June – August 2026
€992 – €1,400
Master's, PhD, Researchers
July – November 2026
The DAAD Scholarship 2026 is an umbrella funding program covering over 200 individual tracks for Master’s, PhD, and research studies across public universities in Germany.
Monthly stipends are updated to €992 for Master’s students and €1,400 for PhD candidates, along with full health insurance and travel allowances.
Applicants for EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt programs must submit their applications directly through the respective university portals, not the central DAAD portal.
Your most recent academic degree must not be older than 6 years at the time of the application deadline.
Applicants who have already resided in Germany for more than 15 consecutive months at the application deadline are ineligible for DAAD funding.
Table of Contents
The DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2026 is Germany’s fully funded program for professionals, yet thousands of highly qualified applicants are rejected every year simply because they submit their documents to the wrong portal.
This guide fixes that. We’ll explain what DAAD actually is, what programs it offers, give you real, current stipend numbers, and show you exactly how to find the right program for your own situation.
What Is the DAAD Scholarship?
DAAD stands for Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, the German Academic Exchange Service. It’s a government-backed organization.
DAAD doesn’t award one standard “DAAD Scholarship.” It maintains a searchable database of individual programs, each built for a specific group: master’s students in a particular field, PhD candidates, researchers, artists, even short-term summer courses.
Types of DAAD Scholarship 2026 Programs
Here are the four programs for most international applicants especially from Asia.
If you have 2+ years of professional experience and want to pursue development-focused master’s or PhD courses, read our complete DAAD EPOS Scholarship Guide.
DAAD Study Scholarships for Master's Studies
This is DAAD’s master’s-level funding line, open to every academic field and Citizens. It funds a full master’s degree at a German university, chosen by the applicant,
Funds: A full master’s degree, any discipline
- Duration: Typically 10–24 months of your program length
- Best for: Master’s applicants who already have a specific German university and program in mind
EPOS – Development-Related Postgraduate Courses
EPOS funds master’s and some doctoral study at a specific, pre-approved list of postgraduate courses in fields like engineering, public health, agriculture, economics, and environmental management.
EPOS offers you apply directly to the university offering the course. If the university’s selection committee wants to nominate you, they submit your name to DAAD, which then funds the scholarship.No never submit a separate application to DAAD yourself.
- Eligibility: minimum bachelor’s degree and at least two years of professional work experience Best for: Graduates from developing countries with real work experience, applying to a specific listed course
- Deadlines: Set individually by each course, typically between August and December for the following year’s intake. Always check the specific course’s own deadline, not a single “EPOS deadline”
- The mandatory 2 years of professional work experience required for EPOS must be completed after the graduation date of your Bachelor’s degree.
Helmut-Schmidt-Programe
Formerly known as the Public Policy and Good Governance (PPGG) programme, this programme funds a master’s degree in fields like public policy, governance, law, economics, or social protection, at one of several partner German universities (including Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, the University of Duisburg-Essen, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Osnabrück University, and the University of Passau).
- Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree with above-average grades (upper third of your class), from a country on the OECD’s DAC list of developing countries, and relevant practical experience (work, internships, volunteering, or civic/political engagement)
- Application window: June 1 to July 31 each year, for studies starting the following September/October
- How it works: You apply directly to your chosen university (or up to two universities) through their own application portal, not to DAAD directly. DAAD becomes involved only after you’re shortlisted.
- Highly competitive: some partner universities report awarding only around 8 scholarships from several hundred applications each year.
Research Grants and Doctoral Programmes in Germany
This is DAAD’s main PhD-level funding line, supporting a full doctorate or a bi-nationally supervised “Cotutelle” doctorate at a German university or research institution.
