DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2027–2028 for Africans: Courses, Deadlines and How to Apply

The DAAD EPOS scholarship 2027–2028 round funds development-related postgraduate courses in Germany for professionals from the Global South. There is no single central deadline. You apply to the university course itself, and each programme sets its own closing date for the October 2027 intake.

This guide explains who qualifies, what the scholarship pays, how the multi-step selection works, and which example courses are still open or opening soon. All facts come from the official DAAD EPOS page and the university programme pages, checked on 6 November 2026.

What the DAAD EPOS scholarship 2027–2028 is

EPOS stands for Development-Related Postgraduate Courses. DAAD uses the programme to train specialists who will return home and support sustainable development. Funding is limited to courses on DAAD’s official EPOS list for the 2027/2028 intake. Typical fields include development economics, agricultural economics, environmental governance, water and energy management, urban planning, public health and related subjects.

You do not send a free-standing application to DAAD first. You apply to up to three listed courses. Each course’s selection committee may nominate candidates; DAAD then invites nominees to upload their files to the DAAD Portal and makes the final scholarship decision.

Who can apply: eligibility in plain English

According to DAAD, a typical EPOS scholarship holder:

• comes from a country on the DAC list of developing and newly industrialised countries used for EPOS (confirm your country on the official DAAD country list before you apply)
• holds a Bachelor’s degree (usually a four-year course) in a relevant subject
• finished that degree with far above-average results (upper third)
• has at least two years of related professional experience after the Bachelor’s at the time of application
• can show a development-related motivation and plans to take on social responsibility after the scholarship
• has an academic degree that is normally not more than six years old
• has not been resident in Germany for longer than 15 months at the application deadline

Hohenheim’s AgEcon page adds an important practical note: teaching or research jobs at a university or research institute are usually not counted as relevant work experience for EPOS, except in rare cases. Employment in a public authority, state or private company working on development-related projects is the profile DAAD describes.

Language rules depend on the course. For German-taught programmes you normally need at least German B1 at application, with DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 required before studies start (DAAD funds a six-month preparatory German course). For English-taught programmes, follow the course’s IELTS or TOEFL rules. DAAD states that institutional TOEFL is not accepted.

What the scholarship covers

From the official DAAD EPOS value list:

• monthly payments of €992 for graduates on Master’s programmes
• monthly payments of €1,300 for doctoral candidates (€1,400 beginning February 2026)
• payments toward health, accident and personal liability insurance
• a travel allowance, unless another source already covers travel
• under certain conditions, a monthly rent subsidy and/or a monthly allowance for accompanying family members

Course fees and the exact length of funding (12 to 42 months) depend on the programme. Some universities, such as Hohenheim for AgEcon, also waive tuition for EPOS scholars and include the pre-sessional German course.

Example courses and deadlines still relevant in November 2026

Always open DAAD’s “List of all Postgraduate courses with application deadlines 2027/2028” and the university page, because dates differ. Two concrete examples checked on official university sites on 6 November 2026:

Other EPOS courses for 2027/2028 cover energy, water, environment, urban management, forestry, public health and more. Some earlier deadlines (often August–October 2026) have already passed. If your preferred course is closed, check whether it runs every year or every two years, and prepare for the next cycle.

How to apply, step by step

1. Confirm your country and work experience. Check the DAC/EPOS country list and make sure you will have two full years of relevant post-Bachelor work by the course deadline.
2. Pick up to three courses from the official 2027/2028 EPOS list that match your degree and career plan. Rank them clearly; DAAD says you must not change that priority later.
3. Read each course page for its own portal, extra documents and English/German scores.
4. Apply directly to each course before its deadline. Do not email a cold application to DAAD headquarters; DAAD will not forward it.
5. Use one motivation letter if you apply to more than one course. Explain why each programme fits and why you ranked them that way.
6. If a course nominates you, wait for DAAD’s invitation to upload the same documents as PDFs to the DAAD Portal. Keep copies of everything.
7. Complete any interview the university requests (Göttingen uses short virtual interviews for shortlisted EPOS candidates).

DAAD’s official selection steps are: (1) you apply to the course, (2) the course suggests candidates, (3) DAAD contacts nominees for Portal upload, (4) DAAD finalises the award.

Required documents

DAAD’s standard EPOS pack (submit in English or German; incomplete files are not considered) includes:

• completed and signed checklist
• EPOS application form (typed or clearly readable)
• curriculum vitae in reverse chronological order with no unexplained gaps (Europass template)
• one letter of motivation with academic, professional and personal reasons; include course priorities if applying to more than one programme
• letter of recommendation from your current employer on official letterhead, with signature, stamp and current date
• certificate(s) of employment proving at least two years of relevant work after the Bachelor’s, ideally with a re-employment guarantee
• recent proof of language skills (IELTS or TOEFL for English; German certificate for German-taught courses)
• copies of higher education degree certificates (certified translation if not in German or English)
• full transcript of records, with an explanation of the grading system if needed
• APS certificate for applicants from the People’s Republic of China (and some courses also require APS for India or Vietnam — check the course page)

Individual courses may ask for extra items. Hohenheim, for example, also wants a university entrance qualification and, if your GPA looks low on the German scale, a ranking letter proving you were in the top half of your class.

Tips and common mistakes

• Start with the course deadline, not a blog date. EPOS has dozens of dates. Put every target programme in a calendar with a one-week buffer.
• Do not invent “relevant” experience. Internships and voluntary work alone usually do not meet DAAD’s two-year professional rule. Align your CV dates with your employment certificates.
• Write a development story, not a tourism essay. Name the problem you work on, what you have already done, and how the German degree will help you change practice at home.
• Keep one consistent motivation letter across all courses, with an explicit ranking. Changing priorities between forms can get an application thrown out or an award withdrawn.
• Apply early in the window. Göttingen rejects late files regardless of reason. Portals also slow down near the last day.
• Prepare language scores in time. Institutional TOEFL is not accepted. Book a recognised test weeks before the deadline.

FAQs

Is there one DAAD EPOS deadline for 2027–2028?
No. Each listed course sets its own deadline. Always check the course website and DAAD’s 2027/2028 course list.

Can Nigerians, Kenyans, Ghanaians or South Africans apply?
Many African countries appear on the DAC list used for EPOS, but you must confirm your own country on DAAD’s official list for this programme before applying.

Can I apply with less than two years of work experience?
No. DAAD requires at least two years of related professional experience after the Bachelor’s at the time of application.

Do I apply to DAAD or to the university?
Apply to the university course first. DAAD only contacts you if the course nominates you for the scholarship.

How many courses can I choose?
Up to three. Rank them and keep the same order everywhere.

When do studies usually start?
Most EPOS Master’s programmes start in the winter semester (October). A preparatory German course often runs in August–September.

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• Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po 2027
• ARES Scholarships 2027–2028 in Belgium

Disclaimer: OpportunityHanger is not the DAAD or any German university. We do not charge fees to apply, and we do not process applications. Always follow the official DAAD and university instructions. Programme rules and deadlines can change; confirm details on the official pages before you submit.