The DAAD/EPOS Scholarships give young professionals from developing countries a funded route into postgraduate study in Germany. For the 2027/2028 intake, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has designated the MSc Environmental Governance (MEG) at the University of Freiburg as a development-related course, which means the programme can offer a limited number of EPOS awards.
This matters for African applicants who already have a first degree and a few years of hands-on work behind them. Environmental Governance sits at the intersection of policy, resource management and sustainability, fields where trained professionals are in short supply across much of the continent. The scholarship pays a monthly living allowance, contributes to insurance and, in most cases, covers your travel to Germany.
Be clear-eyed about the competition. Selection happens in two stages: first the MEG programme committee reviews candidates, then DAAD scrutinises the shortlist and makes the final decision. You must satisfy both the EPOS eligibility rules and the MEG programme’s own admission criteria.
Scholarship benefits
- Monthly payments of 992 euros for graduates, or 1,300 euros for doctoral candidates (rising to 1,400 euros from February 2026).
- Payments toward health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.
- A travel allowance, unless your travel is already funded by your home country or another source.
- Under certain circumstances, additional benefits may apply, including a monthly rent subsidy and a monthly allowance for accompanying family members.
Eligibility checklist
✔ You are a young professional from a developing country (DAC list country).
✔ You hold an academic degree that is no older than six years at the time of application (October 2026).
✔ You have at least two years of relevant professional experience gained after your Bachelor’s degree; internships and voluntary work do not count.
✔ Your work experience is outside academia, teaching and research at a university or research institute is generally not accepted as relevant experience for this scholarship, except in very rare cases.
✔ Your academic degree is above average (upper third).
- ✔ You have not resided in Germany for more than 15 months before applying.
Application tips for African students
- Confirm your country is on the DAC list of developing countries before you invest time in the application; this is a hard requirement.
- Double-check the six-year rule: your degree certificate must be dated no earlier than October 2020 to count for the October 2026 deadline.
- Gather proof of at least two years of post-Bachelor employment, job letters, contracts and pay records and make sure the roles are outside academia.
- Get transcripts and certificates certified, and translated into English or German where required, well in advance; embassy and notary appointments can take weeks.
- Line up your referees early and remind them that reference letters must be emailed directly to the programme, not handed back to you.
- Merge every required document into a single PDF exactly as instructed, incomplete or wrongly formatted applications are rejected without review.
- Start your MEG programme admission application in parallel, since you must meet both the DAAD and the programme’s criteria to succeed.
How to apply
Compress or merge all the documents listed under Application Documents into a single PDF and email it to the programme’s application address. Referees must send their reference letters directly to the programme rather than to you. If you submit the full document set requested, you do not need to add the extra documents (such as a project outline) that the standard DAAD application form asks for. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. For full details and the current document list, visit the official page: DAAD-EPOS Scholarship at the University of Freiburg.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for this scholarship?
Young professionals from developing (DAC list) countries who hold a degree no older than six years, have at least two years of relevant non-academic work experience, an above-average degree, and have not lived in Germany for more than 15 months before applying.
What does the scholarship cover?
It provides a monthly stipend (992 euros for graduates, 1,300 euros rising to 1,400 from February 2026 for doctoral candidates), contributions toward health, accident and liability insurance, and usually a travel allowance. A rent subsidy and family allowance may be added in certain cases.
Does internship or volunteer experience count toward the work requirement?
No. The two years of relevant professional experience must be paid, post-Bachelor work; internships and voluntary work are not accepted, and academic teaching or research generally does not qualify either.
When is the deadline?
Applications close on 15 October 2026 for the 2027/2028 intake.
How competitive is it?
Very. Candidates are first screened by the MEG programme committee and then reviewed again by DAAD, and only a limited number of EPOS scholarships are available. You must meet both sets of requirements to be considered.