German Embassy urges Ghanaians to apply for ITK 2027 coaching scholarship
The Embassy of Germany in Ghana has called on eligible Ghanaians to apply for the 2027 International Coaching Course (ITK), a scholarship-funded postgraduate programme at Leipzig University in Germany for coaches and physical education professionals from developing countries.
The 2027 programme will combine an online component with a four-month residential phase in Leipzig from August to November 2027, with participation in both phases mandatory. The University of Leipzig says the programme is designed to provide specialised further training for sports professionals and includes academic and practical components.
For the 2027 cycle, Leipzig University has announced residential courses in basketball in Arabic, football in French, sports for the disabled in English, and children’s sport under 12 in Spanish. The University is also offering separate online programmes covering areas such as neuro-centred and cognitive training, training planning in individual sports, training planning in disability sports and leadership and management.
The residential programme is scholarship-funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, making the opportunity particularly significant for eligible applicants from developing countries. Participants will receive a monthly scholarship intended to cover their daily living expenses, while the funding also covers accommodation, health and accident insurance, tuition fees and a public-transport ticket.
The scholarship, however, does not cover every cost associated with participating in the programme. Applicants are responsible for their travel to and from Germany, visa-related expenses, medical examinations in their home countries and personal equipment required for practical sports sessions. Insurance provided under the scholarship also applies only during the official course period.
Applicants must meet a number of requirements to be considered. The ITK requires applicants to have permanent residence in a country on the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of ODA recipients, an academic degree in sports or an adequate qualification, and current professional experience in sports, including coaching, teaching, counselling or coordination.
The programme requires applicants to meet specific professional and personal requirements including personal experience as active athletes in their chosen sporting discipline.
However, this requirement does not apply to applicants for the sports-for-the-disabled course as they must also demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction where it is not an official language of their country, while applicants are generally required to be 40 years or younger.
The University stresses that the programme is intended for people with an established academic and professional background in sport, rather than anyone simply seeking to develop an interest in coaching. Applicants are therefore expected to hold a sports-related academic qualification or an equivalent credential, with the University warning that candidates without such qualifications have little prospect of admission.
Prospective applicants are required to begin the process by registering on the ITK application platform, after which they receive the necessary application forms and instructions. The completed application, together with supporting documents including a contact form and medical questionnaire, must then be submitted to the German Embassy in the applicant’s country, which forwards eligible applications to Leipzig University for consideration
For the 2027 residential programme, the programme has given eligible applicants until 15 December 2026 to submit their applications. The University has advised prospective candidates to follow the prescribed application procedure and submit their completed applications through the designated channels rather than directly to the ITK office.
The ITK has been operated by Leipzig University’s Faculty of Sport Science and has an international alumni and ambassador network spanning dozens of countries. The University says ITK ambassadors in 59 countries currently help prospective applicants exchange information and experiences about the programme.
The 2027 opportunity offers eligible Ghanaian sports professionals a chance to undertake specialised postgraduate training in Germany with substantial financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Successful participants will be expected to return to their home countries after completing the programme, as the scholarship and residence arrangements end with the course.
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