IPS Afrika 2027: German Bundestag Scholarship for Young Africans
The German Bundestag’s IPS Afrika 2027 programme offered politically and socially engaged young graduates from nine African countries a four-week programme in Berlin. The application window is closed, so this page is maintained as a historical reference.
IPS Afrika 2027: German Bundestag Scholarship for Young Africans
Application status: closed historical cycle. The German Bundestag’s IPS Afrika 2027 programme was scheduled to take place in Berlin from 4 January to 2 February 2027. Its official application window ran from 1 April 2026 to 29 May 2026, and the Bundestag’s application platform now says that the deadline has passed and applications are no longer possible.
This page is therefore an archive entry, not a live invitation to apply. The official application URL is still useful for checking the programme record, but it does not accept an application for this cycle. No later IPS Afrika round is announced on the official programme page used for this update. Readers should wait for a new Bundestag announcement rather than treating the closed dates or the old documents as a current call.
At a glance
| Key detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Programme | IPS Afrika 2027, the African programme of the International Parliamentary Scholarship |
| Run by | German Bundestag |
| Status | Closed; historical reference |
| Application window | 1 April 2026 to 29 May 2026 |
| Programme dates | 4 January 2027 to 2 February 2027 |
| Duration | Four weeks |
| Location | Berlin, Germany |
| Places | Up to 24 scholarship holders |
| Eligible countries | Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda |
| Age requirement | Younger than 30 at the start of the scholarship, on 1 January |
| Education | Completed university degree |
| Language | Good German, at least B2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages |
| Financial support | EUR 700 stipend, accommodation, travel to and from Berlin, and health, accident, and personal liability insurance |
| Official application record | IPS digital application page |
The programme page describes IPS Afrika as a four-week compact programme for politically and socially engaged young university graduates from sub-Saharan Africa. It is designed for people who are interested in the German parliamentary system and want to take an active, responsible role in the democratic future of their home countries.
What IPS Afrika 2027 was designed to offer
The central practical element was a one-week placement in the office of a Member of the German Bundestag. That placement was intended to give participants a close view of parliamentary work: how offices prepare for political business, how representatives and staff handle competing priorities, and how democratic decisions are discussed and carried through an institution. The official description presents this as the core of the programme, alongside preparation about parliamentary democracy and the work and function of parliament.
The programme also covered the idea of a plural society, minority protection, and remembrance culture as political responsibilities. Workshops addressed subjects including anti-corruption and intercultural training. A project-management workshop was intended to help participants develop their own ideas for supporting democracy and civil society in their countries of origin. These elements make the programme relevant to applicants working in public service, civil society, journalism, law, education, advocacy, research, or other areas connected with public life.
The financial package confirmed by the Bundestag is specific. Participants receive a EUR 700 stipend. The stipend package also includes free accommodation in a residential facility, travel costs to and from Berlin, and the cost of health, accident, and personal liability insurance. Those are the benefits that should be relied on for this cycle. The official page does not describe the programme as covering every personal expense, so applicants should not assume that meals, local spending, document fees, or other incidental costs are included unless a future notice says so.
Who was eligible for the 2027 cycle
The country list was limited and should be checked carefully. Applicants needed citizenship from one of these participating countries:
- Botswana
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Uganda
The official requirements also called for an applicant to be younger than 30 at the start of the scholarship, which the programme page specifies as 1 January. A completed university degree was required. The wording matters: this was a graduate programme, not a general opportunity for anyone currently enrolled in higher education.
Applicants needed good German at a minimum B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The language requirement was connected to the way the application and programme operate. The Bundestag says applications must be submitted in German, and the required motivation letter must be written in German and personally signed. A person who can only manage basic conversation should not treat this as a minor checkbox. The programme includes political learning, workshops, and a parliamentary placement where comprehension and clear expression matter.
Formal eligibility was not the whole profile. The Bundestag also described the target group as politically and socially engaged young university graduates with a strong interest in political relationships. That can include work in a community organisation, civic education, public-interest media, public policy, youth participation, law, government, or another setting where the applicant can show sustained interest and concrete involvement. The official wording does not require a particular job title or a career as a politician. It does require more than a general wish to travel or add an international line to a CV.
Documents required for the closed application window
The programme page listed five components needed for a complete application:
- Proof of good German-language skills. The Bundestag provides a model language certificate on its programme page.
- A motivation letter in German, personally signed, with a maximum length of two pages.
- A copy of a passport or identity card proving citizenship of one of the participating countries.
- A university degree certificate, either the original or an officially certified copy in English or German.
- A recommendation letter in German or English from a teacher, professor, or employer. The recommendation should assess the applicant’s professional qualification for the IPS programme.
