Fully-funded DAAD EPOS Scholarships for Masters and PhD

DAAD EPOS Scholarships

Fully-funded DAAD EPOS Scholarships for Master's and PhD

The DAAD EPOS Scholarship is currently accepting applications for the next cohort from interested and qualified applicants from selected countries into selected programmes. This post contains information and a guide on how to apply. 

Main Objectives of the Scholarship

The DAAD initiative aims to train specialists from developing and industrialised countries around the globe. For the sustainable development of countries, local partners who are networked with international partners play an important role. They are the best guarantee for a better future with less poverty, more education, and better health for all. Therefore, these scholarships provide international graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries in all disciplines to pursue a postgraduate or Master's degree at a state or state-recognised German university, or in exceptional cases, a doctoral degree and obtain a university qualification (Master's/PhD) in Germany.

What does the DAAD EPOS Scholarship cover? 

• Under certain circumstances, scholarship holders may receive the following additional benefits:

1. Monthly rent subsidy
2. Monthly allowance for accompanying members of a family

• Depending on academic level, monthly payments of 992 euros for graduates or 1,300 euros for doctoral candidates
• Payments towards health, accident, and personal liability insurance cover
• Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding

Programmes that can be funded:

Individual scholarships exclusively for Postgraduate courses in Germany that are listed on the website by Clicking Here

The programmes that the scholarship covers are as follows: 

A. Economic Sciences/Business Administration/Political Economics

• Master's Programme in International and Development Economics 
• MSc Development Economics
• Small Enterprise Promotion and Training 

B. Development Cooperation

• Development Management 
• Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security 
• Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) (formerly ZEF Doctoral Studies Program) 
• Sustainable Development Management 
• PHD Programme Resource Nexus for Sustainability Transformations“ (NEXtra)

C. Engineering and Related Sciences

• Hydro Science and Engineering
• Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology
• Master of Engineering in "Sustainable Energy and Development" (SEDev) (formerly EEM)
• Water Resources and Environmental Management - WATENV
• Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies SuRE
• Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics
• Air Quality Control, Solid Waste and Waste Water Process Engineering (WASTE)
• Natural Hazards and Risks in  Structural Engineering - NHRE

D. Regional and Urban Planning

• Urban Management - UM
• SPRING - Regional Development Planning and Management
• Master of Science Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design –  IUSD

E. Agricultural and Forest Sciences

• Tropical Forestry
• IPPAE: International PHD Program in Agricultural Economics, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Food Systems (Giessen)
• IPPAE: International PHD Program Agricultural Economics, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Food Systems (Hohenheim)
• Agricultural Economics - AgEcon

F. Natural and Environmental Sciences

• M.SC. Marine Biology - International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology (ISATEC)
• Tropical Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering – M.Sc. TropHEE
• Environmental Governance - MEG
• Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation - LENC
• Natural Resources Management and Development (NRM)/ Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)/ Renewable Energy Management (REM)
• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
• Environment and Resources Management (ENREM)– Focus Latin America

G. Medicine/Public Health

• Master of Science in International Health (Berlin)
• Master of Science in Global Urban Health
• Master of Science in International Health (Heidelberg)
• Global Health
• PhD Medical Research – International Health (PhD Program) 

H. Social Sciences, Education, and Law

• Vocational Education and Personnel Capacity Building
• International Education Management – INEMA
• Master of Laws in Intellectual Property and Competition Law

I. Media Studies 

International Media Studies

Recommended: 

1.  University of Auckland International Students Excellence Scholarship in New Zealand
2. Fully Funded McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill University
3. Achieve by Petra Scholarships for Undergraduate Students in Ghana (Fully-funded)
4. Fully-funded PhD Scholarships at Makerere University for 2025/2026

Scholarship Requirements

The Typical Scholarship Holder Should:

• Possesses a bachelor's degree in a comparable field, which typically takes four years.
• Has at least two years of relevant professional experience following the first degree (bachelor) at the time of application, and has earned an academic degree with significantly above-average results (upper third).
• Works for a state, private enterprise, or public authority in a developing nation. As a result, they are involved in the planning and implementation of projects and directives with a focus on development policies that affect technological, economic, or social areas.
• Generally speaking, his or her degrees shouldn't be older than six years.
• Candidates who meet the academic prerequisites will likely succeed in their study program in Germany (above-average initial academic exam score, top third-grade performance, language proficiency).
• Following their training or scholarship, candidates are required to assume social responsibility, start and support processes of change in their personal and professional environments, and demonstrate that their motivation is development-related.

