DAAD EPOS Scholarships 2027–2028: Fully Funded Postgraduate Study in Germany

The DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) Scholarships 2027–28 offer international graduates from eligible developing and emerging countries the opportunity to pursue selected postgraduate and Master’s degree programs at state or state-recognized universities in Germany.

Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the program is designed for academically strong professionals who have relevant work experience and want to gain advanced qualifications that can contribute to the development of their home countries.

The EPOS program includes a wide range of development-related Master’s and postgraduate courses covering areas such as economics, environmental sciences, engineering, public health, agriculture, urban planning, development management, and other fields.

The program is based on the idea that highly qualified professionals with international networks can contribute to sustainable development in their home countries. Selected applicants receive scholarships to study eligible postgraduate programs at participating German universities and institutions.

The scholarship is not available for every Master’s program in Germany. Applicants must choose a course specifically included in the official DAAD EPOS list. For the 2027/2028 intake, DAAD has published an official list of participating courses and their individual application deadlines. Some programs have an annual intake, while others have intake cycles every two years.

Degree Level

The DAAD EPOS program primarily supports:

Master’s degrees
Postgraduate degree programs
In exceptional cases, doctoral studies

The exact degree level depends on the selected EPOS course.

Most participating programs are Master’s degrees with study durations ranging from approximately 18 to 24 months, although the overall scholarship duration can vary from 12 to 42 months depending on the selected program.

Available Subjects

The DAAD EPOS program covers postgraduate courses in a broad range of development-related disciplines.

Depending on the academic year and participating institutions, available fields can include:

Economic Sciences
Business Administration
Development Economics
Development Management
Development Cooperation
Engineering
Renewable Energy
Environmental Sciences
Natural Resources Management
Agriculture
Forestry
Urban and Regional Planning
Geography
Environmental Governance
Public Health
Medicine
Sustainable Development
Water Resources Management
Food and Nutrition
Social Sciences
Other development-related disciplines

For 2027/2028, the official DAAD course list includes programs such as Development Economics, Development Management, Hydro Science and Engineering, Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies, Agricultural Economics, Environmental Governance, Urban Management, and several other specialized Master’s programs.

Benefits

The DAAD EPOS Scholarship provides substantial financial support for successful applicants.

Depending on the applicant’s academic level and circumstances, benefits may include:

Monthly scholarship of €992 for graduates
Monthly scholarship of €1,400 for doctoral candidates
Health insurance
Accident insurance
Personal liability insurance
Travel allowance, where applicable
Monthly rent subsidy under certain conditions
Additional allowance for accompanying family members under certain conditions

The current DAAD information states that the doctoral scholarship rate is €1,400 per month from February 2026.

The scholarship duration depends on the selected postgraduate course and can range from 12 to 42 months.

Eligible Nationalities

The DAAD EPOS Scholarships are intended for graduates from eligible developing and emerging countries.
Applicants must be citizens of a country included in the official DAAD EPOS list of eligible countries.
Eligibility is therefore not based simply on being an international student. Applicants should check the current DAAD country list before applying.

Eligibility Criteria

The general EPOS eligibility requirements include:

Be a graduate from an eligible developing or emerging country.
Hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in an appropriate field.
Have an excellent academic record.
Usually have at least two years of relevant professional experience after completing the first degree.
Demonstrate development-related motivation.
Show potential to contribute to positive change in the applicant’s professional or social environment.
Meet the academic requirements of the selected postgraduate course.
Meet the language requirements of the chosen program.
Submit the application within the deadline specified by the selected course.

DAAD states that applicants should generally have completed their academic degree with above-average results, typically placing them in the upper third of their graduating class.

Applicants’ academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old.

Applicants who have been resident in Germany for more than 15 months at the application deadline generally cannot be considered for the EPOS scholarship.

Professional Experience Requirement:

Relevant professional experience is one of the key features of the EPOS program.
Applicants generally need at least two years of relevant professional experience after completing their first university degree.
The ideal EPOS applicant typically has professional experience related to development-oriented work, such as employment with a public authority, government organization, company, institution, or development-related organization.
Professional experience should be relevant to the selected postgraduate program and demonstrate how the applicant’s future studies can contribute to development in their professional or home environment.

Language Requirements:

Language requirements depend on the selected postgraduate course.
For English-taught programs, applicants must provide proof of adequate English-language proficiency according to the requirements of the individual course.
For German-taught programs, specific German-language requirements apply. DAAD notes that applicants for German-language courses generally need at least B1 German knowledge when applying because they must be able to successfully complete the required language preparation and examination before beginning their degree program.
Applicants should always check the language requirements listed by their chosen EPOS course.

Selection Criteria:

EPOS applicants are assessed on several factors, including:

Academic performance
Relevant professional experience
Quality of the application
Motivation for studying the selected course
Development-related motivation
Language skills
Suitability for the chosen postgraduate program
Potential to contribute to development after completing the program

DAAD particularly emphasizes applicants who can demonstrate that their education and professional experience are connected to development-related challenges and that they intend to use their knowledge and qualifications to contribute to positive change.

Application Procedure

One of the most important aspects of the DAAD EPOS application process is that applicants generally apply directly to the selected postgraduate course, not directly to DAAD at the initial stage.

The general process is:

Review the official list of DAAD EPOS courses.
Check whether you are eligible for the program and the selected course.
Choose up to three eligible postgraduate courses if you wish to apply to multiple programs.
Review the individual admission and scholarship requirements of each course.
Prepare the required documents.
Submit your complete application directly to the selected postgraduate course or university.
The course’s selection committee reviews applications and nominates potential DAAD scholarship candidates.
DAAD contacts candidates who have been nominated for the scholarship.
Nominated candidates upload their complete scholarship documents to the DAAD portal.
DAAD completes the final scholarship selection process.

Applications sent directly to DAAD, rather than the relevant postgraduate course, are not forwarded to the university.

Required Documents:

The exact documents vary by course, but typical EPOS application materials can include:

Completed application form
Curriculum vitae
Motivation letter
Academic transcripts
Bachelor’s degree certificate
Proof of professional experience
Language certificate
Recommendation letters, where required
Other documents requested by the selected university or course

When applying to more than one EPOS course, applicants must explain their course choices and priorities in their motivation letter.

DAAD states that applications must be complete and submitted in English or German. Individual programs may require additional documents.

Can You Apply for More Than One EPOS Course?

Applicants can apply for up to three eligible EPOS postgraduate courses.
If applying to more than one course, applicants must rank their choices by priority and explain the reasons for their selection and prioritization in their motivation letter.

Applicants should carefully review the application instructions of each selected course because individual universities may have additional requirements or procedures.

Important Dates:

There is no single application deadline for all DAAD EPOS Scholarships.
For the 2027/2028 intake, each participating postgraduate course has its own application deadline.
The official DAAD deadline list includes individual deadlines for different programs, and some courses state that applicants should follow the deadline published on the respective course website.

Therefore, applicants should: