START

Outstanding young scholars with significant success in their field of science who:

• have a track record documented by publications (articles in recognised scientific periodicals or book positions);
• are PhD students or doctors in Poland or perform R&D* in Poland in an entity, one of the statutory objectives of which is to conduct scientific research or development work;
• are under 30 years of age in the year of application ( for the next competition, candidates born in 1993 or later may apply). This age may be extended in the following cases:
  • due to the birth or adoption of a child, the age is extended for women who have given birth to a child or persons who have adopted a child by 1 year for each child, regardless of the date of birth or adoption,
  • following a break in research work for a maximum of 2 years, with the age being extended by all documented periods of breaks in research lasting a total of no less than 12 months when applying for a one-year extension, or no less than 24 months when applying for a two-year extension.

*R&D WORKS (so-called research and development works) are systematic creative works undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, as well as to find new applications for this knowledge.

They comprise three types of work:

• fundamental research (basic research - theoretical and experimental work not primarily aimed at obtaining specific applications);
• applied research (research undertaken with the aim of acquiring new knowledge which has specific applications);
• development (experimental development - work involving the application of existing knowledge to the development of new or significant improvements in existing products, services and processes).

To recognise the most talented young scholars and encourage their further scientific development by enabling them to devote themselves fully to their research work.

According to the regulations applicable to candidates applying for the upcoming competition, a scholarship can only be awarded once.

Starting from 2010 edition, the competition winners, who obtained the top marks in each of three fields: the humanities and social sciences, the natural sciences and medicine, and the exact and technical sciences, may win a special recognition, which results in increasing the stipend. The stipends for these beneficiaries are financed with money the FNP receives from donations to public benefit organizations (1,5% of personal income tax). The stipends of beneficiaries who win special recognition are increased – in the previous edition they amounted to PLN 38,000.

The Foundation may also award the special Prof. Barbara Skarga Stipend to the winner of the START programme whose research proves boldest in breaking down barriers between academic disciplines.

From  2022 r. a laureate of the START programme may be awarded the prof. Wacław Szybalski Stipend. This distinction may be granted to an outstanding young scientist conducting research in the fields of science of the Founder, i.e. biotechnology, genetics or molecular biology. This stipend was established thanks to the testamentary legacy of Prof. Wacław Szybalski.

The Prof. Adam Sobiczewski Fund has also been established as part of the START programme. The purpose of the fund is to provide supplemental financing for selected stipends awarded to the highest rated winners in the START programme pursuing research in fields close to the interests of the founder: theoretical physics, mathematics, and astronomy.

Selected START stipendees are eligible to gain additional financial support covering travel expenditures to one or two research centers abroad.

The competition primarily evaluates the quality and originality of the candidate's scientific achievements to date and their most important research achievement.

Applications are evaluated in a multi-stage procedure (described in detail in the Application Preparation Instructions), in which external experts and reviewers participate. The final decision to award the scholarship is made by the Foundation's Board. It is approved by the FNP Council.

Applicants in the competition may be institutions educating candidates or institutions in which candidates perform R&D work.

The START scholarship application submitted to the competition should be signed in the case of a university by its rector/vice-rector, and in the case of another entity – by the head of that entity or a person authorized to represent it.

Detailed information on the competition rules and required documents can be found in the START program Regulations and the Application Preparation Instructions.

Candidates are registered via the application form available on the website: https://wnioski.fnp.org.pl. The printed application with the required signatures and stamps should also be sent to the Foundation's office at the following address: I. Krasickiego 20/22, 02-611 Warsaw.

Before starting to fill out the application, please read the START Programme Regulations and the Application Preparation Instructions (documents available in Files for download).

Thanks to the agreement concluded by the FNP with the Lindau Council for Meetings with Nobel Prize Laureates (Nobelpreisträgertagungen in Lindau), the START program scholarship holders indicated by the Foundation can participate in the annual prestigious meeting of young scientists from around the world with Nobel Prize winners. The costs of their participation are covered by the organizers and the Foundation.

The scholarships in the 2024 competition will be financed both from the Foundation's budget and from funds provided by institutional and private donors, companies, as well as from payments of 1.5% of income tax.

The partner of the START program (in the 2019-2022 editions) was PZU Fundacja