Duration of the funding

12 to 42 months (dependent on study programme)

Documents Needed for the Applicants: 

Required documents (in the following order):

1. Completed and signed checklist
2. EPOS application form (please type your answers or make sure they are easy to read)
3. A curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order without any unexplained gaps (please use the Europass template, including exact information about your studies, and on practical experience
4. One Letter of Motivation with detailed reference to academic, professional, and personal reasons for applying for the programme.

Who can apply for the DAAD Scholarship?

Graduates with at least two years' professional experience from the following countries: list of eligible countries

IMPORTANT: When applying for more than one postgraduate course (maximum 3 courses), please also give detailed reasons for your choice of courses and prioritisation in the letter of motivation. Please submit a uniform letter of motivation to all postgraduate degree programmes of your choice.

5. Letter of recommendation from your current employer; the letter must include official letterhead, signature, and official stamp and must be of the current date (not in a sealed envelope)

6. Certificate(s) of Employment from the employer(s) showing at least two years of relevant work experience after the Bachelor's degree up to the time of application and if possible, a guarantee of re-employment from your current employer upon returning home. The certificate of employment from the current employer should, if possible, include a guarantee of re-employment after returning to the home country.

7. Proof of Language Skills:

• English – IELTS or TOEFL (Note: The institutional TOEFL is not accepted)
• German – required for courses taught in German

8. Copies of your higher education degree certificates. Please provide a certified translation if the original is not in German or English, and make sure these are clearly legible.

9. Copy of your full set of transcripts of records. Please provide an explanation of the grading system if this is not part of the transcript.

10. Applicants from the People’s Republic of China are asked to submit an APS Certificate with their application documents.

Language Requirements:

For study courses in German (the scholarship includes a preparatory 6-month German language course in Germany): Before beginning the study course, students must pass the DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 language exam. As a result, a minimum German language level of B1 at the time of application is required, which must be demonstrated by submitting a current certificate.

It is not possible to pass the requisite German language courses (DSH or TestDaF) without prior basic knowledge of the German language (at least B1 level), even with a six-month intensive training in Germany. Passing the language test is a formal requirement for enrollment at the relevant German university.

For English classes, proof of appropriate language skills is required, in accordance with the course regulations. For more information, visit the corresponding course description on the following websites.

Important Deadlines:

Depending on the chosen study programme, please check the scholarship brochure or the website of your chosen study programme.

Please Note That:

• Applications submitted to the DAAD will not be forwarded to the corresponding course/university.
• Applications must be sent directly to the respective course! Please visit their websites for information on the application procedure (e.g., online application), application deadline, and required documents.

• You may apply for up to three courses. If you are applying to more than one course, please specify them in order of priority in the DAAD application forms (see 7. Choice of host university/institution in Germany) and do not change the priorities in the relevant application form!

formation, please see the relevant course description in the Brochure and on the respective websites.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

• When applying for several postgraduate courses (up to three), you must submit a single motivation letter stating why you are applying for these specific courses and why you chose that priority. If this information is ignored, the application will not be considered, and any previously awarded scholarships may be withdrawn.
• Applications that are incomplete cannot be considered.
• Complete applications must be submitted in English or German to be evaluated.
• Please check with the requirements of the University whether certified copies are required.
• Apply directly to the chosen study programme
• Make sure that you have a copy of each document of your application ready, as those documents (as PDF files) have to be uploaded to the DAAD Portal in case you are selected for a DAAD scholarship. 

How The Application and Selection Procedure Works:

Step 1: You send your complete application(s) directly to the according postgraduate course.

Step 2: A selection committee suggests potential candidates for a DAAD scholarship.

Step 3: The suggested candidates will be contacted by DAAD to upload their complete application to the DAAD Portal.

Step 4: The selection process will be finalized, and the suggested candidates will be informed accordingly.

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