DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Master’s Scholarships 2027 for Public Policy and Good Governance for Study in Germany (Fully Funded)

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Application Deadline: 31 July 2026.

Applications are now open for the 2027 DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Master’s Scholarships.
The DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (known as Public Policy and Good Governance) supports future leaders from developing and emerging countries (see list of countries), who want to promote democracy and social justice in their home regions. The programme, funded by the Federal Foreign Office, offers the opportunity to obtain a master’s degree in fields of study that are of particular importance for social, political and economic development in the countries of origin of these young professionals. In the light of the principles of Good Governance, highly qualified graduates with a first academic degree are being educated in political science, law, economics and administration and prepared for future leading positions in the Global South.

The Programme

• offers future leaders master’s courses in disciplines that are of special relevance for social, political, and economic development
• prepares students in a practice-oriented course for responsible positions in or for their home regions and contributes to establishing economic and social institutions that are democratically oriented and designed to overcome social inequalities

Requirements

Graduates from developing and emerging countries (bachelor or equivalent)

• with a well-qualified first university degree and above-average grades (upper third) in Social and Political Sciences, Law, Economics, Public Policy and Administration
• willing to actively contribute to the social, political and economic development of their home countries/regions
• who have already gained practical experience relevant for the programme (professional experience, internships, political/social commitment), specific requirements vary depending on the master’s courses; please see “Information about the Master’s Courses

Formal requirements:

• Candidates who already hold a master’s degree must make a wellargued case as to why they should be funded for another postgraduate degree.
• The candidates’ last university degree should not date back more than six years at the time of application (date of issue not before 1 January 2020).
• Candidates who have spent more than the past 15 months in a country not listed on the DAC list are not eligible.
  All master’s courses have their own selection criteria (degree, grades, language skills, practical experience, etc.) that must be met in addition to the DAAD’s selection criteria.

Language Skills

• The requirements for language skills and the required language certificates vary depending on the respective master’s course

Funding

• Academic education in one of the master’s courses, listed below and selected by the DAAD, will take place from September/October 2027. The courses have an international focus and are offered in English.
• Throughout their studies, all scholarship holders of the Helmut-SchmidtProgramme benefit from accompanying support services provided by the programme coordinators at the respective study locations.
• Scholarship holders benefit from events and seminars organised specifically for them, as well as close exchange with other international scholarship holders.
• Planning also provides for participation in interdisciplinary networking events.
• DAAD scholarship holders are exempt from paying tuition fees.

Scholarship Worth

The scholarship holders will receive

• scholarships (of currently € 992 per month) for master’s courses at German higher education institutions
• health insurance cover in Germany
• fixed travel allowances (lump sums) for travel between Germany and the respective developing and emerging countries
• a study and research grant
• rent subsidies and family supplements, as applicable
• preceding German language course in Germany, lasting up to 4 months; participation is mandatory
  The following deviation regarding funding benefits applies for the “Social Protection” master’s course due to its blended learning concept: A sur place rate of € 500 per month is paid in the 4th semester (mandatory online semester in the student’s country of origin or another developing/emerging country) instead of the usual scholarship rate.

Application Procedure:

All applications must be submitted in English or German. You may apply for up to two master’s courses listed below.

1. Please read the DAAD selection criteria included in our checklist carefully and take care of every single point listed in the checklist.
2. Please complete the DAAD “Application Form” only once and indicate your selected master’s course(s).
3. If you are applying for two master’s courses: Please rank the courses in order of preference in your motivation letter, i.e. why your first choice of master’s course is your first choice and why your second choice is your second choice. For each choice of course, please provide clear reasons why you think it will advance you academically and professionally. You must submit the same letter of motivation to both courses you are applying for.
4. Please submit the application form to the master’s course(s) of your choice (max. two), along with the required documents (see below). Scholarship applications must be sent directly to the master’s courses.

Selection Procedure:

The selection will be made by a selection committee in October/Novembee 2026.

• The committee comprises professors from the participating master’s courses and representatives of the DAAD.
• Next step: The candidates that were proposed for a scholarship are contacted by the DAAD and asked to upload their full documents to the DAAD portal.
• Please do not upload any application documents unless you are nominated (by email) by the DAAD.
• Important: Please make sure that you have a full set of copies of your application documents in PDF format. Please submit original documents only if you are explicitly asked to do so by the master’s course. Thus, the selection process is finalised.
• All applicants are informed in writing after the end of the selection process, expected in December 2026/January 2027.

Application Document

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Master’s Scholarships