Germany is one of the few countries where a fully funded master's degree is a realistic goal for strong graduates from Pakistan and other developing countries, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the main route. DAAD is not a single scholarship: it is a family of programmes, each tied to a specific degree level, field and deadline. This guide explains the programmes that matter most for 2027, what they actually pay, who is eligible, and how the application works in practice.
Which DAAD programme fits you?
The best-known route for working professionals is EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses — which funds master's degrees in development-related fields such as public health, environmental governance, engineering and economics at selected German universities. EPOS is aimed at graduates from developing and emerging countries with at least two years of relevant professional experience, and applications go directly to the university offering the course, not to DAAD headquarters. Each course sets its own deadline, typically between August and December of the year before the course starts.
A second major route is the DAAD Study Scholarship for graduates, which funds a full master's degree at a state or state-recognised German university in fields including STEM, economics and business. Unlike EPOS, this scholarship is applied for through the DAAD portal, and eligibility is country-specific: you must check that your country is covered by the current call before applying. Doctoral candidates can apply for DAAD research grants and PhD scholarships, which pay a higher monthly rate. There is no single DAAD deadline — missing the distinction between these routes is the most common reason strong applicants never get considered.
What DAAD pays
For master's students, the standard DAAD monthly stipend in the 2027 calls is EUR 992, plus an annual study allowance of EUR 460, health, accident and personal liability insurance contributions, and a travel allowance. Doctoral scholars receive EUR 1,300 per month, rising to EUR 1,400 from February 2026 in some programme descriptions — confirm the current rate in your specific call, because DAAD adjusts rates between cycles. Tuition at most German public universities is already low or zero, with only a semester contribution of roughly EUR 100 to EUR 350, except in Baden-Wuerttemberg, where non-EU students pay EUR 1,500 per semester, a fee that EPOS scholars at affected universities are exempt from in the cases reported for 2027.
Budget honestly even with a scholarship. The blocked account requirement for a German student visa is EUR 11,904 per year, or EUR 992 per month, which matches the DAAD stipend — but your first month's costs, deposits and travel often arrive before the first payment. Keep a small reserve of your own, and remember that DAAD funding normally runs for the standard duration of the programme, from 12 to 24 months for a master's, with renewal depending on academic progress.
Eligibility and documents
Most DAAD master's programmes require a bachelor's degree completed no more than six years before the application, strong academic results, and proof of English at B2 level or higher for English-taught programmes, or German at B1 or higher for German-taught ones. EPOS adds the professional-experience requirement and, in many courses, a development-related motivation: your application must show how the degree will help you contribute to development in your home country, not only to your own career.
A typical DAAD application includes the DAAD application form, a motivation letter, a CV in Europass format, degree certificates and transcripts, language certificates, and two recommendation letters. Some programmes ask for a single combined PDF sent to the university; others use the DAAD portal. Follow the instructions of your specific programme exactly — a beautifully written motivation letter sent to the wrong address or in the wrong format is a rejected application. Get your documents translated and attested early, because university and embassy attestation queues are slow.
Timeline and common mistakes
For a winter-semester 2027 start, most DAAD master's calls open in mid-2026 and close between September and December 2026: for example, the Freiburg MSc Environmental Governance EPOS deadline for October 2027 entry was 15 October 2026, and the Heidelberg International Health EPOS deadline was 30 November 2026. If you are reading this after those dates, target the 2028 cycle and use the intervening months to gain the work experience or language score your chosen programme requires.
The mistakes that cost applicants most often are applying for a programme that is not in the official EPOS course list, having lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the application deadline (which disqualifies most DAAD master's scholarships), submitting a generic motivation letter, and assuming that a DAAD scholarship guarantees a visa. The scholarship strengthens a visa application considerably, but the embassy still checks your documents, your language preparation and your overall credibility. Prepare for the visa interview as carefully as for the scholarship itself.
Frequently asked questions
How much does DAAD pay master's students? EUR 992 per month, plus a EUR 460 annual study allowance, insurance contributions and a travel allowance in the 2027 calls.
Do I apply to DAAD or to the university? It depends on the programme: EPOS applications go to the university offering the course; study scholarships go through the DAAD portal.
Can I apply if I already have a master's degree? For most DAAD master's scholarships, no — applicants who already hold a master's by the deadline cannot apply.
Is German language required? Not for English-taught programmes, where B2 English is the usual requirement; German-taught programmes normally require B1 German at application.
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Sources and verification: DAAD 2027 calls: master's stipend EUR 992/month, annual allowance EUR 460, PhD EUR 1,300–1,400/month; blocked account EUR 11,904/year; EPOS examples Freiburg deadline 15 Oct 2026, Heidelberg 30 Nov 2026. Each programme's current deadline and eligibility to be confirmed in the official DAAD database.