ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading science and technology universities known for its cutting-edge research and innovation. It was established in 1855 as the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School, and a century and a half later, the university can count 22 Nobel laureates, 2 Fields Medalists, 3 Pritzker Prize winners, and 1 Turing Award winner as alumni, including the great Albert Einstein himself.
The Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) at ETH Zurich supports students with a scholarship, mentorship and a network of the ETH Foundation. The scholarship covers the full study and living costs during the Master’s degree course.
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- University – ETH Zurich
- Country – Switzerland
- Level – Eligible Masters Degree Programme offered by the University
- Deadline – The application window is open between Nov 1 – Dec 15 2023.
Scholarship amount and duration
- ESOP consists of a scholarship covering living and study expenses (CHF 12000 or INR 11,31,390 per semester) and a tuition fee waiver.
- ESOP is awarded for the regular duration of the Master’s programme (three or four semesters). This also applies to the tuition fee waiver.
Eligibility/Prerequisites
- Very good result in Bachelor’s degree programme (top 10% of Bachelor’s degree programme = grade A).
- The selection process might include a phone/VC interview in February.
- If you are already enrolled in a Master’s degree programme at ETH Zurich or hold a Master’s degree, you are not eligible for ESOP.
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Application documents
- To be considered for the scholarship, you must apply for a Master’s degree programme at ETH Zurich.
- In addition to the documents for the Master’s admission, you must upload a pre-proposal for your master’s thesis. Check the guidelines here.
- The pre-proposal for the Master’s thesis must be developed by yourself using established scientific citation practices.
Plagiarism and negligent or intentional misinformation will lead to exclusion from the admission process or – if discovered later – to the revocation of the admission and any scholarship. - If your study programme does not require references, you must name two reference persons (professors) for your ESOP application.
Selection process
For the start of the academic year 2023/24, approximately 60 ESOP scholarships will be assigned.
The applications are evaluated by the Admissions Committees of the respective Master’s programmes. The final decision for awarding scholarships in the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme rests with the Rector of ETH Zurich. The exact number of annual scholarships depends on the availability of funds. The decisions will be communicated by the end of March.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) at ETH Zurich?
ESOP supports students with a comprehensive scholarship, mentorship, and access to the ETH Foundation network. The scholarship covers full study and living costs throughout the Master’s degree course.
Q. What is the scholarship amount and duration?
ESOP includes a scholarship covering living and study expenses (CHF 12,000 or INR 11,31,390 per semester) and a tuition fee waiver. It is awarded for the regular duration of the Master’s programme (three or four semesters).
Q. When is the grant paid out?
The grant is paid out in three or four instalments. Each individual instalment is issued at the beginning of the semester. You must have completed your semester enrolment to receive these payments.
Q. Will I continue to receive the grant during my exchange semester at another university?
No, the grant will be suspended. However, your tuition fees will continue to be waived. If your semester on exchange prolongs the duration of your studies, the grant will be based on the standard number of semesters required to complete your study programme. If your semester on exchange does not affect the duration of your studies, you will not be entitled to receive any further grant instalments.
Q. When can I apply for ESOP?
They accept applications for the academic year due to begin in the following year (autumn semester) during the international application window (November to mid-December). Applications must be submitted via eApply. Applications for the spring semester are reserved for ETH Zurich students only.
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