarships for their first year of full-time studies.
The meeting at the PZU Foundation headquarters was organized by the Educational Enterprise Foundation (FEP), which will run the program for the twenty-fourth time, providing financial support to students from rural areas and small towns who wish to pursue higher education. During the ceremonial inauguration, bridge scholarship recipients were presented with certificates confirming their receipt of the scholarship.
Under the Bridge Scholarships Program, young people receive a scholarship of PLN 10,000, paid in installments over 10 months of the academic year. In addition to financial assistance, bridge scholarship recipients also gain access to a wide range of development opportunities offered by the program (including workshops and training courses) and have the opportunity to apply for internships abroad.
“This is your bridge to the future, make the most of it,” said Dr. Zofia Sapijaszka, President of the Educational Enterprise Foundation, welcoming this year’s scholarship recipients. The President of the FEP also thanked all the program partners, without whose commitment its implementation would not have been possible.
“Each bridge scholarship is more than just financial support – it is a real investment in the future of young people from villages and small towns. Thanks to it, talented students can begin their studies without worrying about economic barriers and focus fully on their development. We believe that these funds open the door to new opportunities and build social capital. For over two decades, we have been showing that investing in the education of young people pays off many times over – in their successes, innovations, and involvement in social life,” said Radosław Jasiński, PAFF Program Director.
Bogdan Benczak, President of PZU SA, echoed this sentiment: “Everyone should have equal opportunities. That is why we are a partner in this program. Be bold, but not reckless, have dreams and pursue them. Full speed ahead. The world is yours for the taking.”
Piotr Cielecki, speaker and coach, encouraged the new students to pursue their dreams. The theme of his speech was life, based on the fundamental question: “What does this mean?” “Make mistakes, because life is a long corridor with doors symbolizing opportunities that you can take advantage of,” said Piotr Cielecki.
Bogdan Marek, a graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics and President of the SGH Student Council in 2016-17, who completed a two-month internship in the US Congress, spoke about his experiences with the scholarship. “Share your knowledge and help others,” he emphasized in his speech.
The meeting was graced by a musical performance of poetic songs and acting by Irena Judyta Michalska, a bridge scholarship recipient of the 21st round, a theater actress, and the vocalist of the Budka Suflera band, accompanied by Szymon Petelczyk, the pianist and composer.
During the event, all guests had the opportunity to admire an exhibition of works by this year’s scholar, Aleksandra Bienias, who studies at the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk.
The author and strategic partner of the program is Polish-American Freedom Foundation. The program’s partners are: the Inter Cars Foundation, the PZU Foundation, and a coalition of 45 local non-governmental organizations. The partners have allocated PLN 155 million for the implementation of twenty-four rounds of the program. Since its inception the program has been managed by the Educational Enterprise Foundation.
The program is implemented in cooperation with the Professor Bronisław Geremek Center, the Shipyard Foundation, the Good Network Foundation, and the Foundation for the Promotion and Accreditation of Economic Studies.
Media patronage over the program is provided by: Rzeczpospolita, Forum Akademickie, Perspektywy, and the DlaStudenta portal.
