DAAD vs Erasmus Mundus: Which Scholarship Should You Choose?
DAAD and Erasmus Mundus are both fully funded, open to all eight African origins World Study supports, and genuinely competitive. The choice between them is not about prestige — it is about career direction, experience level, and whether you want deep roots in Germany or breadth across multiple EU countries. DAAD EPOS pays €934 per month (as of June 2026), requires two years of post-degree work experience, and places you at one German institution in a development-focused programme. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters pay €1,400 per month for non-EU students (per the Erasmus+ programme guide), require no minimum work experience, and place you across at least two European countries with a joint or double degree at the end.
This post compares both on the factors that matter for an African applicant. Full DAAD details at /scholarships/daad/.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | DAAD EPOS (Master’s) | Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters |
|---|---|---|
| African origins eligible | All 8 (incl. ZW, ZM) | All 8 (incl. ZW, ZM) |
| Monthly stipend | €934/mo (as of June 2026) | €1,400/mo non-EU (Erasmus+ guide) |
| Tuition | Covered | Covered |
| Travel allowance | Yes | Yes (travel + installation contribution) |
| Health insurance | Yes | Varies by programme |
| Study location | Germany only (one institution) | 2+ EU countries (consortium) |
| Degree awarded | Single German degree | Joint / double / multiple degree |
| Work experience required | Yes — minimum 2 years post-degree | No programme-wide requirement |
| Field focus | Development-related postgraduate courses | Academic excellence, any field |
| Language | German course included; many programmes English-taught | Programme-specific (usually English) |
| Application route | Via specific DAAD-listed postgraduate course | Directly to consortium |
| Typical deadline | Varies by course (Q2 annually) | Oct–Feb per consortium |
| Post-study work route | Germany: 18-month §20 permit | Country-specific (varies) |
| Visa fee | €75 waived for DAAD scholars | Standard for host country |
DAAD EPOS in Detail
DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) is Germany’s national academic exchange organisation. The EPOS programme — “Development-Related Postgraduate Courses” — is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and specifically targets candidates from developing and emerging countries who want to study in Germany in fields related to development cooperation.
What the award covers (as of June 2026, confirmed in the DAAD scholarship database):
– Monthly stipend: €934 per month for Master’s students
– Doctoral stipend: €1,300 per month (for EPOS doctoral awards)
– Health insurance: covered
– Return travel to Germany: included
– Possible rent and family subsidies (programme-specific)
– One-time German language course if needed
– Visa fee waiver: the standard German Type-D student visa fee of €75 is waived for DAAD scholarship holders
The most important eligibility requirement: two years of work experience. DAAD EPOS is not open to recent graduates. The programme requires a minimum of two years of relevant professional experience after your first degree. This filters out a large proportion of applicants and is checked before academic criteria are considered. If you graduated last year, EPOS is not available to you yet — return when you have the experience.
How development-relevance works. EPOS-listed postgraduate courses are pre-selected by DAAD in fields such as public health, agriculture, environmental management, sustainable urban development, engineering for development, governance, economic policy and similar. You apply to the specific listed course, not to DAAD generally. Your personal statement must connect your professional experience to a development challenge in your country and explain how this specific German programme equips you to address it.
Germany’s post-study pathway. After completing a degree at a German university — scholarship-funded or self-funded — you are eligible for the 18-month §20 job-search permit. This allows you to work any job full-time while seeking related employment. This is one of the longer and more flexible post-study routes in Europe, and it applies equally to DAAD-funded and self-funded graduates.
Read the full Germany guide at /study-in-germany/.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters in Detail
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) are fully integrated Master’s programmes co-designed by a consortium of at least three universities in at least two EU member states or Erasmus+ programme countries. You study at a minimum of two consortium universities in different countries and graduate with a joint, double, or multiple degree.
What the fellowship covers (per the Erasmus+ programme guide, confirmed via multiple consortium pages accessed June 2026):
– Full tuition fees charged by every consortium university
– Monthly living allowance: €1,400 per month for non-EU students (Category A)
– Travel and installation contribution (some programmes give this as a separate lump sum; in others it reduces the monthly allowance slightly — check per consortium)
– Duration: typically 24 months for a two-year Master’s
No mandatory work experience. Unlike DAAD EPOS, Erasmus Mundus does not have a programme-wide minimum work experience requirement. Some individual consortia may prefer candidates with professional background, but this is not a condition of eligibility. Strong academic results, research experience and a clear argument for why your background fits this specific consortium’s research agenda are what matter.
