DAAD EPOS Scholarship (Germany)
A fully funded Master's in Germany for working professionals — and open to every African country, including those the UK has closed.
Offered by DAAD — German Academic Exchange Service
EPOS is DAAD's scholarship for people from developing countries who already work in their field and want a Master's in Germany that is tied to real development work. It pays a monthly allowance, insurance and your flights, and German public universities charge little or no tuition to begin with. Two things work differently here. First, there is no single deadline — every course sets its own, and you must check the course's own page. Second, you do not apply to DAAD. You apply directly to the course, and if the course selects you, it puts your name forward to DAAD. An application sent to DAAD instead of the course is simply not forwarded. One more thing worth knowing: because this is Germany and not the UK, Cameroonians and Sudanese — who cannot currently get a UK student visa — are eligible for this scholarship.
There is no single DAAD deadline — each course sets its own date, mostly between July and October
Do not wait for a DAAD deadline, because there isn't one. Open the official course list below, find the courses you want, and use the deadline printed on each course's own website. Many EPOS courses close between July and October for study starting the following year, and some run only every two years — so check whether your course has an intake at all before you plan around it.
Details checked against the official source on 13 August 2026. Rules change every year — always confirm on the official page before you apply.
TontonAfriJobs is not connected to this scholarship and never charges any fee. You can apply yourself, for free, using the steps below. Nobody needs to apply on your behalf.
Fully funded
Masters, Phd
There is no single DAAD deadline — each course sets its own date, mostly between July and October
At least 2 years after your bachelor's degree
IELTS or TOEFL for English courses; at least B1 German for German courses
Competitive
What the scholarship pays for
What you still pay for yourself
Find your country
Every African country is on the OECD list DAAD uses, so nationality is not the barrier here — your work experience and your grades are. This includes Cameroon and Sudan, whose citizens cannot currently get a UK student visa: Germany is unaffected by that UK rule, so these scholarships remain fully open to you.
Don't see your country? Eligibility can change each year — check the official country list.
Can I apply?
You need to be able to tick every box below. Each one links to the official page that states the rule.
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You are a citizen of a country on the OECD DAC developing-countries list. Every African country is on it. Official country list (PDF)
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You hold a bachelor's degree, normally from a four-year course, in a subject related to the Master's you want. Application requirements
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Your results were far above average — DAAD says the top third of your class. This is one of the stricter academic bars among the big scholarships. Selection criteria
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You have at least two years of related professional work experience, gained AFTER your bachelor's degree, at the time you apply. Who can apply
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Your degree should normally be no more than six years old. If you graduated long ago, check with the course before applying. Application requirements
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You have NOT been living in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline. If you have, you cannot be considered. Residency rule
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You can show your motivation is development-related — that you intend to use the degree to change something at home, not simply to move abroad. What DAAD looks for
How to apply, step by step
Do these in order. Every step links to the exact official page you need — you never have to guess, and you never need an agent.
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1
Open the official course list and pick your courses
This PDF is the master list of every course EPOS will fund, with the university, the teaching language, the degree and how long it lasts. Subjects range from Development Economics and Agricultural Economics to Renewable Energy, Hydro Science, Urban Management, Tropical Forestry and Global Health. Choose up to three.
Official course list (PDF) -
2
Go to each course's own website and find its deadline
The DAAD list tells you the course and university; the course's own page tells you the deadline, the documents and how to submit. Write each deadline down — they are all different, and the earliest one governs your planning.
Find your course -
3
Check you meet the two-year work rule before going further
The experience must come after your bachelor's degree and be related to what you want to study. If you do not have two years yet, note the date you will, and plan for that year's intake instead of applying early and being rejected.
Who can apply -
4
Take your English test — the correct version of it
Most EPOS courses are taught in English and want IELTS or TOEFL. DAAD does not accept the Institutional TOEFL, so make sure you book the official test. If your course is taught in German you need B1 German proven at application.
Book IELTS -
5
Gather your documents and get translations done early
You need the DAAD application form, the signed checklist, your degree certificates and your full transcripts. Anything not already in German or English needs a certified translation, and if your transcript does not explain your grading system, you must add that explanation yourself.
Required documents -
6
Send your application to the course — never to DAAD
Submit directly to each course, following its own procedure. Applications sent to DAAD are not passed on. If you applied for more than one course, keep your priority order identical on every form.
Application procedure -
7
If the course selects you, upload to the DAAD Portal
The course's selection committee proposes candidates to DAAD. Only then does DAAD contact you to upload your full application to their portal, where the final decision is made. Note the portal works poorly on phones — use a computer.
DAAD Portal
Papers you need to prepare
Start gathering these early — some take weeks to get.
The completed and signed DAAD checklist
Must be the first document, in the order DAAD specifies.
The EPOS application form
If applying to more than one course, keep your course priority order identical on every form.
IELTS or TOEFL certificate
For English-taught courses. The Institutional TOEFL is NOT accepted.
Proof of B1 German
Only for German-taught courses — a current certificate is required at application.
Your degree certificates
Certified translation needed if not in German or English, and they must be clearly legible.
Full transcript of records
If your transcript does not explain the grading system, include a separate explanation.
Proof of at least 2 years of work experience
Must be after your bachelor's and related to the course.
English test — which one to take
An English test proves you can study in English. You take it at a test centre (or sometimes at home), pay a fee, and receive a score. Book directly on the official website below — never pay an agent to book it for you.