The application instructions say that all applications must be submitted in German. A clear scan and a complete file matter because the Bundestag describes the listed documents as the basis for a complete application. Applicants preparing for a future round should not automatically reuse an old file: a new call may change its forms, accepted evidence, file rules, or wording. The official programme page and the application platform should be treated as the controlling sources when a new round is announced.
How the application process worked
For the 2027 cycle, applications were no longer submitted by email. The Bundestag directed applicants to use the IPS digital application platform exclusively. The platform record identifies itself as a service of the German Bundestag. The application window closed on 29 May 2026, so these steps describe the process recorded for the historical round rather than a route that is currently open:
- Confirm citizenship, age, completed degree, German level, and political or social engagement against the official requirements.
- Prepare proof of German, the signed German motivation letter, identity document, degree certificate, and recommendation letter.
- Submit the complete application in German through IPS digital during the announced window.
- Monitor the official communication channels in case the selection process requires further information or an interview.
The Bundestag states that applicants are invited to a selection interview at a German diplomatic mission. An independent selection commission appointed by the Bundestag chooses scholarship holders according to professional, social, language, and intercultural competencies. That means a good application needs to connect academic preparation with actual civic interest and the ability to participate constructively across cultures.
There is no valid “apply now” instruction for this page. The correct action for someone discovering the opportunity after the deadline is to read the official record, note the requirements, and monitor the Bundestag for a later announcement. Do not email documents to an address found in an old guide, and do not assume that the 2027 application portal will reopen simply because the page remains online.
Building a strong application for a future round
Although the 2027 window is closed, its published requirements show what a future applicant would need to prepare.
Start with evidence of engagement. A motivation letter is more convincing when it explains a real project, role, research subject, community effort, public-interest story, or workplace responsibility. The point is not to present an exaggerated biography. It is to show what the applicant has done, what they learned, and why parliamentary democracy is relevant to their next step.
The German letter should answer why this programme is a useful fit. A broad statement about wanting international exposure says very little. A more useful application would explain a specific interest in parliamentary accountability, representation, minority protection, civic participation, anti-corruption, or another published programme theme, then connect that interest to experience in the applicant’s home country.
The recommendation letter should contain observations rather than only adjectives. A professor, teacher, or employer who has supervised the applicant can describe research, initiative, writing, judgment, teamwork, or public-facing work. The recommender should also understand that this is a parliamentary programme and address the applicant’s suitability for it.
German preparation deserves its own schedule. B2 is an upper-intermediate standard, and the official requirement applies to the programme, not just to a form. Applicants should practise discussing public issues, reading formal material, and writing clearly in German. They should also arrange a review of the signed motivation letter while keeping the ideas and experiences their own.
Finally, work backward from the next official deadline once one is published. Gather civil-status and degree documents early, confirm whether copies need certification, ask for the recommendation before the last weeks, and leave time to check every upload. The archived 2027 process had a fixed window; it was not rolling or ongoing.
What applicants should understand about this archive entry
This page retains the closed cycle because its details remain useful to people researching the programme, comparing parliamentary fellowships, or preparing for a possible future call. It should not be read as evidence that applications are available now. The date in the page metadata is the closed cycle’s final application date, and historicalReference = true marks that status for the site.
The programme itself was not described by the Bundestag as discontinued. Rather, the confirmed 2027 cycle has a completed application period, and the official pages do not announce a subsequent cycle in the material checked for this update. That distinction is important. It would be inaccurate to invent a new deadline, and it would also be inaccurate to call the programme permanently ended. The responsible next step is to wait for a new official announcement.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still apply for IPS Afrika 2027?
No. The official application platform says the application deadline has expired and that no application is possible. The recorded window ended on 29 May 2026.
What did the stipend include?
The confirmed package was a EUR 700 stipend, free accommodation, travel to and from Berlin, and health, accident, and personal liability insurance.
Which countries were included?
Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Was a university degree required?
Yes. The official requirements called for a completed university degree.
What German level was required?
At least B2, under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The application was to be submitted in German, including a personally signed motivation letter of no more than two pages.
Was the recommendation letter required to be in German?
No. The programme page accepted a recommendation letter in German or English, from a teacher, professor, or employer.
What happens next?
No next round is confirmed on the official pages checked for this update. Prospective applicants should monitor the German Bundestag’s IPS Afrika page for a new call and follow its instructions when, and if, another cycle is announced.
Official record
The current official application record is the IPS Afrika page on IPS digital. It identifies the programme, participating countries, start date, closed application period, and the fact that the service is operated by the German Bundestag.
The detailed German Bundestag IPS Afrika programme page provides the eligibility rules, required documents, programme structure, selection process, and benefit details. Because the 2027 round is closed, these pages should be used for historical reference and for monitoring any future official announcement, not as an active application form.