DAAD's EPOS programme funds experienced professionals from developing and newly industrialised countries to take selected development-related Master's (and, exceptionally, PhD) courses at German universities. You apply directly to the course — never to DAAD — for up to three courses, and the course's selection committee nominates scholarship candidates to DAAD. Each course sets its own application deadline, so there is no single EPOS deadline.
Why it is notable: The single most misunderstood step is that applications sent to DAAD itself are not forwarded — the entire application goes to the course. DAAD's official deadlines list for the 2027/28 intake sends every course's deadline to "see website of the course," so the course page is the only authoritative date.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Monthly payments of EUR 992 for graduates or EUR 1,300 for doctoral candidates (EUR 1,400 beginning with February 2026), for 12–42 months depending on the programme.
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.
Monthly rent subsidy under certain circumstances.
Monthly allowance for accompanying family members under certain circumstances.
For German-taught courses: a 6-month preparatory German language course in Germany before the study course begins.
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor MastersMasters/MPhilfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for postgraduate/Master's courses, and in exceptional cases for doctoral degrees, at German universities.
Who can apply
Graduates from developing and newly industrialised countries (DAAD publishes a list of eligible countries — check the official EPOS page for the list). Applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.
Experience
At least two years of related professional experience after the first degree (Bachelor's) at the time of application. The typical holder works for a public authority or a state/private company in a developing country, engaged in planning and execution of development-policy projects.
Language Certificate
Course-dependent — for English-taught courses, IELTS or TOEFL per the course's regulations (the institutional TOEFL is not accepted); for German-taught courses, at least B1 German at application (DSH 2 / TestDaF 4 required before the course starts; DAAD funds a 6-month preparatory German course).
Other Certificates
Higher-education degree certificates and full transcripts (certified translation if not in German/English); grading-system explanation if not on the transcript; APS certificate for applicants from China.
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
Only nationals of DAAD's eligible developing/newly industrialised countries (country list published on the official EPOS page). Resident in Germany >15 months…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Eligible country
Graduate of a developing/newly industrialised country on DAAD's official eligible-country list; not resident in Germany for more than 15 months at the application deadline.
02
Degree and recency
Bachelor's (usually 4-year) in a related subject with far-above-average results (upper third); degree normally not older than six years.
03
Professional experience
At least two years of related professional experience after the first degree at the time of application; typical holders work in development-policy-relevant roles.
04
Language
Per course regulations — IELTS/TOEFL for English courses (institutional TOEFL not accepted); B1 German minimum at application for German-taught courses (DSH 2/TestDaF 4 before course start, with DAAD funding a 6-month preparatory course).
05
Motivation
Letter of Motivation proving development-related motivation and the expectation to take on social responsibility and drive change in the home environment after the programme. One uniform letter for all chosen courses with prioritisation justified.
06
Documents
Signed checklist, EPOS form, Europass CV, employer recommendation (letterhead/stamp/current date), employment certificates, degree certificates and full transcripts, APS (China). Incomplete applications cannot be considered; applications must be in English or German.
Document checklist
01Completed and signed DAAD checklist.
02EPOS application form (typed or clearly readable), signed.
03Europass CV, reverse chronological, no unexplained gaps.
04Letter of Motivation with detailed academic, professional, and personal reasons (uniform letter for all courses, with course prioritisation justified).
05Letter of recommendation from current employer (letterhead, signature, stamp, current date).
06Employment certificates proving at least two years of relevant post-Bachelor's experience (re-employment guarantee if possible).
07Recent language proof: IELTS or TOEFL (English courses; institutional TOEFL not accepted) / German per course rules.
08Higher-education degree certificates + full transcript of records (certified translation if not in German/English; grading-system explanation if absent).
09APS Certificate (applicants from China).
Application fee
No fee — completely free (no DAAD or course application fee is stated on the official pages).
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: German national visa for study purposes (Visum zu Studienzwecken), then a residence permit for study after arrival.
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Choose up to three EPOS courses from
DAAD's official course list; note each course's own deadline and requirements on its website.
→
02
Complete the DAAD application documents
signed checklist, EPOS application form (typed/readable), Europass CV in reverse chronological order with no unexplained gaps, one Letter of Motivation with detailed academic/professional/personal reasons (if applying to
→
03
Add: employer recommendation letter (official letterhead
signature, stamp, current date, not sealed), employment certificates proving 2+ years of relevant work experience (with re-employment guarantee if possible), recent language proof (IELTS/TOEFL; no institutional TOEFL), d
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06
Suggested candidates are contacted by DAAD to
upload their complete application to the DAAD Portal — keep a copy of every document ready as PDFs.
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05
The course's selection committee suggests candidates for
a DAAD scholarship.
←
04
Send the complete application DIRECTLY to the
postgraduate course (per its website's procedure — online or email). Applications sent to DAAD are not forwarded.
↓
07
DAAD finalises the selection and informs the
suggested candidates.
→
08
Completed and signed DAAD checklist.
→
09
EPOS application form (typed or clearly readable)
signed.
↓
10
Europass CV, reverse chronological
no unexplained gaps.
Application milestones
15 Nov 2026
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official state and state-recognised German universities platform.
To the course directly. DAAD's official page states: "Applications have only to be sent to the respective course directly!" and "Applications sent to the DAAD will not be forwarded to the respective course/university."
How many courses can I apply to?
Up to three. List them in order of priority in the DAAD application forms and do not change the priorities.
When is the EPOS deadline?
There is no single deadline — it depends on the chosen study programme. Check the scholarship brochure or the website of your chosen study programme. (Confirmed example: Göttingen MSc Development Economics closes 15 November 2026 for the 2027 intake.)
What happens after I apply to the course?
A selection committee suggests potential candidates for a DAAD scholarship; suggested candidates are contacted by DAAD to upload their complete application to the DAAD Portal; DAAD then finalises the selection.
What are the monthly payments?
EUR 992/month for graduates; EUR 1,300/month for doctoral candidates (EUR 1,400 from February 2026). Plus health/accident/liability insurance payments, a travel allowance, and under certain circumstances a rent subsidy and family allowance.
I have been living in Germany for a while. Can I apply?
No — applicants who have been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline cannot be considered.
How old can my degree be?
Academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old at the time of application.
Which language certificates are accepted?
For English courses: IELTS or TOEFL per the course's regulations — the institutional TOEFL is not accepted. For German courses: at least B1 at application, DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the course starts.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
Germany · state and state-recognised German universities