What the funding covers
- A living allowance of CHF 13,500 per semester for students starting in autumn 2027 (CHF 12,000 before then).
- A full tuition-fee waiver for the standard length of the master's (three or four semesters).
- About 60 scholarships were available for students starting in 2027/28.
Who can apply
- Applicants to an ETH master's programme, from any university in the world.
- Outstanding bachelor's results — ETH asks for the top 10% of your cohort (grade A).
- You must not already be enrolled in, or hold, a master's degree.
How to apply
- Apply for your master's programme and ESOP together through ETH's eApply portal.
- Upload a pre-proposal for your master's thesis research as part of the scholarship application.
- Name two professors as referees if your programme does not already require recommendation letters; they submit letters directly.
- Submit between 1 and 30 November 2026 (11:59 pm Swiss time) for a start in autumn 2027. Decisions are communicated by the end of March.
Before you apply: things to know
- The ESOP window closes on 30 November — two weeks before ETH's regular master's deadline of mid-December. Apply in November to be considered for the scholarship.
- Being in the top 10% is necessary but not sufficient; the thesis pre-proposal and references carry real weight.
- Zürich is among the most expensive cities in Europe; the allowance is set to cover a modest student budget there, not luxuries.
A working timeline
Counting back from the next typical deadline (Nov 30, 2026). Steps marked NOW are already due if you start today.
Sep 7, 2026 · NOWResearch the route in depth — confirm eligibility, costs and every required document
Sep 21, 2026 · NOWAsk your referees (for a PhD, email potential supervisors with a short, specific pitch)
Oct 5, 2026Write the first full draft of your motivation letter or statement of purpose
Oct 19, 2026Order transcripts and certified translations · book any language test
Nov 2, 2026Second draft — get feedback from someone who reads critically
Nov 16, 2026Finalise every document and complete the online form
Nov 23, 2026Submit — never on the last day
Nov 30, 2026Typical deadline
Related routes
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Due ≈ in 36 daysDetails →
TU Delft — Van Effen Excellence
Due in 67 daysDetails →
RWTH Aachen University
Closed · next ≈ Mar 1, 2027Details →
Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford)
Due in 11 daysDetails →
Sources
Page reviewed Sep 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official source.