DAAD EPOS Scholarship 2027

The MSc Development Economics at Göttingen is a development-related postgraduate course selected by the DAAD for its EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) scholarship scheme — designed to train professionals from the Global South who will return home and drive sustainable development.

Key features of the programme:

• 6–7 EPOS scholarships per year — a small, highly competitive cohort

• One linked application — you apply once for both the study programme and funding, directly at the University of Göttingen

• Winter term only — EPOS scholarship holders can only start in October

• Short application window — 1 October to 15 November each year

• Virtual interviews — shortlisted candidates face ~15-minute online interviews in January–March

• German language course — an intensive course in August–September before the programme starts

Under the standard DAAD EPOS scholarship package, recipients receive:

• Monthly stipend of €992 for the duration of the programme

• Tuition/study fee exemption (no tuition at Göttingen — public university)

• Health, accident, and personal liability insurance

• International travel allowance

• Possible monthly rent subsidy and family allowance for eligible scholars

• Intensive German language course in August–September before the programme starts (October)

You apply once, online, via the Göttingen Application Portal — uploading both the programme documents AND the DAAD-required documents. Per the official EPOS documents page, you need:

University documents:

1. EPOS Online Application Form — the specific EPOS version of the form (you certify your statements are complete and true)

2. University degree certificate + transcript of records — must show sufficient economics and quantitative-method courses; include an explanation of the grading system if not on the transcript; documents must carry an electronic verification key or be notarized copies (plain copies are insufficient!)

3. Final-year applicants: an official certificate of courses taken so far totaling at least 150 ECTS + GPA

4. CV (Europass format recommended) — English, reverse chronological order, no unexplained gaps; including the date of issue is a DAAD requirement

5. Motivation letter — per DAAD EPOS guidelines: two pages, dated, covering academic, professional, and personal reasons for choosing this course in Germany and how your motivation relates to the EPOS programme goals (multiple EPOS applications? one identical letter to all programmes, with your prioritization reasons)

6. English proficiency proof — due by the end of the application period (no late submissions accepted)

7. APS certification — China, India, Mongolia, Vietnam

8. Official course descriptions (syllabi/handbook excerpts) for relevant economics/quantitative courses, plus your bachelor's thesis if relevant — you may translate these yourself if needed

Additional DAAD documents:
9. Completed and signed DAAD EPOS checklist — print, sign by hand (original signature!), scan (digital signatures not accepted)
10. DAAD application form — if applying to multiple EPOS programmes, note all your choices; identical information on every form
11. Certificate(s) of employment proving at least 2 years of relevant professional experience after the Bachelor's — ideally including a guarantee of re-employment after returning home
12. Letter of recommendation from your current employer — on official letterhead, with original or code-certified digital signature (no inserted scans or uncertified digital signatures!), official stamp, and current date of issue

Incomplete applications or late submissions are rejected without exception.

You must meet ALL of the following:

University requirements (MSc Development Economics):

• A Bachelor's degree with sufficient courses in economics (micro/macroeconomics, development, agricultural economics, etc.) and quantitative methods (mathematics, econometrics, statistics)

• Business Administration courses (Accounting, Management, etc.) do NOT count as economics courses

• Your bachelor's thesis, if relevant, should be included (and must have been passed)

DAAD EPOS requirements:

• Academic degree not older than six years at the time of application

• At least 2 years of relevant professional experience after your Bachelor's degree up to the time of application (certificates required; internships and voluntary work generally don't count — check DAAD rules)

• Above-average academic results — typically upper third of your graduating class

• Not resided in Germany for more than 15 months before applying

• Proof of English proficiency (accepted forms below)

English verification accepted (test results not older than 3 years):

• IELTS Academic: 7.0 minimum

• TOEFL iBT: 95 minimum (Home Edition and MyBest accepted; Göttingen code 4468 — department codes 84 Economics / 82 Business and Commerce)

• Cambridge English Scale: 180 minimum

• Pearson Academic: 76 minimum on the Global Scale of English

• UNIcert: level III

• Alternatives: proof of an English-taught degree, English-medium schooling, a 2-year study/work stay in an English-speaking country within the last 5 years, a C1 economics language course, or NULTE C1 certificates (Acert Poland, CertACLES Spain, CLES France, UNIcert LUCE Czechia/Slovakia, UNILANG UK)

Special requirements:

• APS certification for applicants from China, India, Mongolia, and Vietnam

• The double degree programme cannot be combined with the DAAD EPOS scholarship

Related: Browse more fully funded scholarships on OHUB.

Step 1 — 1 October: The Application Portal opens. Create an account with your email and password, enter the verification code sent to your email, and keep your login data safe.

Step 2: Complete your application profile (done once, applies to all applications).

Step 3: On the homepage, choose 'Regular Procedure' → find "Development Economics with DAAD EPOS SCHOLARSHIP" in the programme list → click 'Start Application'.

Step 4: Complete the three-step process — acquired skills → further declarations → documents — filling each step accurately before proceeding.

Step 5: Upload all required documents (university + DAAD EPOS sets).

Step 6: Click 'Submit Application' — a successful submission is confirmed when 'Start Application' changes to 'Application Submitted' on the course list page.

Step 7 — January–March: If shortlisted, attend a ~15-minute virtual interview.

Step 8 — Mid-March: Receive your decision by email.

Step 9 — August–September: Attend the intensive German language course.

Step 10 — October 2027: Begin the programme.

Note: If you'd also like a fall-back place in the regular (non-EPOS) programme in case the scholarship isn't awarded, you must submit a second application following the regular procedure.