DAAD Scholarship 2027: Eligibility, Deadlines & How to Apply

By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026

The DAAD Scholarship, run by the German Academic Exchange Service, is one of the world’s largest funders of international study — awarding over 10,000 scholarships a year. Its development-focused programmes help graduates from developing and newly industrialised countries earn a master’s, and in some cases a PhD, at a state or state-recognised German university.

Because many German master’s programmes charge little or no tuition and the DAAD grant covers living costs on top, Germany is one of the most affordable high-quality study destinations in the world. This guide explains what’s included, who qualifies, how the deadlines work, and how to apply.

What the DAAD Scholarship covers

• A monthly stipend (around €992 for graduates, about €1,300 on some EPOS development programmes, and more for PhD candidates)
• Health, accident and personal liability insurance cover
• A travel allowance (where not covered by another source)
• A one-off study or research allowance
• Under certain conditions, additional benefits such as rent or family allowances

Master’s funding runs for the standard length of the chosen programme — up to about 24 months.

Who is eligible?

• Degree: a first degree (usually a bachelor’s) recognised in Germany, completed by the application deadline.
• Recent qualification: as a rule, your most recent degree should be no more than six years old at the deadline.
• Work experience: development-related (EPOS) courses usually expect around two years of relevant professional experience.
• Time in Germany: typically you must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the deadline.
• Language: English or German depending on the programme — an English certificate is usually required for English-taught courses.
• Country focus: priority goes to applicants from eligible developing and newly industrialised countries. Applicants from the EU, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan are generally not eligible for the development programmes.

DAAD deadlines

DAAD does not have one global deadline. Each programme — and for EPOS courses, each university — sets its own date, listed individually in the DAAD scholarship database.

As a rough guide for study starting October 2027: general Study Scholarships (all disciplines and STEM) typically close around late September / mid-October 2026, while EPOS development-related courses run their own deadlines, usually between roughly July and December. Funding generally begins on 1 October. Always confirm the exact date on your specific programme’s listing.

How to apply for the DAAD Scholarship: step by step

1. Search the DAAD database. Use the official scholarship database to find a programme that matches your field, level and country.
2. Check eligibility & deadline. Read the listing carefully — degree age, work experience, the time-in-Germany rule and the exact deadline all vary by programme.
3. Confirm where to apply. Some scholarships are submitted to DAAD directly; EPOS courses are submitted to the participating German university. The listing tells you which.
4. Prepare your documents. Typically a CV, motivation letter, degree certificates and transcripts, references, a language certificate and a study or research plan.
5. Submit via the DAAD portal. Upload everything well before the deadline — traffic spikes in the final days.
6. Selection & funding. Shortlisted candidates are assessed by a selection committee; successful scholars usually begin funding on 1 October.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DAAD Scholarship fully funded?

For its main development programmes, yes — a monthly stipend, insurance, travel and a study allowance, with German master’s programmes often charging little or no tuition.

Is there one DAAD deadline?

No. Deadlines are set per programme and, for EPOS courses, per university. Check your exact programme’s listing in the DAAD database.

Do I need to speak German?

Not necessarily — many programmes are taught in English and require an English certificate. Some require German. The listing specifies which.

Apply or verify details on the official site: daad.de/en and its scholarship database. Deadlines vary by programme, so always confirm the current date on your specific listing.

Explore more fully funded options on our Scholarships hub, including the Chevening Scholarship (UK), McCall MacBain Scholarship (Canada) and Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA).

Olami

Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.