Scholarships to study in Germany: DAAD (EPOS, doctorate, Helmut Schmidt) and the Böll, Adenauer and Ebert foundations

Information checked on 2 November 2026.

Scholarships to study in Germany come from two families. The DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, mainly funds master's and doctorate: EPOS for development professionals, the doctoral scholarship, the Helmut Schmidt programme in public policy, and even master's degrees in Africa through In-Country/In-Region. The political foundations (Heinrich Böll, Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert) fund foreign students according to their values, often with German required. Most pay 992 euros a month for a master's, exactly the blocked-account reference amount. For admission and the visa, start with our guide studying in Germany from Africa. Each programme has a page in our scholarship directory (in French).

Scholarships to study in Germany in one table

DAAD EPOS: the master's for development professionals

EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) funds development-related master's degrees: economics, engineering, urban planning, agronomy, environment, public health, education. The official DAAD page sets the scholarship at 992 euros a month, with health, accident and liability insurance contributions, a travel allowance and, depending on circumstances, a rent subsidy and a family allowance.

The conditions leave no room for improvisation:

• a bachelor's degree, usually of four years, in a related subject, with results in the upper third of the class;
• at least two years of professional experience after the bachelor's, as of the application date;
• a degree normally no more than six years old;
• not having lived more than 15 months in Germany at the deadline;
• applying from a country on the DAAD list;
• for a German-taught master's, B1 level at application, then DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the course starts; for an English-taught master's, the test required by the course.

The procedure is unusual: you do not apply to the DAAD. You send your file directly to up to three courses, ranked by priority, with a single motivation letter that explains your choices. If a course committee nominates you, the DAAD invites you to upload your documents as PDFs to its portal. Each course has its own deadline: the DAAD publishes the list for the 2027-2028 intake. See the DAAD EPOS page (in French).

DAAD doctoral scholarship: 1,400 euros a month for up to four years

The "Research Grants, Doctoral Programmes in Germany" scholarship funds a full doctorate at a German university or research institute. It pays 1,400 euros a month, a research allowance of 460 euros a year, travel support on request, and covers online German courses and, if needed, a 2, 4 or 6-month course before departure; the TestDaF or DSH fee is reimbursed.

The main rules:

• a master's degree completed by the start of funding at the latest, with above-average results (a bachelor's only in exceptional cases);
• a most recent degree no more than six years old at the deadline;
• if the doctorate has already started, it must have begun no more than three years ago;
• no more than 15 months' stay in Germany at the deadline;
• a supervisor or doctoral programme already found in Germany.

Funding is first granted for three years, with an annual review, then a fourth year is possible. The portal opens on 1 June and the deadline depends on your country of residence; the DAAD updates it every spring. The current cycle concerns funding that starts in 2027. See the DAAD doctoral scholarship page (in French).

Helmut Schmidt programme: public policy and good governance

The Helmut Schmidt programme funds English-taught master's degrees for graduates from developing countries who want to contribute to the social and economic development of their region. It covers seven master's courses at six institutions: Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (social protection), Duisburg-Essen (development and governance), Erfurt (public policy), Magdeburg (peace and conflict studies), Osnabrück (management in non-profit organisations) and Passau (development studies; governance and public policy). Scholarship holders take up to six months of German in Germany before the master's.

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences gives the calendar: the 2027-2028 intake is closed, and for the 2028-2029 intake, applications run from 1 June to 31 July 2027. It requires at least two years of programme-relevant practical experience and English at B2 level (for example IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72). Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in November or December, with an answer in late December or early January. See the Helmut Schmidt page (in French).

DAAD In-Country/In-Region: the German scholarship to study in Africa

Less well known, this programme funds a master's at a university in sub-Saharan Africa, in your own country (In-Country) or a neighbouring one (In-Region), for applicants aiming at university teaching or research. It covers a monthly payment, tuition, a study and research allowance and thesis publication costs; In-Region adds travel and health insurance. Women, recognised refugees and applicants from marginalised regions are encouraged.

The deadline for the open programmes is 12 November 2026. Only one of them is in French: the master's in water and environmental engineering at 2iE, in Burkina Faso. The others are in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi. Three more calls are announced for spring 2027 (FUNAAB in Nigeria, Cape Town and Pretoria in South Africa). See the In-Country/In-Region page (in French).

The German political foundations

Heinrich Böll Foundation

The green foundation funds international students who obtained their previous degree abroad and apply before starting a master's in Germany, or a doctorate. Priority goes to applicants from developing countries (OECD DAC list) who do not yet live in Germany. It pays 992 euros a month for a master's and 1,500 euros for a doctorate, plus health insurance support, a flat 38 euros a month, reimbursement of German tuition fees up to 10,000 euros a year and German courses. Two rounds in 2027: 15 January to 1 March and 15 July to 1 September. See the Heinrich Böll Foundation page (in French).

Konrad Adenauer Foundation

The Christian Democratic foundation supports non-EU nationals, with German at B2 level at least, even for an English-taught course. The target master's must last four semesters; for a bachelor's, you must already have completed two semesters at a German university; for a doctorate, be fully admitted. The scholarship goes up to 992 euros a month (1,400 euros for a doctorate), with allowances on request (health insurance up to 120 euros, family, children). Enrolment and semester fees are not covered, and medicine and dentistry are excluded. If you are already in Germany, apply before 15 July at noon; from abroad, only through a local office of the foundation taking part that year. See the Konrad Adenauer Foundation page (in French).

Friedrich Ebert Foundation

The Social Democratic foundation only funds foreign students already enrolled in Germany, who speak German and write their application in it. It pays 992 euros a month (1,500 euros for a doctorate); income above 400 euros a month is deducted. There is no single date: for a master's, apply before the end of the first semester; for a bachelor's, no later than three semesters before the end of the standard period of study. It is the scholarship for diaspora members already studying in Germany. See the Friedrich Ebert Foundation page (in French).

Which German scholarship for your profile

The scholarship and the blocked account

For the student visa, Germany requires proof of 992 euros a month, or 11,904 euros for a year, usually through a blocked account. Our guide studying in Germany points out that a scholarship covering at least that amount is accepted as proof. DAAD and foundation scholarships at 992 euros or more therefore meet the requirement; a smaller scholarship is topped up with a blocked account. Ask for your award letter early enough for the visa appointment.

The calendar of German scholarships

The DAAD publishes its dates by country and course every year: our scholarship alerts (in French) only remind you of confirmed dates.

Preparing your application with Compatri

A German scholarship is won on the letter: motivation, development project, commitment. Our guides on the motivation letter for a scholarship and the recommendation letter help you build it. The "Candidater" button on each page opens an application tracker (in French) with your steps and deadline. Diaspora members living in Germany volunteer as mentors: send a connection request with a message to talk about the DAAD, German or life in Berlin or Munich. To compare with other countries, see our guide to fully funded scholarships for African students and our comparison of studying in Europe from Africa.

Compatri awards no scholarship and does not replace official sources: only the rules of the DAAD and the foundations are authoritative.

Sources

• DAAD: scholarship database, EPOS
• DAAD: scholarship database, doctoral programmes in Germany
• DAAD: Helmut Schmidt programme
• Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences: Helmut Schmidt scholarships
• DAAD: In-Country/In-Region programme, sub-Saharan Africa
• Heinrich Böll Foundation: scholarships
• Heinrich Böll Foundation: financial support
• Konrad Adenauer Foundation: scholarships for foreign students
• Friedrich Ebert Foundation: information in English