📲 Join our WhatsApp for Daily Fully Funded Scholarship Alerts
For professionals hailing from developing countries and emerging economies, advancing their academic profile while addressing sustainable global infrastructure challenges is a life-changing step. The DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) scheme stands out as Germany’s most targeted, fully funded scholarship system for future decision-makers.
Funded directly by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the EPOS program targets highly qualified specialists with a Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of relevant professional experience. Rather than opening up funding for any arbitrary degree, the DAAD explicitly partners with a selective, highly vetted list of state-recognized public universities offering specialized Master’s and PhD tracks focused on sustainable development solutions.
If you are planning your application timeline for the upcoming 2027 academic intake, this exhaustive, multi-sector breakdown maps out the official list of eligible German universities, their specific EPOS-approved degree courses, and the foundational requirements needed to secure your spot.
Check this: DAAD Research Grants: How to Fund Your PhD in Germany | Fully Funded Guide
The Strategic Blueprint of the EPOS Funding Scheme
The core philosophy underlying the DAAD EPOS framework is the transfer of specialized knowledge from North to South. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients are expected to return to their home countries to lead international networks, initiate sustainable local development policies, and tackle structural challenges in sectors ranging from public healthcare to environmental engineering.
To facilitate this focus, the DAAD completely removes the financial strain of studying abroad:
- Monthly Maintenance Stipend: Master’s candidates receive €992 per month, while doctoral (PhD) scholars receive €1,400 per month.
- Tuition and Fee Coverage: Full exemption from course participation costs and campus enrollment fees.
- Mobility Support: Comprehensive coverage for international airfare, visa installation aid, and standard textbook allocations.
- Medical and Liability Insurance: Complete worldwide healthcare protection handled directly by the DAAD administration.
Full Master & PhD Course Index by Academic Sector
The official EPOS curriculum is tightly cataloged across core development fields. Below is the organized, current list of active university partnerships and degree titles recognized by the DAAD funding mechanism.
1. Economic Sciences, Business Administration, and Political Economics
Designed to produce future economic policy analysts, development bank specialists, and micro-finance experts, these programs bridge macroeconomic theory with localized execution models.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| HTW Berlin (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) | M.Sc. International and Development Economics (MIDE) | English |
| Georg-August-Universität Göttingen | M.Sc. Development Economics | English |
| Universität Leipzig | MBA Small Enterprise Promotion and Training (SEPT) | English |
2. Development Cooperation and Management
Focusing closely on institutional design, non-profit leadership, and structural project execution, these multi-disciplinary streams prepare students to manage international aid frameworks.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Ruhr-Universität Bochum | MA Development Management | English |
| Universität Bonn (Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung – ZEF) | Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) [PhD] | English |
| Hochschule Rhein-Waal (Kleve) | MA Sustainable Development Management | English |
You may also like this: Deutschlandstipendium: Get €300/Month from Any German University | Fully Funded Guide
3. Engineering and Related Sciences
These technological curricula concentrate on resource optimization, alternative power infrastructures, and sustainable raw material manufacturing tailored for newly industrialized economies.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Technische Universität Dresden | M.Sc. Hydro Science and Engineering | English |
| Technische Universität Dresden | M.Sc. Textile Machinery and High-Performance Material Technology | German / English |
| Europa-Universität Flensburg | M.Eng. Sustainable Energy and Development (SEDev) | English |
| Leibniz Universität Hannover | M.Sc. Water Resources and Environmental Management (WATENV) | English |
| Universität Oldenburg | M.Sc. Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies (SuRE) | English |
| Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart | M.Sc. Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics | English |
| Universität Stuttgart | M.Sc. Air Quality Control, Solid Waste and Waste Water Process Engineering (WASTE) | English |
| Bauhaus-Universität Weimar | M.Sc. Natural Hazards and Risks in Structural Engineering (NHRE) | English |
4. Regional and Urban Planning
With rapid global urbanization accelerating housing, transport, and spatial resource stresses, these specialized planning tracks train architects and designers in climate-resilient civil design.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Technische Universität Berlin | Master of Urban Management (UM) | English |
| Technische Universität Dortmund | SPRING – Regional Development Planning and Management | English |
| Universität Stuttgart | M.Sc. Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (M.Sc. IUSD) | English |
5. Agricultural and Forest Sciences
Focusing on agrarian economic modeling, supply chain logistics, and tropical biome preservation, these programs are essential for ensuring international food security.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn | Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ARTS) | English |
