DAAD Scholarship for Tajik Students 2026: Fully Funded Master's and PhD in Germany

What DAAD offers students from Tajikistan

Tajikistan is on the DAAD's list of eligible countries, and Tajik students can apply for several fully funded DAAD programmes to study in Germany. The DAAD Regional Office in Bishkek covers Tajikistan (along with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan), so Tajik applicants get advice and information from that office. The main routes are the Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) for working professionals, the Helmut-Schmidt Programme for public policy and governance, the ERP Study Scholarships for economics and business graduates, and DAAD Study Scholarships for master's degrees in all disciplines. Public universities in Germany charge no tuition, so the scholarship mainly covers your living costs, travel and insurance.

How much the scholarship pays

Under EPOS, DAAD pays €934 a month for graduates (master's students) and €1,300 a month for doctoral candidates, for 12 to 42 months depending on the programme. The Helmut-Schmidt Programme pays €992 a month. On top of the monthly payment, DAAD covers tuition (already free at public universities), travel allowance, and payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance. Some programmes also add a rent subsidy and an allowance for accompanying family members.

Deadlines: what is still open and what has closed

DAAD has several different deadlines and they are easy to mix up. Two are still open right now:

• 15 November 2026: MSc Development Economics at the University of Göttingen (EPOS). Applications run from 1 October to 15 November each year for the following winter term. Still open — this is the most urgent one.
• 30 November 2026: ERP Study Scholarships for graduates of economics and business administration. Tajikistan is on the eligible-countries list. Still open.
• 2 November 2026: DAAD study scholarship deadline for the 2027 intake (selection in February–March 2027, funding from October 2027). This one has passed — plan for the next cycle instead.
• 31 July 2026: Helmut-Schmidt Programme application window (1 June to 31 July 2026) for a September/October 2027 start. Closed for this cycle.
• 15 October 2026: MSc Environmental Governance (MEG) at the University of Freiburg (EPOS). Closed.

Every EPOS course has its own deadline, so always check the date for the exact course you want in the official DAAD EPOS deadlines list — do not assume one date covers all courses.

Who can apply

For EPOS, the rules that disqualify the most people are: you need at least two years of relevant professional experience after your bachelor's degree — fresh graduates without work experience cannot apply — your degree must be no older than six years, and you must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months before applying. The Helmut-Schmidt Programme is for graduates in social sciences, political science, law, economics or public administration, with the same 15-month rule. The ERP scholarships are for graduates of economics and business administration from the listed countries, including Tajikistan. For the general DAAD study scholarships, you need a bachelor's degree and a strong academic record; check the DAAD scholarship database for the exact requirements of your programme.

How to apply in five steps

1. Find your programme in the DAAD scholarship database. Start at daad.de and filter by your country (Tajikistan) and degree level. Confirm Tajikistan is eligible for that exact programme and write down its deadline — deadlines differ by programme and by course.

2. Check the two still-open routes first. If you already have a degree and work experience, Göttingen's MSc Development Economics (until 15 November 2026) and the ERP scholarships (until 30 November 2026) are the fastest options this cycle.

3. Prepare your documents early. Expect your degree certificate and transcripts, a CV, a motivation letter, reference letters, proof of English (and German where the course requires it), and proof of your work experience for EPOS. Certified translations take weeks — start them now, not days before the deadline.

4. Apply to the right place. EPOS applications go directly to the university running the course, not to DAAD — applications sent to DAAD are not accepted for EPOS. Study scholarships are applied for through the DAAD portal.

5. Ask the DAAD Regional Office in Bishkek. It covers Tajikistan and can answer questions about programmes, deadlines and documents — see daad-kyrgyzstan.org for contact details and consultation appointments.

Mistakes that cost people the scholarship

• Applying to DAAD for an EPOS course. EPOS applications go to the university, not to DAAD. Sending it to DAAD wastes the application.
• Applying to EPOS without two years of work experience. Fresh graduates are not eligible, however good their grades are.
• Using the wrong deadline. The 2 November date is for the general DAAD study scholarship, not for EPOS courses — every EPOS course has its own date.
• Applying with a degree older than six years. EPOS counts the age of your degree at the time of application.
• Leaving English tests and translations to the last week. Test dates fill up and translations take time — these are the usual reasons applications slip past the deadline.

Bottom line

DAAD is the clearest fully funded route for Tajik students to study in Germany: €934 a month for a master's and €1,300 for a PhD under EPOS, tuition covered, and a dedicated regional office in Bishkek that covers Tajikistan. The main 2 November deadline has passed, but Göttingen's EPOS course is open until 15 November 2026 and the ERP scholarships until 30 November 2026 — if you have a degree and work experience, apply this week. And if you are starting from zero, read our Study in Germany for Free 2026 guide for how tuition-free study in Germany works even without a scholarship.