Germany DAAD EPOS Scholarships 2027–2028 With Application Deadlines: New Process

International graduates from eligible developing and newly industrialized countries can now prepare for the DAAD EPOS Scholarships 2027–2028, but they must apply directly to one of the approved postgraduate courses—not through a single central DAAD application.

DAAD has released its official list of Development-Related Postgraduate Courses for the 2027–2028 intake. The available programmes cover development economics, engineering, public health, renewable energy, environmental sciences, urban planning, agriculture and international education.

Applicants should notice one important change: DAAD’s June 2026 deadline document does not provide one universal application deadline. Candidates must follow the scholarship deadline published by their selected university or postgraduate course.

Who Can Apply for DAAD EPOS 2027–2028?

You may apply if you hold a relevant bachelor’s degree, have at least two years of related professional experience after graduation and come from an eligible country. Your academic record should normally place you in the upper third of your graduating class.

• Your bachelor’s degree must be relevant to the selected EPOS course.
• Your most recent academic degree should normally be no more than six years old.
• You must demonstrate development-related motivation and a willingness to contribute to your home country.
• You cannot normally qualify if you have lived in Germany for more than 15 months by the application deadline.
• Your professional experience must be supported by employment certificates.

EPOS does not impose a general age limit. However, the six-year degree rule and the admission requirements of the selected university can still affect your eligibility.

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What Does the DAAD EPOS Scholarship Cover?

EPOS is a fully funded scholarship providing a monthly stipend, insurance and travel support for the standard duration of the selected postgraduate course.

• €992 per month for master’s and postgraduate scholarship holders;
• €1,400 per month for doctoral candidates;
• Payments towards health, accident and personal-liability insurance;
• A travel allowance unless the expense is covered by another funding source;
• A possible monthly rent subsidy;
• A possible allowance for accompanying family members.

Funding normally lasts between 12 and 42 months, depending on the programme. DAAD’s EPOS FAQ states that scholarship holders do not pay tuition fees, although universities may still charge semester registration or enrolment contributions.

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DAAD EPOS Courses Still Available for the 2027–2028 Intake

The following EPOS courses still have upcoming application deadlines for the 2027–2028 intake. Programmes whose confirmed scholarship deadlines had already passed by 17 September 2026 have been removed. Applicants must complete a final check on the relevant university website before applying.

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Is IELTS Mandatory for DAAD EPOS Scholarships?

There is no single IELTS score applying to every EPOS course. English-taught programmes determine their own IELTS or TOEFL minimum scores. DAAD identifies IELTS and TOEFL as standard forms of English evidence, but applicants must verify the accepted tests, minimum scores and certificate-validity rules of their selected programme.

Institutional TOEFL is generally not accepted under the central EPOS requirements. However, whether a Medium of Instruction certificate or another form of English evidence can be used is decided by the individual postgraduate course.

For German-taught programmes, applicants normally need at least B1 German when applying and must later pass DSH 2 or TestDaF level 4 before enrolment. A preparatory German-language course may be included in the scholarship.

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Documents Required for DAAD EPOS Applications

Every applicant must prepare the central EPOS documents as well as any additional material requested by the selected university.

• Completed and signed EPOS application checklist;
• Completed DAAD application form;
• Europass CV in reverse chronological order without unexplained gaps;
• One development-focused motivation letter;
• Current employer’s recommendation on official letterhead with a signature and official stamp;
• Employment certificates proving at least two relevant years after the bachelor’s degree;
• IELTS, TOEFL or other language evidence accepted by the course;
• Higher-education degree certificates and complete academic transcripts;
• Certified translations if the original documents are not in German or English;
• APS certificate for applicants from the People’s Republic of China;
• Any additional documents required by the chosen postgraduate programme.

If you apply to more than one EPOS course, you may choose a maximum of three. You must submit the same motivation letter to each programme and explain why you selected those courses and placed them in that particular order.

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How Do You Apply for DAAD EPOS Scholarships 2027–2028?

You must initially submit your complete scholarship application directly to the selected postgraduate course or university. Applications sent to DAAD at the first stage will not be forwarded to the relevant university.

1. Select up to three courses from the official 2027–2028 EPOS list.
2. Check the academic, professional and language requirements of every selected course.
3. Confirm the current scholarship deadline on the programme’s official website.
4. Rank your selected courses consistently in the DAAD application form.
5. Prepare one motivation letter explaining your course choices and their order of priority.
6. Submit a separate and complete application directly to each selected university.
7. Wait for the university selection committee to assess the applications.
8. If nominated, follow DAAD’s instructions to upload your documents to the DAAD portal.

You do not need to secure admission before requesting EPOS consideration. The participating postgraduate course normally considers your academic admission and scholarship application together before nominating candidates to DAAD.

Applicants should use the official DAAD EPOS scholarship database to review the central requirements and download the required forms.

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Important DAAD EPOS Deadline Guidance

Most remaining DAAD EPOS applications for courses beginning in 2027 close between 1 October and 15 December 2026. Candidates should not wait for one central DAAD deadline because every participating course controls its own application window.

• The SEPT MBA deadline is 1 October 2026.
• Several engineering, environmental and health programmes close between 10 and 31 October 2026.
• AgEcon and the Bonn/UNU environmental-risks programme are expected to close on 15 December 2026.
• ENREM remains available until 31 January 2027.
• INEMA will accept applications from 2 January to 15 March 2027.
• Development Management at Ruhr University Bochum has a deadline of 30 September 2027 because its next intake begins in 2028.

DAAD’s central deadline sheet labels the individual closing dates as “see website of the course.” Therefore, the date displayed by the participating university must be treated as final if it differs from a deadline shown in this article.

Before applying, review the official DAAD EPOS 2027–2028 course list and the official EPOS frequently asked questions.

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