🎓 Scholarships — Germany

Germany is one of the strongest destinations for MENA applicants because many public universities charge low or no tuition fees and because DAAD runs several structured scholarship programmes. The most realistic routes are DAAD development-related masters, the Helmut-Schmidt public policy programme, DAAD research grants and Erasmus Mundus programmes with a German university partner.

Scholarship map

Detailed guide

DAAD EPOS - This is the flagship route for MENA applicants who can connect their studies to development impact. It usually requires at least two years of relevant professional experience and admission to one of the listed development-related courses. The strongest applications show a clear return-impact plan, strong grades, practical experience and a course match.

DAAD Helmut-Schmidt - This route is excellent for applicants interested in governance, public administration, public policy, peace, development and public management. The programme is not a general Germany scholarship: it is tied to a fixed list of eligible master programmes and the application package must follow the annual call.

DAAD Research Grants - For PhD candidates and early researchers, DAAD research funding can support a research stay in Germany. The key requirement is usually a convincing research plan and a German academic host. This is less useful for applicants still looking for a full taught master, but very valuable for PhD preparation or doctoral research.

Foundations - German foundations can be powerful but are often misunderstood. They look for academic excellence plus values, leadership, social engagement or political interest. They rarely publish MENA quotas, so applicants should treat them as competitive add-on routes rather than guaranteed funding.

Erasmus Mundus - A MENA applicant can study partly in Germany through a joint master even when the scholarship is funded by Erasmus+ rather than Germany. This route is especially strong for interdisciplinary fields such as sustainability, marine science, engineering, data, migration, public health and development.

Application strategy for this country

• Build one German shortlist with two layers: DAAD-funded programmes first, then low-tuition English-taught public master programmes where you can seek university or foundation support.
• For DAAD EPOS and Helmut-Schmidt, write the motivation letter around development impact, not only personal ambition.
• Check whether your country requires special verification, legalisation or APS-type procedures before visa processing.
• Apply early because admission and scholarship deadlines are often the same, and missing one document can make the file ineligible.
• For PhD routes, contact supervisors before the DAAD deadline with a short research abstract, CV and proposed fit.

Documents to prepare early

• Passport valid beyond the intended start date, plus scans of any second nationality if relevant.
• Bachelor or master diploma, transcripts and official grading scale. For Italy, Spain and Portugal, plan for legalisation or apostille and sworn translation if requested by the university or visa office.
• English test such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Cambridge, or proof that the previous degree was taught in English when the programme accepts it.
• CV, motivation letter or statement of purpose, recommendation letters and, for PhD routes, a research proposal and supervisor match.
• Financial and family income documents when applying for need-based regional or university support, especially in Italy and some public-university routes.

Official sources to verify before applying

• DAAD EPOS programme information: https://www.daad.de/en/information-services-for-higher-education-institutions/further-information-on-daad-programmes/epos/
• DAAD Helmut-Schmidt Programme: https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/daad-funding-programmes/helmut-schmidt-programme/
• DAAD scholarship database: https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters

This is starter guidance and changes often — always confirm on the official source before applying.