DAAD Scholarships (nationwide)

What the funding covers

• A monthly stipend of €992 for master's students. For doctoral candidates, DAAD's EPOS call gives €1,400 a month from February 2026 (up from €1,300), while its general overview still lists €1,300, so check the call for your programme.
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance, and a travel allowance.
• On the Study Scholarships for master's programmes: an annual study allowance of €460, plus a rent subsidy and family allowances on application.
• Funded German language courses before or during your studies, with the TestDaF or DSH exam fee refunded.
• Tuition is not paid by DAAD, but most public universities in Germany charge none.

What you will still pay

Who can apply

• Each DAAD programme has its own country list. If your country is not listed in the call, you cannot apply to that programme.
• Study Scholarships (master's): a completed first degree by the time funding starts, a degree no more than six years old at the application deadline, and no more than 15 months' residence in Germany at the deadline. Funding must begin in 2027.
• EPOS development-related postgraduate courses: graduates from eligible developing countries, usually with a four-year bachelor's and at least two years' professional experience after the degree.
• Doctoral grants are open to candidates from nearly all countries; full doctoral programmes focus on developing and emerging countries.

Documents you will need

• CV (max three pages, reverse chronological for EPOS)
• Letter of motivation (one to three pages)
• Letter of admission to your German master's programme (if it hasn't arrived when you apply, send it before funding starts); for EPOS you apply directly to the course instead
• Transcript of records and university degree certificate
• Language certificate (no older than three years, matching the programme's language of instruction)
• Recommendation letter from a university teacher (master's) or current employer (EPOS)
• For EPOS: completed checklist, application form and certificate(s) of employment showing at least two years' experience

How to apply

1. Search the DAAD scholarship database (funding-guide.de) with your nationality, level and subject, and open the call for the programme that fits.
2. Read the call's country-specific deadline; it differs by country and, for EPOS, by course. Study Scholarships funding usually starts on 1 October 2027.
3. Prepare a CV (up to three pages), a one-to-three-page motivation letter, transcripts, degree certificate, language certificate (no older than three years) and one recommendation letter from a university teacher.
4. Submit through the DAAD portal as PDFs, or, for EPOS, directly to the university course as its call instructs (up to three courses, ranked by priority).
5. Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed; funding for master's study usually starts on 1 October 2027.

Before you apply: things to know

• DAAD is many programmes, not one scholarship. Applying to the wrong call is the most common mistake.
• Each programme's call sets its own deadline, often about a year before funding starts, so check yours in the DAAD database.
• DAAD never charges application fees and never contacts applicants through social media. See our guide to spotting scholarship scams.
• EPOS applications go through the individual course, which sets its own deadline; applications sent to DAAD directly will not be forwarded.

Common questions