Scholarship Guide Africans Can Still Apply For Now: DAAD Masters In Africa, Deadline 12 November6

Every year, thousands of Africans miss real scholarships because they are reading old, recycled lists. A blog post from 2022 will say "Top 10 scholarships open now" but the deadlines passed long ago. This guide is different. It focuses on one current programme you can still apply for now, and shows you exactly how to verify it yourself.

Date checked: 8 November 2026. Deadline: 12 November 2026 at midnight Central European Time.

The programme is the DAAD In-Country/In-Region Scholarship Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa, 2027 intake.

What Is This Scholarship?

DAAD is the German Academic Exchange Service. It is funded by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Many people think DAAD means you must go to Germany. This programme is different.

This programme pays talented graduates from Sub-Saharan Africa to earn a Master's degree inside Africa — either in their own country (In-Country) or in another country in the region (In-Region). The 2027 call covers 13 Master's programmes at host universities in eight countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

The idea is simple: Africa needs more university teachers, researchers, and professionals. Instead of sending everybody abroad, DAAD helps to build strong universities inside Africa.

For the 2027 intake, examples of programmes include Water and Environmental Engineering at 2iE in Burkina Faso, Seed Science and Technology at University of Ghana / WACCI, and Master of Education in Research at Moi University in Kenya. You do not apply for a general DAAD scholarship. You apply for a scholarship tied to one specific programme on the list.

Who Can Apply?

You can apply if you meet these general rules:

• You are a national or permanent resident of a Sub-Saharan African country
• You hold a first degree — a Bachelor's or equivalent
• Your result is above average — at least Second Class Upper or equivalent in many programmes
• You completed your last degree no more than 6 years ago before applying
• You want to study one of the selected development-related Master's programmes in the 2027 call

The programme especially encourages applications from women, recognised refugees, and candidates from marginalised regions or groups.

Important warning: meeting the general DAAD rules does not automatically mean you are eligible for every programme. Each host university sets its own admission requirements. For example, WACCI may ask for a specific science background, while Moi University may ask for an education background. Always read the call for your chosen programme before you apply.

Also, if you have already received a DAAD Master's scholarship before, you cannot receive another one for a Master's.

What Does It Cover?

Funding generally includes:

• Tuition fees
• A monthly scholarship — for example, in some calls it is 400 Euros per month for In-Country and 500 Euros per month for In-Region
• Study and research allowance
• Thesis publishing costs
• Travel allowance and health insurance — for In-Region scholars who study outside their home country

The exact amounts depend on the programme. Some programmes list 3 In-Country places and 8 In-Region places. Others are different. Do not assume the amount for one university is the same for another. Check the funding table in your programme's call.

The scholarship normally lasts for the regular length of the Master's course, up to two years. It only becomes effective after DAAD receives proof of admission from the university and proof of arrival at the host institution.

Deadline And Documents Needed

Deadline: 12 November 2026, midnight Central European Time (CET), in the DAAD portal.

Some host programmes may set their own earlier admission deadline, so check yours. The DAAD deadline is not the same as the university admission deadline. You must do two separate applications:

• 1. DAAD scholarship application through the DAAD portal
• 2. University admission application directly to the host university

Documents you will usually need:

• Completed DAAD application form from the portal
• CV / Resume in the format requested
• Academic transcripts and degree certificate
• Admission letter or proof you have applied — check what your programme asks for
• Research proposal or motivation letter — depending on the programme
• Recommendation letters — usually from university lecturers
• Passport or national ID

DAAD advises using a desktop computer for the portal, because it works only in a limited way on mobile devices. Do not wait until 12 November night. Portals jam, network fails, and uploads fail. Submit at least 2 days early.

How To Verify It Yourself — Do Not Trust Lists

This is the most important part. Do not apply from a screenshot, a WhatsApp forward, or a TikTok video.

To verify:

• Step 1: Go to the official DAAD site only: https://www.daad.de/en/
• Step 2: Search for "In-Country/In-Region Programme Sub-Saharan Africa" in the DAAD Scholarship Database
• Step 3: Open the call for your specific programme and download the PDF. That PDF is the document that governs — not any summary
• Step 4: Check the deadline, funding, and eligibility inside that PDF. If the PDF says a different date from a blog, believe the PDF

If a page cannot show you the official DAAD call, do not trust it.

How To Avoid Fake Scholarship Pages

Fake scholarship pages are everywhere. They steal your data or your money. Watch for these red flags:

• They ask you to pay an application fee, processing fee, or visa fee to a personal account. DAAD does not ask you to pay through an agent on WhatsApp
• They promise "100% guaranteed scholarship" or "no documents needed." Real scholarships are competitive and need documents
• They use a Gmail, Yahoo, or WhatsApp number as the only contact. Real programmes use official university and DAAD pages
• They show a deadline that is different from the official page. Always cross-check
• They ask for your BVN, card PIN, or bank password. No real scholarship needs that

If someone says "DM me to apply for you," be careful. Apply yourself on the official portal. If you need help, ask a lecturer, a school counsellor, or someone who has applied before — not a stranger who wants money.

What To Do Before 12 November

• Today: Pick ONE programme that matches your degree. Do not apply to five different programmes at once
• Tomorrow: Download the call, list the documents, and start your university admission application
• By 10 November: Upload everything to the DAAD portal and submit
• After submission: Save screenshots, your application number, and emails. Check your email regularly for admission proof requests

If you miss 12 November, there is no late window for this Sub-Saharan Africa call. You will need to wait for the next intake or look for a different regional call.

DAAD is not the only opportunity, but right now it is one of the few real, open, and verifiable ones for Africans. Start from the official page, read the call, and apply early.