IELTS Academic
For EPOS courses taught in English — which is most of them. Each course sets its own minimum score.
Check your specific course's required score before booking, since EPOS courses differ.
TOEFL iBT
Also accepted for English-taught courses. IMPORTANT: DAAD does not accept the Institutional TOEFL — it must be the official test.
If a test centre offers you a cheaper "institutional" TOEFL, do not take it for this application — DAAD will reject it.
TestDaF or DSH (German)
Only for courses taught in German. You need B1 German proven at application, then DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the course starts.
DAAD says plainly that you cannot pass DSH or TestDaF starting from zero German. Reach B1 first — the funded 6-month course takes you from there, not from nothing. Deutsche Welle teaches German free, from beginner to B1, which is exactly the level you need before applying.
Choosing your Master's course
This is the part most people get wrong. There are two separate applications: one to Chevening for the money, and one to each university for your place. Chevening does not apply to universities for you. If you never get a university offer, the scholarship is cancelled — so start the university applications early, not after you hear from Chevening.
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1
Only courses on DAAD's official EPOS list can be funded. A German Master's that is not on this list cannot be paid for by this scholarship, however good it is.
Official page -
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You may apply for up to THREE courses. If you do, you must list them in order of priority on the DAAD forms — and never change that order between forms.
Official page -
3
Send your application to the COURSE, not to DAAD. DAAD states plainly that applications sent to them are not forwarded to the university.
Official page -
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Each course sets its own deadline and its own document list. Read the course's own website — the DAAD list gives you the course and university, then you go to their page.
Official page -
5
Some EPOS courses only admit students every two years. Check the intake year before building your plans around a course.
Official page -
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Your whole application must be written in English or German. Incomplete applications are not considered at all — there is no chance to fix them later.
Official page
Questions people ask
What is the deadline for the DAAD EPOS scholarship?
There is no single deadline for the DAAD EPOS scholarship. Each EPOS course sets its own application deadline, and you must take it from that course's own website. Most EPOS deadlines fall between July and October for study beginning the following year. DAAD publishes a list of all EPOS courses with their deadlines, which is the only reliable place to check.
Do I apply to DAAD or to the university for an EPOS scholarship?
You apply to the course at the German university, not to DAAD. DAAD states that applications sent to them are not forwarded to the course. The course's selection committee then proposes candidates to DAAD, and only at that point does DAAD ask you to upload your application to the DAAD Portal.
Can Cameroonians and Sudanese apply for DAAD scholarships?
Yes. Cameroon and Sudan are both on the OECD DAC list that DAAD uses, so their citizens are eligible for DAAD EPOS scholarships. The UK rule that blocks Cameroonian and Sudanese nationals from obtaining a UK student visa from 26 March 2026 does not apply to Germany, which makes DAAD one of the strongest remaining routes for applicants from those two countries.
How much does the DAAD EPOS scholarship pay per month?
The DAAD EPOS scholarship pays €992 per month for Master's students and €1,400 per month for doctoral candidates, the doctoral rate having risen from €1,300 in February 2026. It also covers health, accident and personal liability insurance and a travel allowance, and may add a rent subsidy and a family allowance depending on your circumstances.
How much work experience do I need for a DAAD EPOS scholarship?
You need at least two years of related professional work experience gained after your bachelor's degree, held at the time you apply. DAAD also expects your bachelor's degree to normally be no more than six years old, and your results to be in the top third of your class.
Do I need to speak German for a DAAD scholarship?
Not for most EPOS courses, which are taught in English and require IELTS or TOEFL instead. If you choose a German-taught course, you must already prove at least B1 German when you apply, and reach DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the course starts. DAAD includes a funded six-month German course, but states that you cannot pass DSH or TestDaF starting from no German at all.
Is a German Master's free for African students?
Most public universities in Germany charge no tuition fee for a Master's degree, including for African students — you normally pay only a small semester contribution. This is why the DAAD EPOS scholarship focuses on paying your living costs, insurance and flights rather than tuition, and why studying in Germany can be cheaper than the UK even without a scholarship.
Tips that genuinely improve your chances
- Start from the official course list, not from a course you already like. If it is not on the EPOS list, this scholarship cannot pay for it.
- Apply to all three courses you are allowed. Each has its own committee, so three chances is meaningfully better than one.
- Book the official TOEFL, never the Institutional TOEFL — DAAD rejects the institutional version outright.
- Get certified translations of your certificates weeks in advance. This is where most applications stall.
- Write about a concrete development problem you have already worked on. EPOS is explicitly for people who will go back and change something.
- If you have lived in Germany for more than 15 months, stop — you are not eligible, and no amount of preparation changes that.
Protect yourself from scams
DAAD scholarships are free to apply for. You apply directly to the German course and, if selected, through the official DAAD Portal at portal.daad.de. DAAD never charges an application fee and no agent can nominate you or improve your chances. Anyone selling a "DAAD application service" or a guaranteed place is taking your money for something you can do yourself.
Ready to apply?
Applications are made directly on the official website — it is free, and you do it yourself.
Where this information came from
- https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?detail=50076777
- https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/in-deutschland-studieren-forschen-lehren/daad_epos_deadlines.pdf
- https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/in-deutschland-studieren-forschen-lehren/dac_laenderliste_epos.pdf
- https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/pdfs_nicht_barrierefrei/in-deutschland-studieren-forschen-lehren/epos_faq_en.pdf
- https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/daad-scholarships/