The ETH Zurich ESOP 2027 application window runs from 1 to 30 November 2026 for master’s study starting in autumn 2027. Submit in eApply by 11:59 a.m. Central European Time on Monday, 30 November. In Pakistan, that is 3:59 p.m. the same day.
ETH Zurich’s Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme combines a tuition fee waiver with CHF 13,500 per semester from the autumn 2027 intake. The extra piece of work for applicants is a thesis pre-proposal. Check the scholarship rules before starting it, then give yourself time to develop a research question you can explain in an interview.
On this page Eligibility · Funding · Thesis pre-proposal · Submit in eApply
Who qualifies for ETH Zurich ESOP 2027?
ETH Zurich expects a bachelor’s result in roughly the top 10% of your programme. Its ESOP page describes this as a self-assessment, so base it on the evidence you have. Your grades, transcript or any class ranking your university provides can help you make a reasonable assessment.
You cannot apply if you already hold a master’s degree or are enrolled in an ETH Zurich master’s programme. ESOP supports eligible master’s programmes and excludes the Master of Advanced Studies (MAS). For the degree itself, check the entry and language requirements for your particular ETH Zurich programme.
Even if your academic background gives you a later admissions window for an ETH master’s, ESOP requires the first window. Read the official autumn 2027 application dates and set your reminder for the morning cutoff in Switzerland.
What the award covers
| Item | What ETH Zurich publishes |
|---|---|
| Scholarship amount | CHF 13,500 per semester starting in autumn 2027. |
| Tuition | Tuition fee waiver for the regular duration of the programme. |
| Duration | Three or four semesters, depending on the master’s programme. |
| Additional support | Mentorship and access to the ETH Foundation’s network. |
The university’s page also shows the earlier CHF 12,000 rate. Use the CHF 13,500 figure when planning for the 2027 intake. For your own cash-flow budget, list any expenses due before the first payment and check the timing with the university.
How to approach the thesis pre-proposal
Read the official guidelines before you write. ETH Zurich expects you to develop the pre-proposal yourself and use established scientific citation practice. Pick a problem narrow enough to investigate within a master’s thesis and use the proposal to show how you would study it.
- Describe the problem and the gap in what you have read. Identify the work that led you to the question.
- Write one research question you can answer with the time, data and equipment you expect to have.
- Outline your method, what evidence you would collect and how you would judge the results. Say what you would do if a key dataset or piece of equipment were unavailable.
- Check citations against the original sources and follow the layout and length in ETH Zurich’s instructions.
For example, an applicant interested in urban heat could narrow the topic to comparing temperature measurements at two types of street segments in one district. That would let them explain how they would select sites and control for time of day. Use that level of specificity for a question you developed yourself.
Submit the scholarship request in eApply
Start the master’s application in eApply, select the ESOP option and upload your pre-proposal alongside the documents your degree programme requests. If your programme does not require references for admission, ETH Zurich says to name two professors for ESOP. The system asks them to upload a reference letter within two weeks. Give both referees advance notice and check the portal for instructions that apply to your programme.
Make sure the phone number in your academic CV is current. ETH Zurich may contact applicants for a phone or video interview in February and says it communicates decisions by the end of March. Its ESOP FAQ covers common application questions, including the submission window.
