Full funding · Study in Switzerland
Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme
A grant covering living and study costs of around CHF 13,000 per semester plus a full tuition waiver
- Funder
- ETH Zurich
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Coverage
- Full
About this scholarship
ETH Zurich — continental Europe's top-ranked university — funds its strongest incoming master's students through the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP), covering the full cost of the degree.
Selection is fiercely competitive and rests on academic brilliance: recipients typically rank in the top few percent of their bachelor's cohort and complete a research project within the programme.
🗓️ Deadline
Apply with the master's application, typically November to mid-December
Award cycles shift year to year. Confirm the current deadline on the official site before you plan around it.
Eligibility
- Applying to any ETH Zurich master's programme as a new student
- Ranking among the very top of your bachelor's class — typically top 10%
- A complete application including a pre-proposal for the master's thesis
- Two academic references supporting exceptional ability
- All nationalities are eligible — the criterion is academic merit alone
How to apply
- Prepare your ETH master's application for the December deadline
- Tick the ESOP application option and add the required project sketch
- Submit referee details early so letters arrive on time
- The scholarship committee reviews alongside admission decisions
- Outcomes are released with offers in spring for the autumn semester
Studying in Switzerland
Elite universities, world-famous hospitality schools and unmatched quality of life. Post-study work: 6 months.
Other scholarships for Switzerland
Browse all Switzerland scholarshipsEPFL Excellence Fellowships
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
A grant of roughly CHF 10,000 to CHF 16,000 a year towards living costs during the master's
University of Geneva Excellence Master Fellowships
University of Geneva, Faculty of Science
A grant of CHF 10,000 to CHF 15,000 a year, with no teaching duties, for the standard duration of the master's
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Swiss Confederation (FCS)
Monthly stipend of around CHF 1,920, tuition waivers at most institutions, health insurance and housing support
Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme: your questions, answered
What does the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme cover?
A grant covering living and study costs of around CHF 13,000 per semester plus a full tuition waiver. ETH Zurich — continental Europe's top-ranked university — funds its strongest incoming master's students through the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP), covering the full cost of the degree.
Who is eligible for the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme?
Core requirements are: Applying to any ETH Zurich master's programme as a new student; Ranking among the very top of your bachelor's class — typically top 10%; A complete application including a pre-proposal for the master's thesis; Two academic references supporting exceptional ability; All nationalities are eligible — the criterion is academic merit alone. Eligibility rules are set by the funder and can change each cycle, so confirm on the official site before applying.
When is the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme deadline?
Apply with the master's application, typically November to mid-December. Because award cycles shift year to year, always check the official programme website for the current date.
Is the university placement service really free?
Yes, our service is 100% free. Counselling, university matching, application support and guidance right up to your offer cost you nothing. There are no consultation fees and no agent fees, because we are funded by our university partners. The only cost you take on is the university’s own tuition or semester fees, which you pay directly to the university after you accept your offer.
What exactly do you help with?
Everything from start to finish: understanding your options, shortlisting the right programme, preparing your application and personal statement, submitting to the university, and guiding you through the offer, enrolment and visa paperwork, all with a dedicated counsellor.
Which universities can you place me into?
We place students into a range of UK and international universities, and we shortlist the best-fit options for your grades, budget and goals rather than pushing a single school. On some pages we run dedicated free placement drives for a specific partner university, and we are always adding more partners. Tell us your goals and your counsellor will map out your options.