- Funds: A full PhD, or a Cotutelle doctorate split between Germany and your home university
- Best for: Master’s graduates ready to start or continue a PhD in Germany
- Deadline: Commonly around August 31 each year for many countries (confirmed for Pakistan specifically), though exact dates can shift; always check your country’s DAAD office
Beyond these four, DAAD funds dozens of narrower programs: short-term research stays, artist scholarships, language-course funding, subject-specific joint programs (like the DLR-DAAD Research Fellowship for aerospace research), and country-specific tracks. If none of the four above fits your exact situation, search the DAAD scholarship database directly by your subject, degree level, and country.
Read our full guide to the DAAD PhD Scholarship 2026 step-by-step guide.
Who Can Apply?
if you’re a citizen of an eligible country and you fall into one of these groups:
- You hold, or are close to completing, a bachelor’s degree and want to fund a master’s degree in Germany
- You hold a master’s degree and want to pursue a PhD in Germany
- You have a bachelor’s degree plus relevant work experience and want a development-focused postgraduate course through EPOS.
- You’re an early-career researcher or academic looking for a shorter research stay in Germany.
Eligibility Requirements
Academic / Degree-Age Requirement
For DAAD programs, your most recent relevant degree needs to be no older than six years at the application deadline. If you finished your bachelor’s more than six years ago, you may no longer qualify for most master’s-level programs.
Language Requirements
Requirements depend entirely on your chosen program’s language of instruction, not on DAAD as a whole:
- German-taught programs typically require a recognized German certificate (TestDaF or DSH), often at an intermediate-to-advanced level.
- English-taught programs: they require an English certificate like IELTS or TOEFL.
- If you’re accepted without strong German skills, DAAD funds a pre-study intensive German course for many scholarship holders
Work Experience (Program-Specific)
Not every DAAD program requires work experience only EPOS requires at least two years of relevant professional experience after your first degree, and the Helmut-Schmidt-Programme expects meaningful practical experience (work, internships, or civic engagement) but it doesn’t set a fixed minimum number of years.
Country Eligibility
Most DAAD scholarships accept applicants from anywhere in the world, but development-focused programs like EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt have specific residency and citizenship rules:
- Citizenship Limit: Programs like EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt are restricted to (or give priority to) citizens of developing countries listed on the OECD’s DAC list.
- Residency in Germany: If you have already been living in Germany for more than 15 months by the application deadline, you generally lose your eligibility.
DAAD Scholarship Benefits: What's Covered
Exact benefits vary slightly by program, but most DAAD scholarships include:
- A monthly living stipend (see exact current amounts below)
- Health, accident, and personal liability insurance
- A travel allowance to and from Germany
- An annual study and research allowance of €460
- Funding for a pre-study German language course, where relevant
- In some cases: rent subsidies, family allowances, or disability-related support, depending on your individual circumstances
What's typically not covered:
German public universities generally do not charge tuition fees in the first place, so paying for your degree is rarely a problem. However, DAAD does not cover the following costs:
Special or program-specific fees charged by certain universities
Conference travel or fieldwork expenses that are not explicitly written into your specific program’s scholarship terms.
How Much Is the DAAD Scholarship Stipend?
This is where a lot of outdated information still circulates online, so here are the current, verified figures from official DAAD program documents.
Some joint scholarship programs, such as the DLR-DAAD fellowship with the German Aerospace Center, offer much higher monthly stipends because they receive separate, specialized funding.
| Level | Monthly Stipend |
|---|---|
| Master's / graduate students | €992 |
| Doctoral candidates (PhD) | €1,400 (raised from €1,300 in February 2026) |
| Postdoctoral researchers | Varies by program, generally higher (some specialized joint programs pay €2,400+) |
Is the DAAD Scholarship Fully Funded?
For most students, yes, it covers almost everything you need because public German universities do not charge tuition
What Is Covered: Monthly living costs, health insurance, and round-trip travel.
What Is NOT Covered: Expenses for family/dependents, extra fees at private or specialized universities, and costs outside your official program terms.
If you are looking for a multi-country EU degree with a €1,400 monthly stipend, apply for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters 2027.
