Young Researcher as defined in Article 360 (2) of the Act of 20 July 2018 - Law on higher education and science (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2023, item 742, as amended) is a scientific person who:
1) is a doctoral student or an academic teacher – and does not hold a doctoral degree
or
1a) prepares a doctoral dissertation on an external basis and does not hold a doctoral degree - if no more than 4 years have elapsed since the date of appointment of the promoter or promoters, or the promoter and the auxiliary promoter in accordance with Article 217,
or
2) holds a doctoral degree less than 7 years* after its attainment and is employed by an entity referred to in Article 7 (1).
* Pursuant to art. 360 (3) of the Act: the period of 7 years does not include periods of leave related to parenthood, specified in the provisions of section eight of the Act of 26 June 1974 - Labor Code, or periods of receiving maternity benefit or parental benefit, or periods of receiving sickness benefit or rehabilitation benefits due to incapacity for work, including those caused by an illness requiring medical rehabilitation.
