Hydro Science and Engineering (HSE) is a four-semester, full-time M.Sc. taught in English by TU Dresden’s Department of Hydrosciences in Dresden, Germany. It blends natural science and engineering for water management, with optional profiles such as flood risk, urban water and groundwater.
Most students fund themselves; there is no tuition. The course is a DAAD-EPOS partner, so experienced professionals from developing countries can seek a full DAAD scholarship through a separate, earlier route.
Benefits & funding
- No tuition fees; a semester contribution of about €340 includes a public transport ticket (DAAD course page).
- DAAD-EPOS scholarship (limited number): €992 a month for graduates, plus health, accident and liability insurance, and a travel allowance unless otherwise covered.
- A rent subsidy and family allowance may be paid in some cases.
- Self-funded students: the programme puts Dresden living costs at €750–900 a month.
Eligibility
- Bachelor’s of at least six semesters in natural sciences, civil/environmental engineering or a related field, with at least 80 ECTS in the listed science and water subjects (or qualifying work to cover a shortfall).
- English C1 (CEFR) by an independent test; a medium-of-instruction letter does not count.
- Applicants from China, Vietnam and India need an APS certificate.
- DAAD-EPOS route only: citizen of a listed developing country; two or more years of relevant work after the first degree; degree in the upper third, normally under six years old; not in Germany for more than the past 15 months at the deadline; existing master’s holders must justify a second one.
- DAAD-EPOS countries (DAAD list, valid 2024–2025; check the current list): Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia; Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Helena, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe; Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela; Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Syria, Yemen; Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Cambodia, China, Indonesia, North Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam; Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.
- Self-funded route: no nationality limit.
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Application process
- 1DAAD-EPOS route: register on the HSE DAAD-EPOS portal and apply to TU Dresden by 15 October, a year before starting (or by 31 July via a German embassy or DAAD regional office).
- 2Include a recommendation letter from your current employer and work certificates covering two years.
- 3The programme recommends candidates; DAAD then asks them to upload to its portal.
- 4Self-funded route: apply 1 April–31 May (non-EU, foreign degree, via uni-assist) or 1 April–15 July (German/EU applicants or a German degree), with the HSE aptitude form.
Program timeline
EPOS deadline via embassy or DAAD office (passed)
31 July 2026
15 October 2026
EPOS deadline at TU Dresden (2027 intake)
Non-EU self-funded application window
1 April–31 May 2027
Programme starts
Winter semester 2027