DAAD Application Deadlines 2026 (for 2027 Intake)
There’s no single DAAD deadline; each program sets its own. Here are the ones most relevant to this guide:
| Program | Typical Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Helmut-Schmidt-Programme | July 31, 2026 | Application window opens June 1 |
| Doctoral Programmes / Research Grants (Pakistan) | August 31, 2026 | Confirmed via DAAD Pakistan; other countries may differ slightly |
| EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) | Varies by course, roughly August–December 2026 | Set individually by each listed course, not centrally by DAAD |
| Study Scholarships for Master's | Varies by subject area, commonly October–November 2026 | Check the scholarship database for your specific field |
How to Apply for a DAAD Scholarship
The process differs depending on which program you’re applying to, but here’s the general pattern:
Find Your Specific Program: Search the official DAAD database by your subject, degree level, and country to pick the right scholarship track.
Check Where to Apply: Apply directly through the central DAAD Portal for general Master’s and PhD grants, or apply to the target university first for programs like EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt (which nominate you to DAAD later).
Register Early: Set up your account on the DAAD Portal (where required) and begin your application long before the cutoff.
Gather Required Documents: Collect your CV, motivation letter, academic transcripts, degree certificates, language scores, and recommendation letters.
Submit and Plan Your Timeline: Apply before the deadline and budget 6 to 7 months for the total process from initial preparation to officially starting your program.
Prepare for Interviews: If shortlisted, prepare for a brief online selection interview (around 30 minutes, required by programs such as Helmut-Schmidt)
- Do not apply via the central DAAD online portal for EPOS or Helmut-Schmidt scholarships. You must submit your application directly to the participating German university offering the course. DAAD only receives your profile if you are shortlisted and nominated by the university selection committee.
Can Pakistani Students Apply?
Pakistani students are fully eligible for DAAD scholarships, with dedicated support available directly through the official DAAD Pakistan office
PhD & Research Grants Key Timeline
Application Deadline: August 31, 2026
Selection Decision: February 2027
Funding Starts: May 2027 (earliest)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
No Generic Application: Select a specific program first; there is no single DAAD application form.
Wrong Portal: Apply to the university first for EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt; DAAD only reviews nominated candidates.
Work Experience Miscount: EPOS requires at least 2 years of work completed after graduation, not during your degree.
Outdated Stipend Rates: PhD stipends are €1,400/month (not €1,300).
Course-Specific Deadlines: Cutoff dates vary by individual program—never rely on a single general DAAD deadline.
Ignoring the Timeline: Document preparation, university nominations, and final selection take at least 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DAAD?
Germany’s national academic exchange organization. It manages over 200 individual funding programs rather than a single scholarship.
How much is the DAAD scholarship stipend?
€992 per month for Master’s students and €1,400 per month for PhD candidates (updated February 2026). Certain specialized joint fellowships pay higher rates.
Is the DAAD scholarship fully funded?
For most recipients, yes, in practice, your stipend, health insurance, and travel are covered, and German public universities generally don’t charge tuition. Program-specific fees and costs beyond your program’s defined terms aren’t included.
Can Pakistani students apply for DAAD?
Yes. Pakistani students are actively funded across multiple DAAD programs, and DAAD Pakistan (daad.pk) provides country-specific guidance and deadlines.
Do I need German to apply for a DAAD scholarship?
Not necessarily. Many programs are taught fully in English, especially in STEM and business fields, and only require an English certificate like IELTS or TOEFL. German-taught programs require a German certificate instead.
What's the difference between EPOS and the general DAAD Study Scholarship?
EPOS funds a specific, pre-approved list of development-related courses and requires you to apply through the university first, plus at least two years of work experience. The general Study Scholarship is broader, covers almost any master’s field, and doesn’t require prior work experience.
How long does the DAAD application process take?
Plan for roughly six to seven months from when you start preparing your application to when you’d realistically begin your program, including document preparation, any university nomination steps, and DAAD’s own review timeline.
Scholarship Researcher and Writer