ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) 2027
ETH Zurich’s own award for excellent Master’s students (not MAS): a living-and-study scholarship plus mentorship and the ETH Foundation network. The only window is 1–30 November 2026 for a start in HS27. This is not the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
ESOP is ETH Zurich’s own Master’s scholarship. It is awarded by the Rector of ETH Zurich, submitted inside the Master’s eApply file, and covers a regular ETH Master’s (not an MAS). ESKAS / FCS is a federal research award for people who already hold a Master’s; that handbook lives at /swiss-excellence/. Do not mix the two portals, dates or documents.
Official ESOP page: Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme. Official first-window dates: Application Dates Autumn Semester 2027.
Money, mentorship and the Foundation network
The Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme supports excellent Master’s students at ETH Zurich. ETH states that ESOP is not for MAS programmes. The package is a scholarship that covers full study and living costs during the Master’s, plus mentorship and a network of the ETH Foundation.
The next window is 1–30 November 2026 for a Master’s start in HS27 (autumn 2027). You apply via eApply together with the Master’s application. ETH Bachelor students who want a consecutive Master’s also apply for ESOP via eApply. You must use the first application window; the Swiss Bachelor window in April 2027 is not the ESOP window.
From HS27 the living-and-study scholarship is CHF 13,500 per semester (it is CHF 12,000 until then) plus a tuition fee waiver for the regular Master’s duration — three or four semesters. ETH expects to assign about 60 ESOP scholarships for 2027/28; the exact number depends on funds. Admissions committees evaluate files and the Rector decides. Decisions are communicated at the end of March.
Four official gates
Eligibility →A planning tool only — not an official ETH decision. Full notes are on the Eligibility page.
- 1Very good Bachelor — top 10% / grade A on your self-assessment?
- 2Applying in the first window (1–30 November 2026 for HS27)?
- 3You do not already hold a Master’s degree?
- 4You are not already enrolled in an ETH Master’s?
These four published gates match. Planning tool, not an official ETH decision. Next: eApply + first window.
At least one official exclusion may apply. Read Eligibility and the official ESOP page.
Official facts for HS27
| Awarding body | Rector of ETH Zurich |
| Portal | eApply (with the Master’s application) |
| Window | 1–30 November 2026 |
| Start | HS27 (autumn 2027) |
| Scholarship from HS27 | CHF 13,500 per semester |
| Also | Tuition fee waiver |
| Awards 2027/28 | About 60 |
| Decision | End of March 2027 |
Contact: Dr. Barbara E. Hellermann, Financial Aid Office, ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, HG F22.1, 8092 Zurich. Phone numbers on the official ESOP page: +41 44 632 20 23 / +41 44 632 20 88.
What this handbook covers
Eleven pages. Start with eligibility and the first window. Write the pre-proposal yourself. Stay reachable on the CV phone number in February.
Top 10% / grade A, first window only, no existing Master’s, not already on an ETH Master’s.
ESOP rides inside the Master’s eApply file. April 2027 is not an ESOP rescue window.
One file for admission and ESOP. ETH consecutive Bachelor students also use eApply.
The full Master’s dossier plus the extra pre-proposal. Two professor referees if the programme asks for none.
Max 500 words excluding references. Your own work. Official PDF guidelines.
1–30 November 2026 for HS27. February interview window. Rector decision at the end of March.
CHF 13,500 per semester from HS27, tuition waiver, 3 or 4 semesters, about 60 awards.
March decision, mentorship, ETH Foundation network. Admission can stand without ESOP.
Official answers on references, motivation letters, language, and what happens if you are not nominated.
Combined tracker for gates, eApply, documents, pre-proposal and March follow-up.
If this handbook and ethz.ch disagree, ETH wins: official ESOP page.
Start with the first window
If you miss 1–30 November 2026, ESOP for HS27 is closed. The April Swiss Bachelor window does not reopen it.
Read eApply + first window next.