You apply to the consortium, not to a national body. There is no intermediary — you submit your application directly to the consortium of universities. Each consortium has its own portal, deadline (typically October to February), and selection process. Many well-known programmes receive several hundred to several thousand applications for twenty to thirty fellowship places — check each programme’s own figures if available.
The degree is multi-country. You will live and study in at least two different European countries over the programme. This is a genuine advantage for candidates aiming at international careers, multilateral organisations, or cross-border research roles — and a potential disadvantage if you want to build professional networks in one specific city or country.
Read more at /scholarships/erasmus-mundus/.
Which One Suits You?
Choose DAAD EPOS if:
– You have at least two years of post-degree professional experience in a development-related field
– Your career goal is in development cooperation, international NGOs, government ministries, or research in a field Germany prioritises
– You want to build deep professional and academic roots in Germany, in one city, at one institution
– You want access to Germany’s 18-month post-study permit and possible path to EU Blue Card employment
– Your target field is one of the EPOS-listed course areas (check the DAAD scholarship database for the current course list)
Choose Erasmus Mundus if:
– You are a recent graduate or have limited professional experience
– Your goal is broad EU exposure and a joint degree from multiple European institutions
– You are aiming at an international or multilateral career where studying in multiple countries is a credential
– Your field may not be listed under DAAD EPOS (EMJM covers a much wider range of disciplines)
– You want the higher monthly living allowance (€1,400 vs €934)
If you qualify for both: apply to both. The deadlines and application systems are separate, and applying to one does not affect the other.
What Both Have in Common
Both programmes are open to all eight World Study Africa origins — including Zimbabwe and Zambia, which are excluded from some other schemes. Neither publishes acceptance rates. Both are genuinely competitive. Neither has a “guaranteed” route, and any agent claiming otherwise should be treated with scepticism.
Both are fully funded, meaning you should not need to rely on personal savings or a blocked account to study. For DAAD specifically, the German student visa fee of €75 is waived — a small saving but worth noting when you are assembling application costs.
How World Study Africa Helps
World Study Africa helps you assess whether your profile is better suited to DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, or other options — Stipendium Hungaricum, Commonwealth, Chevening, or self-funded study. Our service is free; universities compensate us through a placement commission you never pay.
Check your eligibility at /eligibility-check/, or speak to an adviser via WhatsApp. Full DAAD programme details at /scholarships/daad/.
Frequently asked questions
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters do not have a programme-wide work experience requirement, unlike DAAD EPOS. Individual consortia may prefer applicants with professional background in their field, but this is not a mandatory eligibility criterion. DAAD EPOS explicitly requires a minimum of two years of relevant professional experience after your first degree — without this, your application will not proceed regardless of your grades.
Yes. They are separate programmes with separate application systems, run by separate bodies (DAAD for its own scholarships; European Commission/EACEA for Erasmus Mundus). Application windows and deadlines differ — DAAD EPOS deadlines vary by course, while most Erasmus Mundus consortia have windows between October and February. Applying to both simultaneously is reasonable if you meet the eligibility criteria for each.
They serve different markets. A DAAD EPOS degree from a German university is highly regarded in Germany and German-speaking countries and opens the 18-month post-study job-search permit. An Erasmus Mundus joint degree — awarded by two or more universities in two or more countries — is recognised across the EU and signals international adaptability, often valued in multilateral or research careers. Neither is inherently "better"; the right degree is the one aligned to where you want to work.
After a DAAD-funded degree at a German university, you are eligible for Germany's 18-month post-study job-search permit (§20 Residence Act). After an Erasmus Mundus degree, you have spent time in at least two EU countries — each has its own post-study permit route, which you must apply for separately in the relevant country. Neither scholarship includes an automatic right to remain in Europe; the permit applications are yours to pursue after graduation.
Both are competitive, and neither publishes overall acceptance rates. DAAD EPOS is filtered early by the two-years-work-experience requirement, which screens out recent graduates. Among eligible candidates, competition is high. Erasmus Mundus consortium acceptance rates are programme-specific and not centrally published, but most well-known programmes receive several hundred to several thousand applications for twenty to thirty fellowship places. A well-matched, specific application matters more than programme choice.
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