ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship ESOP 2027

The ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme (ESOP) 2027 is a fully funded scholarship for outstanding international students to pursue a master’s degree at ETH Zurich, the world’s top-ranked university for engineering and natural sciences. Each scholar receives CHF 12,000 per semester in living and study expenses plus a full tuition fee waiver for the normal duration of the master’s programme (three or four semesters). Around 60 scholarships are awarded per year. The application window opens on 1 November 2026 and closes on 30 November 2026 at 11:59 AM Central European Time. Applications are submitted through ETH Zurich’s eApply portal as part of the standard Master’s application. There is no separate application fee for the ESOP.

If you are among the top 10% of your undergraduate cohort, have a strong research interest in engineering, natural sciences, computer science, architecture, or related disciplines, and want to pursue a fully funded master’s degree at one of the most research-intensive institutions in the world with a generous semester stipend, mentorship from the ETH Foundation, and access to a global network of excellence the ETH Zurich ESOP is the most prestigious and most financially substantive master’s scholarship available at a European technical university in 2027. Use Our Free Scholarship Calculator

Table of Contents

Key Details at a Glance

Detail	Information
Scholarship	Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme (ESOP)
Host University	ETH Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
QS World Ranking 2026	7th globally
Location	Zurich, Switzerland
Study Level	Master’s degree only
Scholarship per Semester	CHF 12,000 (approximately €12,500 or $13,500)
Tuition	Fully waived for the normal programme duration
Duration Covered	3 or 4 semesters (standard master’s duration)
Scholarships per Year	Approximately 60
Eligible Fields	All master’s programmes at ETH Zurich (excluding MAS)
Academic Requirement	Top 10% of bachelor’s cohort (Grade A equivalent)
Application Window	1 November to 30 November 2026, 11:59 AM CET
Open To	International students worldwide
Results Announced	End of March 2027
Application Fee	None for ESOP specifically
Official Portal	Click Here

What Is ETH Zurich?

ETH Zurich is Switzerland’s federal technical university, ranked 7th in the world by QS (2026) and consistently listed among the top three universities in Europe. Its particular strengths are in engineering, natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, architecture, and earth sciences. It regularly ranks first or second globally in these disciplines. The institution has produced 21 Nobel Laureates, including Albert Einstein, who studied and later lectured there. It is home to more than 500 professors and over 23,000 students from over 120 countries.

Zurich itself is consistently ranked the world’s most liveable city and is home to a dense concentration of global technology companies, financial institutions, and research-intensive industries, creating an unusually rich professional ecosystem for students interested in connecting academic research with real-world application.

The ETH Foundation established the Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme specifically to attract the world’s most talented master’s students to ETH, providing financial security and professional development that allows them to focus entirely on research and academic excellence without the distraction of financial pressure.

What the ESOP Scholarship Covers

CHF 12,000 per semester in living and study expenses. This is a generous and realistic stipend for life in Zurich — one of the world’s most expensive cities. At current exchange rates, CHF 12,000 is approximately €12,500 or $13,500 per semester. Spread across the roughly 26 weeks of an academic semester, this provides approximately CHF 923 per week, which comfortably covers accommodation in Zurich (typically CHF 1,000 to CHF 1,600 per month in shared housing), food, local transport on Zurich’s excellent public network, and personal expenses.

Full tuition fee waiver. ETH Zurich charges all master’s students a semester fee of CHF 730 plus a student services contribution, a much lower tuition cost than most international universities, but still a real cost. The ESOP waives this entirely for the standard duration of the programme. If you extend your programme beyond the normal duration due to voluntary activities such as additional coursework, the scholarship does not extend with you; you must finance additional semesters yourself.

Mentorship through the ETH Foundation. ESOP scholars are connected to the ETH Foundation’s network of mentors, alumni, and industry partners. This mentorship is not a one-off meeting it is an ongoing relationship with professionals and researchers who are embedded in the ETH ecosystem and who can provide career guidance, research direction, and professional connections throughout the master’s period.