| Technische Universität Dresden | M.Sc. Tropical Forestry | English |
| Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen & Universität Hohenheim | IPPAE: International PhD Program in Agricultural Economics, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Food Systems [PhD] | English |
| Universität Hohenheim | M.Sc. Agricultural Economics (AgEcon) | English |
| Georg-August-Universität Göttingen | M.Sc. International Agribusiness and Rural Development (IARD) | English |
| Georg-August-Universität Göttingen | M.Sc. Tropical and International Forestry | English |
| Leibniz Universität Hannover | M.Sc. International Horticulture | English |
6. Natural and Environmental Sciences
These tracks develop empirical research competencies in ecology, coastal biology, risk mapping, and multi-country water supply synchronization.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Universität Bonn & United Nations University (UNU-EHS) | M.Sc. Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security | English |
| Universität Bremen | M.Sc. Marine Biology – International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology (ISATEC) | English |
| Technische Universität Darmstadt | M.Sc. Tropical Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering (TropHEE) | English |
| Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg | M.Sc. Environmental Governance (MEG) | English |
| Universität Greifswald | M.Sc. Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation (LENC) | English / German |
| Technische Hochschule Köln | Natural Resources Management (NRM) / Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) / Renewable Energy Management (REM) | English |
7. Medicine and Public Health
Targeting local healthcare delivery systems, epidemic preventative design, and structural urban sanitation mechanics to boost public health resilience.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin | M.Sc. International Health | English |
| Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg | M.Sc. Global Urban Health | English |
| Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg | M.Sc. International Health | English |
| Universität Bonn & Universitätsklinikum Bonn | M.Sc. Global Health | English |
| Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München | PhD Medical Research – International Health [PhD] | English |
Check this out: Erasmus Mundus in Germany: How to Study in 3 Countries for Free | Fully Funded Guide
8. Social Sciences, Education, Law, and Media Studies
Focusing on legal compliance, media transparency, and technical-vocational capacity scaffolding within transition economies.
| University / Institution | Eligible Postgraduate Degree Course | Instruction Language |
| Technische Universität Dresden | M.A. Vocational Education and Personnel Capacity Building | German |
| PH Ludwigsburg & Helwan University (Egypt) | International Education Management (INEMA) | English |
| Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC) | LL.M. Intellectual Property and Competition Law | English |
| Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg | MA Media Studies – International Media Studies | English / German |
Official Database and Application Entry Point
Because each academic institution establishes its own intake criteria, document requirements, and selection windows, applicants must cross-verify specific details via the direct links below:
DAAD EPOS Program Portal & Official Framework Brochure
Join our active WhatsApp Channel for real-time closing date alerts, structural document checklists, and peer review strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I apply to the DAAD directly or to the individual German university?
You must submit your application portfolio directly to the specific university course portal, not to the central DAAD office. Within the university’s online application system, you will check a specific box indicating you are applying for the DAAD EPOS scholarship alongside your course admission request.
Can I apply if my Bachelor’s graduation certificate is older than six years?
No. Under the current criteria, your academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old at the time of your application. If your degree exceeds this timeframe, your file will be filtered out during the technical review stage.
Is the two-year professional work experience requirement mandatory?
Yes, this is a non-negotiable rule. You must prove a minimum of 24 months of relevant professional experience completed after finishing your Bachelor’s degree and before the active application deadline. This experience must be formally verified through official employer reference letters on corporate letterhead.
Strategic Advice by Scholarships Hive
The single biggest mistake applicants make when targeting a DAAD EPOS scholarship is treating their personal statement like a standard corporate resume. Selection committees look for an unshakeable connection between your professional trajectory, the curriculum of the chosen German university, and the tangible developmental impact you will make in your home country upon graduation.
When drafting your Motivation Letter in 2026, focus heavily on the specific challenges your home country faces—whether that involves urban water mismanagement, fragile public healthcare systems, or a lack of small enterprise funding. Explain precisely how the academic expertise gained during 2027 will equip you to return home and implement scalable, sustainable solutions. Start collecting your official employment certificates and academic transcripts early, monitor the distinct deadlines for each university (which typically range between August and November), and structure your portfolio with absolute precision.
