DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS)

About the Scholarship

EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) is one of DAAD's main scholarship programmes for graduates and young professionals from developing and emerging economies. It funds master's and, in some cases, doctoral study at German universities in fields relevant to development, such as public policy, economics, agriculture, engineering, and public health.

Applicants apply directly to one of the DAAD-listed postgraduate courses. Each course runs its own selection and recommends candidates to DAAD, which then confirms the award. Funding includes a monthly stipend, insurance cover, and a travel allowance, with an optional rent or family supplement.

Since 1987 the programme has awarded more than 7,000 scholarships. Because every course sets its own deadline, applicants should check the specific listing in the DAAD scholarship database rather than relying on a single programme-wide date.

Country eligibility is subject to the provider's published requirements, checked on 12 September 2026.

What It Covers

Tuition
Living stipend
Health insurance
Travel
Housing

Monthly stipend of €992 for master's students and €1,400 for doctoral candidates, health, accident, and liability insurance, a travel allowance, and where applicable a rent subsidy and family allowance. Most EPOS courses at public universities charge no tuition.

Eligibility

A bachelor's degree (usually four years) completed no more than six years before applying, results in the top third of the class, and normally at least two years of relevant professional experience. Applicants may not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the time of application.

Eligible Countries

Applicants from the developing countries and territories on the eligibility list linked by DAAD for EPOS. At least two years of relevant professional experience and the other course-specific requirements are also required.

🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇱 Albania🇦🇲 Armenia🇦🇴 Angola🇦🇷 Argentina🇦🇿 Azerbaijan🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina🇧🇩 Bangladesh🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇧🇮 Burundi🇧🇯 Benin🇧🇴 Bolivia🇧🇷 Brazil🇧🇹 Bhutan🇧🇼 Botswana🇧🇾 Belarus🇧🇿 Belize🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire🇨🇲 Cameroon🇨🇳 China🇨🇴 Colombia🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇨🇺 Cuba🇨🇻 Cape Verde🇩🇯 Djibouti🇩🇲 Dominica🇩🇴 Dominican Republic🇩🇿 Algeria🇪🇨 Ecuador🇪🇬 Egypt🇪🇷 Eritrea🇪🇹 Ethiopia🇫🇯 Fiji🇫🇲 Micronesia🇬🇦 Gabon🇬🇩 Grenada🇬🇪 Georgia🇬🇭 Ghana🇬🇲 The Gambia🇬🇳 Guinea🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea🇬🇹 Guatemala🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau🇬🇾 Guyana🇭🇳 Honduras🇭🇹 Haiti🇮🇩 Indonesia🇮🇳 India🇮🇶 Iraq🇮🇷 Iran🇯🇲 Jamaica🇯🇴 Jordan🇰🇪 Kenya🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan🇰🇭 Cambodia🇰🇮 Kiribati🇰🇲 Comoros🇰🇵 North Korea🇰🇿 Kazakhstan🇱🇦 Laos🇱🇧 Lebanon🇱🇨 St. Lucia🇱🇰 Sri Lanka🇱🇷 Liberia🇱🇸 Lesotho🇱🇾 Libya🇲🇦 Morocco🇲🇩 Moldova🇲🇪 Montenegro🇲🇬 Madagascar🇲🇭 Marshall Islands🇲🇰 North Macedonia🇲🇱 Mali🇲🇲 Myanmar🇲🇳 Mongolia🇲🇷 Mauritania🇲🇸 Montserrat🇲🇺 Mauritius🇲🇻 Maldives🇲🇼 Malawi🇲🇽 Mexico🇲🇾 Malaysia🇲🇿 Mozambique🇳🇦 Namibia🇳🇪 Niger🇳🇬 Nigeria🇳🇮 Nicaragua🇳🇵 Nepal🇳🇷 Nauru🇳🇺 Niue🇵🇦 Panama🇵🇪 Peru🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea🇵🇭 Philippines🇵🇰 Pakistan🇵🇸 Palestinian Territories🇵🇾 Paraguay🇷🇸 Serbia🇷🇼 Rwanda🇸🇧 Solomon Islands🇸🇩 Sudan🇸🇭 St. Helena🇸🇱 Sierra Leone🇸🇳 Senegal🇸🇴 Somalia🇸🇷 Suriname🇸🇸 South Sudan🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe🇸🇻 El Salvador🇸🇾 Syria🇸🇿 Eswatini🇹🇩 Chad🇹🇬 Togo🇹🇭 Thailand🇹🇯 Tajikistan🇹🇰 Tokelau🇹🇱 Timor-Leste🇹🇲 Turkmenistan🇹🇳 Tunisia🇹🇴 Tonga🇹🇷 Turkey🇹🇻 Tuvalu🇹🇿 Tanzania🇺🇦 Ukraine🇺🇬 Uganda🇺🇿 Uzbekistan🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines🇻🇪 Venezuela🇻🇳 Vietnam🇻🇺 Vanuatu🇼🇫 Wallis & Futuna🇼🇸 Samoa🇽🇰 Kosovo🇾🇪 Yemen🇿🇦 South Africa🇿🇲 Zambia🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

How to Apply

Apply directly to up to three EPOS-listed postgraduate courses in order of priority, following each course's own application process. The host university's selection committee recommends candidates to DAAD, which makes the final award through the DAAD portal. Deadlines are set per course and mostly fall between August and March.

Application Routes and Dates

EPOS course application

Check provider

Timing source · Checked 2026-09-12