Access to the ESOP scholar community. Being named an ESOP scholar places you within a cohort of approximately 60 top-performing master’s students from around the world at ETH Zurich. This community’s regular events, shared facilities, peer learning, and a common identity as ETH excellence scholars provide a professional and social network that continues throughout careers.

Eligible Programmes

The ESOP is available for all master’s programmes at ETH Zurich, with one exception: Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) programmes are excluded. Students who are already enrolled in a master’s degree at ETH Zurich or who already hold a master’s degree are also not eligible.

ETH Zurich offers master’s programmes across the following areas, all eligible for ESOP:

Architecture, civil engineering, and geomatics cover spatial planning, structural engineering, environmental engineering, and geomatic engineering. Natural sciences and mathematics include biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computational science. Engineering covers mechanical, electrical, materials, chemical, and biomedical engineering. Information technology covers computer science, data science, cybersecurity, and statistics. Earth and environmental sciences cover atmospheric and climate science, earth science, and environmental science. Interdisciplinary and management programmes include management, technology, and economics, as well as health science and technology and quantitative finance.

The breadth of eligible disciplines means that ESOP is accessible to students from a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds engineering students, natural science graduates, mathematicians, computer scientists, and earth scientists are all strongly represented in each annual cohort.

Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility criteria for ESOP are deliberately narrow and high in order to concentrate the scholarship on the strongest candidates worldwide.

Academic standing. Your bachelor’s degree result must place you in the top 10% of your undergraduate cohort. ETH Zurich uses the self-assessment standard of “Grade A” or equivalent meaning you assess and attest yourself that you are in the top 10%. This self-assessment is cross-checked with the academic documents you submit. Candidates who misrepresent their standing are excluded from the process, and if discovered after admission, the scholarship and admission can be revoked.

No current ETH enrolment or existing master’s degree. If you are already enrolled in a master’s programme at ETH Zurich, or if you already hold a master’s degree from any institution, you are not eligible for ESOP. The programme is specifically designed for first-time master’s students.

Reachability. You must be reachable at the phone number listed in your CV throughout the application period, as the selection process may include a phone or video interview in February 2027. If you will not be available during that period, you must inform the relevant master’s programme coordinator in advance.

Application window. The ESOP can only be applied for during the first application window, 1 to 30 November. This is a hard constraint. ETH Zurich opens a second application window for master’s admissions later in the year, but ESOP applications are not accepted during this second window. Missing the November window means you cannot apply for the scholarship in that cycle under any circumstances.

The Three Specific ESOP Documents

In addition to the standard master’s admission documents that all applicants submit, ESOP applicants must provide three additional elements that are specific to the scholarship.

A master’s thesis pre-proposal. This is a self-developed document in which you outline the research project you propose to pursue for your master’s thesis at ETH Zurich. It must follow established scientific citation practices and the specifications provided in ETH Zurich’s official pre-proposal guidelines (available as a PDF on the ESOP page). This is not a vague statement of research interest. It is a structured, properly cited document that demonstrates your capacity for original research thinking and your specific engagement with a research question within your chosen field at ETH. Plagiarism in the pre-proposal results in immediate exclusion from the admission process and, if discovered later, revocation of admission and scholarship.

Two academic reference persons, if your programme does not already require references. If your chosen master’s programme at ETH Zurich includes reference letters as a standard admission requirement, those references serve the ESOP application as well. If your programme does not require references, you must name two professors in your ESOP application who will be contacted by the system and asked to upload letters of recommendation on your behalf. These should be academics who know your work closely and can speak to your research capacity and academic promise.

Contact details for a phone/video interview in February. You must provide a reliable phone number and confirm your availability for interviews in February 2027. These are not guaranteed; not all ESOP applicants are interviewed, but shortlisted candidates are contacted directly.

How to Apply: Step by Step

Applications for the 2027 ESOP are submitted through ETH Zurich’s eApply portal as an integrated component of the master’s application. There is no separate scholarship application portal.

Step 1: Start preparing now. The application window is 1 to 30 November 2026. The master’s thesis pre-proposal requires genuine research and drafting time. Beginning in September or October 2026 gives you adequate time to develop a strong, properly cited proposal.

