If you are an African graduate eyeing a fully-funded European Master’s, three scholarship names dominate every conversation: DAAD EPOS (Germany), Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (multi-country EU), and Chevening (United Kingdom). All three are real options for the September 2027 intake; all three open or close at different points across 2026. The right pick depends on country preference, field of study, competition profile, and how much your career plan is tied to one specific country versus a mobile European Master’s experience.
This side-by-side comparison covers the five things that actually matter when you are choosing where to apply: what is covered, who can apply, when the deadline falls, how competitive it is, and what the post-study commitments look like. Use it to shortlist before you spend the next four months building application packs.
What each one covers
DAAD EPOS funds Master’s programmes in Germany with full tuition, a monthly stipend (EUR 934/month for postgrads in 2026), travel allowance, study and research grants, and health insurance. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters funds two-year mobility Master’s across at least two European universities with full tuition (around EUR 9,000 per year), EUR 1,400 monthly stipend, and travel. Chevening funds one-year UK Master’s with full tuition, monthly stipend (around GBP 1,400 outside London, GBP 1,750 in London), return flights, visa, and an arrival allowance.
Total package value over the duration of the Master’s: DAAD EPOS roughly EUR 35,000-45,000 across 12-24 months. Erasmus Mundus typically EUR 49,000 across 24 months. Chevening around GBP 35,000-40,000 across 12 months. Chevening compresses more value into one year; Erasmus spreads it across two years and two countries; DAAD sits in between.
Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships Africans 2026: who can apply
- DAAD EPOS — nationals of developing countries (most African countries qualify) with at least two years of professional experience in a development-relevant field. Postgraduate first degree required.
- Erasmus Mundus — open to applicants worldwide, no country restrictions. Programme-specific eligibility (relevant Bachelor’s, English proficiency, sometimes work experience).
- Chevening — nationals of Chevening-eligible countries (most African countries qualify) with at least two years of work experience, an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree, and a return-home commitment.
The work-experience gate is the practical differentiator. Erasmus Mundus is the only one of the three that accepts fresh graduates without work experience. For a 24-year-old Rwandan engineering graduate without two years of work, Erasmus Mundus is the only realistic fit. For a 28-year-old Senegalese policy analyst with four years of work, all three are open.
Deadlines for the 2026-2027 cycle
- DAAD EPOS — per-programme deadlines, mostly between July and October 2026 for September 2027 entry. Some programmes accept earlier.
- Erasmus Mundus — per-programme deadlines, most fall between November 2026 and February 2027 for September 2027 entry.
- Chevening — the 2027 cycle opens 6 August 2026 and closes early November 2026 for September 2027 entry.
If you want optionality, build a parallel application schedule: apply to one DAAD EPOS programme by September 2026, prepare the Chevening application during August-October 2026, then layer two Erasmus Mundus consortium applications between November 2026 and February 2027. The same evidence pack (CV, two referee letters, personal statement, transcripts) reuses with minor edits across all three.
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Competition profile and odds
Chevening is the most competitive on paper — roughly 75,000 applications worldwide for around 1,800 scholarships annually, a 2.4% conversion rate. African applicants do disproportionately well: Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for about 25% of awards in 2025. Erasmus Mundus is less concentrated — each Joint Master’s programme runs its own admissions, with 20-30 scholarships per programme and several thousand applicants per consortium. DAAD EPOS conversion sits between the two and varies sharply by host programme.
The single biggest predictor of selection across all three is the strength of the link between your past work, your proposed Master’s, and your stated post-study plan. Selection panels read for coherence first and credentials second. The official Chevening site, the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters portal and the DAAD scholarship database each publish detailed selection criteria worth studying before you draft.
Post-study commitments
Chevening requires you to return home for at least two years after the Master’s. Erasmus Mundus has no return commitment — you can stay in Europe and pursue work or further study. DAAD EPOS has an explicit expectation of return to a development-relevant career in your home country, though it is not strictly enforced.
For a Kenyan civil servant whose government job is waiting on return, Chevening fits the plan. For a Ghanaian software engineer who wants to use the Master’s to break into the German tech market via the Opportunity Card, DAAD EPOS or Erasmus Mundus (with German university components) is the better fit because both allow staying.
Frequently asked questions about Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships Africans 2026
Can I apply to DAAD, Erasmus Mundus and Chevening at the same time?
Yes. There is no rule against parallel applications, and many successful applicants do exactly this to maximise odds. You can only accept one award.
Which of the three is easiest to win?
Erasmus Mundus has the best per-programme odds because each Joint Master’s runs its own admissions. DAAD EPOS varies sharply by programme; Chevening is the toughest in raw numbers but African applicants are over-represented in the winning cohort.
Do I need German for DAAD?
For Germany-based programmes, language requirements vary. Most postgraduate EPOS programmes are taught in English with IELTS or TOEFL.
Does Erasmus Mundus require me to study in multiple countries?
Yes. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are built around mobility — you typically study at two or three European universities across the two-year programme.
Is the Chevening return-home requirement enforced?
Yes. Chevening requires return to your home country for at least two years after the Master’s. The British High Commission tracks compliance.
Which Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships Africans 2026 cycle opens first?
DAAD EPOS programmes open on rolling per-programme dates from July 2026. Chevening opens 6 August 2026. Erasmus Mundus consortia open from October 2026 onward.
Worth remembering
- Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships Africans 2026 splits into three main streams: DAAD EPOS (Germany), Erasmus Mundus (multi-country EU), Chevening (UK).
- Erasmus Mundus is the only one of the three that accepts fresh graduates without work experience.
- Chevening 2027 opens 6 August 2026 and closes early November 2026; the others run on rolling per-programme deadlines.
- Chevening requires return home for two years; Erasmus Mundus has no return commitment; DAAD EPOS expects but does not strictly enforce return.
- Same evidence pack reuses across all three with minor edits — build one strong pack and submit in parallel.
Choose your Master’s scholarship with confidence
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Related reads on Travel Explore
- Chevening Scholarship 2027 Opens August 2026
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- DAAD vs Erasmus Mundus vs Chevening: side-by-side for African Master’s applicants in 2026.
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