Step 2: Access the eApply portal. Go to the ETH Zurich eApply portal through the master’s admissions section of ethz.ch. Begin your master’s application for your chosen programme. Within the application, there is a specific option to apply for the ESOP — select this option.

Step 3: Complete the standard master’s admission documents. These include academic transcripts, your bachelor’s degree certificate, proof of language proficiency as required by your programme, a CV, and a statement of purpose. Requirements vary by programme. Check the specific programme’s admission page at ethz.ch.

Step 4: Upload the ESOP-specific documents. Upload your master’s thesis pre-proposal following the official ETH Zurich specifications. If your programme does not require references, provide the names and contact details of two academic referees — they will receive an automated email from the system asking them to upload their letters directly.

Step 5: Submit before 30 November 2026 at 11:59 AM CET. The portal closes at exactly this time. ETH Zurich and university application portals typically experience high traffic in the final hours before major deadlines. Submit at least several days early and download your submission confirmation immediately.

Official Application Portal: Click Here

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ETH Zurich ESOP open to international students from outside Europe?

Yes. The ESOP is open to all international students worldwide with no nationality restrictions. ETH Zurich actively seeks to attract top talent globally. International students from India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil, Kenya, Bangladesh, and all other countries are eligible provided they meet the academic requirements.

Does the CHF 12,000 per semester stipend cover all living costs in Zurich?

Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in the world. CHF 12,000 per semester, approximately CHF 2,000 per month across a typical six-month semester, covers shared accommodation, food, local transport, and personal expenses for a single person living modestly. It does not cover dependants. ESOP scholars can also work as research or teaching assistants at ETH alongside their studies, which provides additional income, provided this does not extend their studies beyond the normal programme duration.

What happens if I extend my studies beyond the normal programme duration?

The ESOP and tuition fee waiver are awarded for the normal duration of the programme only — three or four semesters depending on your programme. If you extend your studies for any reason, you must finance the additional semesters yourself. The scholarship does not extend beyond the standard programme length.

Can I apply for the ESOP if I already hold a master’s degree?

No. Students who already hold a master’s degree from any institution are not eligible for the ESOP. The programme is specifically for students pursuing their first master’s degree.

When is the application window and what happens if I miss it?

The 2027 ESOP application window is 1 to 30 November 2026. This is an absolute constraint: ESOP applications are only accepted during this first application window. ETH Zurich opens a second master’s application window later in the academic year, but ESOP is not available during that window. Missing the November deadline means you cannot apply for the scholarship for that cycle.

What does the master’s thesis pre-proposal need to cover?

The pre-proposal is a self-developed document outlining the research project you propose to pursue for your ETH Zurich master’s thesis. It must follow ETH’s specified format (available as a PDF on the ESOP page) and use proper scientific citation practices. It is not a general statement of research interest; it should identify a specific research question, explain its significance, and outline your proposed approach. The quality of this document is a central part of the ESOP evaluation.

Key Timeline for the 2027 ESOP

Milestone	Date
Begin preparing pre-proposal and documents	September to October 2026
Application window opens	1 November 2026
Application window closes	30 November 2026 at 11:59 AM CET
Shortlisted candidate interviews	February 2027
Scholarship decisions announced	End of March 2027
Master’s programme begins	Autumn semester 2027

Final Checklist Before You Apply

Confirm you are in the top 10% of your undergraduate cohort — Grade A equivalent
Confirm you do not already hold a master’s degree
Identify your ETH Zurich master’s programme and check its admission requirements at ethz.ch
Begin developing your master’s thesis pre-proposal in September or October 2026
Confirm your two academic referees if your programme does not require references
Access the eApply portal at ethz.ch and begin your master’s application when the window opens 1 November 2026
Submit before 30 November 2026 at 11:59 AM CET — do not wait for the final day
Download your submission confirmation immediately after submitting
Apply at: ethz.ch/students/en/studies/financial/scholarships/excellencescholarship

Last updated: June 2026. Stipend amounts, number of scholarships, and programme details are subject to annual review. Always verify current requirements, the pre-proposal format, and the application portal on the official ETH Zurich ESOP page before applying.Use Our Free Scholarship Calculator